Hero

Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a superhero. I got a kick out of watching the X-men, Superman, Spiderman, all of the famous Marvel and DC characters we've grown to love. I guess if you would have asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up I would have told you, Batman.

So when January 2009 came around I was thrown into a project I had no idea I could be capable of leading. I was enrolled in a Model United Nations class at Boise State University and we were elected to represent the nation of Sudan in a mock UN Caucus in New York City. I honestly didn't know much about Sudan; I guess to be honest I didn't know anything about it. I knew that there were protests from time to time, people complaining about a genocide, or something. I don't really remember I didn't pay attention, I didn't care.

I told a man I worked with that my class was representing Sudan, but more importantly, we would be going to New York City in the Spring, and well wasn't that exciting? He told me I should have Dr. Ashis Brahma talk to my school about Sudan and the genocide that is going on. Then I asked him "what genocide?", "what's going on?" We had this dialogue back in forth, me asking questions, him perplexed to why I didn't know anything about it. The genocide in Darfur, "What is Darfur?"

It wasn't until I started researching this Dr. Ashis that I started caring. I saw an interview he gave on 60 minutes, then I saw he was traveling around the entire United States telling students and members of the community what was happening in Sudan. Coincidently he would be arriving in Boise in 3 weeks. At this point I knew I needed him to come and talk to my school. I always felt pretty knowledgable, but how did I not know there was a genocide happening. How is that possible? I thought Rwanda was the last one, How could this be? I knew if I didn't know what was going on, there were thousands of other students as well.

In a matter of weeks I secured an auditorium for Dr. Ashis to speak; Darfur: Take a Stand Against Genocide. I fundraised over $1500 from students. Flyers, pamphlets, news outlets, and when the night came Feb. 24th there were over 300 students and members of the community in attendance. Dr. Ashis touched many lives that night, mine included. He inspired a complete auditorium full of mini-activists who want to help and to serve and to spread awareness on everything awful and evil in the world. It was an amazing night.

When I realized how many people cared about those issues, I started an organization called HERO, the Human Equal Rights Organization. We became one of the most active student organizations on campus and became recognized. More importantly it gave me my sense of calling to be the HERO I wanted to be when I was younger. I realized I didn't need a bat belt, or bat mobile, the ability to fly, or any other amazing super power. All I needed was to Love, and that superpower is the greatest superpower of all.