Concert for Congo

When I was a wee, wide-eyed freshman at Ithaca, the school's chapter of Amnesty International had their first benefit concert. A Jamnesty, if you will. We managed to book the lounge above the Lost Dog Cafe (rest in piece, Lost Dog), and in that tight space managed to fit WAY over the legal limit of people for music, booze, and an awesome raffle. I won twenty-five dollars to the local guitar shop!

That night Amnesty raised over a thousand dollars for a school in Zimbabwe, although Kendra got drunk and told everyone we made ten thousand dollars. Kind of wonderful.

I just remember that line of people fighting to get in, crowding the entire stairwell and wrapping around the corner. It was such an amazing thing to see so many people show up for an event that I got to help plan. Sure, I was the president of my youth group in high school. But this was the first time I actually felt like a leader. And it was when I learned that it's possible to make things like human rights and social justice upbeat and fun. I know I can definitely be a debbie downer with the subject.

Well, I'm a senior now, and we haven't had a Jamnesty since my freshman year. The organization kind of fell by the wayside, then I studied abroad, then we changed over from Amnesty to IC Human Rights. It's been quite the journey.

But the e-board really knocked it out of the park and IC Human Rights is having a huge concert tonight at Oasis. We've managed to carry the theme of womens rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through the whole semester, and tonight it's culminating in this amazing show. I am so excited. I've been pushing for another concert for years and it's finally here! AND, all the proceeds from the door and bake sale are going to the City of Joy!

This is going to be my last IC Human Rights event. It's been a wild ride. This club has become such a part of me...I don't really remember life without it. IC Human Rights and Amnesty International have really been the guiding forces in my life these past four years. These clubs, and the people in them and the topics we've tackled together, have shown me that I want to make the fight for human rights the focus of my life, rather than just a passing hobby.

But it's time to pass the IC Human Rights baton. Whoever becomes the next president is probably going to have to pry my fingers off it.