Following the popularity of the KONY 2012 video, the DHS Helping Other People Everywhere (HOPE) Club journeyed to the office of U.S. Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard on Friday, April 26, in order to help initiate action towards the crisis in Uganda. HOPE came about as a response to the tragedies perpetuated by the Lord’s Resistance Army against the citizens of Uganda. Currently, Ms. Nastase advises the club.
The group made its way to downtown Los Angeles to visit the U.S. Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard promptly after school at 3:00 p.m. The attendees were nervous about meeting someone of such high rank, and especially since they would have to attempt to convince the U.S. Representative to help aid the Ugandan people.
The purpose of the meeting was to try to persuade the congresswoman to push for advisors to be sent to Uganda in order to help aid them in finding Kony, rebuild devastated areas, and help those who have been affected by his presence. The KONY 2012 campaign came about as a response to the violence that has occurred in Uganda by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The LRA uses children soldiers, and the KONY 2012 aim to find Joseph Kony (the leader of the LRA) and stop him.
“I started the club because it seemed like an imperative,” teacher Ms. Nastase said. “I believe in the message of the club and hold no qualms about being the adviser. I think it does great work and is based on good thought.”
The event took about an hour, but the hour was certainly worth it as the club ended up feeling hopeful about its effort. One of the more vocal speakers was Viridiana Silva.
“I basically just talked about how sending aid would be the best and humanitarian thing to do,” Junior Alejandro Lomeli said. “If we were being destroyed by some oppressive guy or stuck in war, I would want others helping me.”
After the students gave a twenty minute presentation, and a thirty minute talk was given by the representative, Roybal-Allard pledged her support of the bill to send aid. As a matter of fact, the representative actually supported a similar bill in the past. The club meets every Thursday after school at 3:00 and plans out ways to help spread the word about their activities and how to support the Ugandan people. Recently, on April 20, club members participated in a local movement titled Cover The Night, where they spread posters encouraging others to learn more about Kony.
“I helped post posters for the Cover the Night event on April 20,” Junior Andrew Rezk said. “It helps spread the message of the club—to help others.”
The message of the club is to help everyone—not just those who have been affected by the situation in Uganda. The club will focus on helping other people everywhere.
