Active on the AU Campus and in Washington D.C.

Hey everyone,

My name is Leslie and I'm a second-year grad student at SIS, focusing my International Politics degree on Human Rights and Global Environmental Policy. Many of you probably saw all the news coverage about the protests in Burma earlier this fall. But what you likely didn't see was all the activist work that goes on behind the scenes here in DC. I've been fortunate enough to become involved in the Free Burma movement at AU, and I'd like to share some of that with you.
Like most activist causes, the Free Burma movement relies on a core group of focused, motivated, and dedicated individuals. From the annual student-led Alternative Break trips to the Thai-Burma border learning about the social justice aspects of Burma, to the Student Campaign for Burma here on campus that is composed of both graduate and undergraduate students, AU students have continually been at the forefront of campus and community Burma activism.
On campus, we "flagged the quad" to represent the 100,000 protesters in Rangoon and create a visual representation for the AU community (see more pictures on our blog). On the Hill, we filled a Senate hearing on the Saffron Revolution wearing tee shirts that proclaimed "UNSC Arms Embargo Now," and have alerted our campus community, friends and family to pass an important bill to shut down funding for the military regime. We helped to organize several protests at the Burmese, Chinese, and Indian Embassies which attracted several hundred individuals from DC and a good deal of media attention. We launched petition signing campaigns, film screening, speaker panels, and fundraisers for Burmese aid organizations. There are so many different ways to become involved, and I've had the chance to experience so many of them through my connections at American University and by being in Washington, D.C.

For more information on Burma activism at AU, please visit our blog at http://auburma.blogspot.com/, or email us at auburma@gmail.com .