The ASAH project has been quiet since the book launch of Joseph's book, but when we aren't working on our project, we are often reading about Sudan or watching some of the other documentaries that have been made about the Sudanese refugee experience.
I'm watching the documentary Facing Sudan right now, and learning about the Water for Sudan project organized by Salva Dut, one of the Sudanese featured in Facing Sudan. This documentary makes some of the moves we are planning to make, including tracking the boys journey on a Sudanese map. The documentary also has some great footage from other sources, and tremendous original music.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Successful book launch: From Africa to America.
Joseph launched his book, From Africa to America, at the Hjemkomst Museum tonight. We had a great turnout, Joseph spoke with energy and passion I have not seen from him before, and the crowd responded positively and with tremendous support. Deb had photos on display for the first time, and we showed an extended version of the video clip we currently have on our main page. Matt and Greg pulled that together over the weekend.
In all the flurry of getting ready, none of us brought a camera! If anybody who attended reads this, and you are one of the handful of people who took some pictures, please share! : )
In the absence of a picture from tonight's great event, I have include another one of Deb's great photos from our trip: the people of Duk Payuel meeting our plane.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Mash-up Ideas for ASAH
I submitted some ASAH ideas to the NetSquared Mashup Contest. The Mash-up contests asks non-profits like ours to identify various data sources and web applications relevant to our project, and then envision how the data and the interactivity of the web might be brought together in compelling ways. In a nutshell, I envision an old-school mash-up of data that might simply constitute a montage for the documentary, but also an interactive component on the website where people might be able to interact with photos, videos, and maps to get a better feel for the history, geography, and current humanitarian needs of the region.
Please take a look and see what suggestions for improving this mash-up you might have.
Please take a look and see what suggestions for improving this mash-up you might have.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Two speaking engagements coming up: March 14 and 18
Joseph and I will be doing an NDSU English Department Seminar on Friday March, 14 at 3:00 PM.
Joseph will be launching From Africa to America, his memoir, on Tuesday March 18 at 6:00 PM, in the Hjemkomst Center, Moorhead MN, 202 First Avenue North.
Both events are free and open to the pubic.
Joseph will be launching From Africa to America, his memoir, on Tuesday March 18 at 6:00 PM, in the Hjemkomst Center, Moorhead MN, 202 First Avenue North.
Both events are free and open to the pubic.
HELPsudan: A Humanitarian Project
The HELPsudan project is similar to the African Soul, American Heart project. A Lost Boy of Sudan is raising funds to support education near Bor Town. HELPsudan does not seem to be making a documentary, but they got some great video footage from their February 2007 trip, including some great shots on the airplane from Lokichoggio to Bor.
Their annual fund-raising goal seems to be about $40,000, and at this point, their money is going towards a teacher's salary and supplies for the school.
Their annual fund-raising goal seems to be about $40,000, and at this point, their money is going towards a teacher's salary and supplies for the school.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Justin Luoi's Story
This story about Justin Luoi, another Fargo Lost Boy of Sudan, ran in the Fargo Forum the day before Matt and I left for Africa, Dec. 9, 2007. I just came across it again, posted on a blog called "Panyijiar News."
Two stories from Calvin College
The Calvin College magazine profiled two of their Sudanese student in the summer of 2006. Both pieces are well-researched and nicely written; link to a great photo exhibition, too.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Media returning attention to southern Sudan
Joseph and I have been exchanging notes and ideas for an essay tentatively entitled, "Why Southern Sudan Matters Now!" but it looks like others have already figured that out, too. Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times is generally thought to be one of premier African reporters working today, and his columns shed light on the atrocities in Darfur. His most recent video commentary, however, acknowledges that he and others may have overlooked the brewing tensions in the south, and that if war breaks out in the south again, the country as a whole returns to fighting.
What Kristof doesn't provide in the commentary is even a hint of a solution. What Joseph and I would like to focus on are the various American projects, like our own, poised to make a difference in the south. Southerners are understandably outraged that the northern Islamic government is not sharing oil revenues, but if war breaks out again, the projects that have already made a difference, like John Dau's clinics and Valentino Deng's schools, and the projects in the work, like ours, like Rebuilding Hope, like The New Seed of Sudan, will not be able to provide aid or hope for the future.
What Kristof doesn't provide in the commentary is even a hint of a solution. What Joseph and I would like to focus on are the various American projects, like our own, poised to make a difference in the south. Southerners are understandably outraged that the northern Islamic government is not sharing oil revenues, but if war breaks out again, the projects that have already made a difference, like John Dau's clinics and Valentino Deng's schools, and the projects in the work, like ours, like Rebuilding Hope, like The New Seed of Sudan, will not be able to provide aid or hope for the future.
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