The crowd at the rally for Darfur is excited and ready to join together to take action. The speaker’s voice booms out across the plaza, with words of awareness and encouragement.
Families, teenagers, and college students begin to stand up and clap, raising their own voices to support the spirit of the rally. Yet one particular student stands out from the rest. She may appear to be a typical high school student yet her work for Darfur and her drive to make a difference sets her apart from the rest.
Allison Hoffman, a junior at Castilleja high school, is actively involved in spreading awareness about the genocide in Darfur and is the leader of a club at Castilleja devoted to helping the cause.
Hoffman’s devotion to the subject and idea to start the club started a couple of years ago.
"About two years ago I saw the movie Hotel Rwanda," Hoffman said. "I wondered why we didn’t do more to help [the situation] when I found out that there is genocide going on right now. I immediately wanted to do everything that I could to raise awareness with the current genocide in Sudan."
Soon Hoffman’s interest developed into a passion. She furthered her interest by doing extensive research.
"I read up on the conflict and went to a few speakers and meetings. My whole family became involved. Advancements in Darfur are a typical dinner conversation in my house."
Hoffman co-founded the club with friend, Lauren Augustine and since the commencement, the membership has increased. Many members have already aided those in Darfur.
"Last year we had 10 core members," Hoffman said. "This year we are expecting a larger turnout. We had many extended members who attended the rally in San Francisco or bought ‘Stop Genocide in Sudan’ t-shirts. We donated over $2,000 to Darfur aid campaigns by selling [the] t-shirts."
Not only has the club taken action against the genocide, but Castilleja students are also more aware of what is going on.
"Last year on a typical free dress day about 5 people would be wearing them [Stop Genocide in Sudan t-shirts]. I hope that everyone at Castilleja now knows the basics of the conflict."
Always ambitious, Hoffman wants to extend the awareness beyond the Castilleja campus.
"Our [club’s] goal last year was to raise awareness within our own small community and within the greater area. We wanted to get as many people as we could to attend the rally last year in San Francisco."
There is even a possibility that Paly and Castilleja, as well as other high schools in the area could come together to work for the same cause.
"This summer while I was bored at an internship," Hoffman said. "I thought of the idea for the formation of a Bay Area High School Coalition. It seems that each school has a great program and creative ideas, but we never collaborate. I think that we could all come together and plan a local vigil organized by teenagers. It could spark a lot of media attention."
Hoffman’s work for Darfur has continued this year with spreading awareness and increasing attendance at another rally in San Francisco.
The rally at Justin Herman Plaza on Sunday, Sept. 17, was another way for people from all over the West coast to come and show their support for the cause.
"I think it [the rally] had a pretty good turnout for a Sunday," Hoffman said. "We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. I loved spending the day outside with my best friends, knowing that we were representing something that we believe in."
Several hundred spectators and demonstrators came to the rally to hear speakers such as Rabbi Henry Shreibman of KRON 4. Co-founder and chairman of the San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition and president of the New Sudan Generation organization, Silvestro Akara Bakhiet also spoke. Musical guests attended as well as speakers such as ‘Linda Tillery and The Cultural Heritage Choir’ from Oakland that performed vocal and percussion numbers. Emmanuel Kembe, a native of Sudan played reggae guitar pieces.
Hoffman was glad to see the multitude of students to the rally.
"I loved the turnout of young people," she said. "Most people there were either high school or college students with the occasional family or old hippie. It was great to know that everyone around me was equally angered about the genocide."
With the rally in the past, Hoffman and other club members are moving forward to other projects devoted to ending the genocide in Darfur.
"We [the club] are meeting this Thursday to sign postcards for Governor Schwarzengger, urging him to pass bill 2941," Hoffman said. "This bill removes California’s investments in the government of Sudan, which provide the murdering Janjaweed [rebel group] with weaponry and support."
Overall Hoffman stressed that students here in the Bay Area can still make a difference.
"Although it may seem like this is all pointless," Hoffman said, "it’s the only way to make a difference. It’s not like we can go do aid work in Sudan. By writing Congress people and showing support for Darfur aid bills we can show government officials that ending this genocide is important to people. We do live in a democratic nation after all, [and] they [government officials] are supposed to listen to us."
It seems that teenagers all over are beginning to take action and many leaders are making this issue a priority.
"STAND, Students Take Action Now: Darfur, is a great organization to get involved with. It’s so cool because a lot of the leaders in the Darfur campaign are young people, high school and college age[d]."
To join in the action, attend a meeting that Hoffman and other club members are holding for high school students all over the Bay Area. There is also an Africa club here at Paly called ‘Action in Africa’.
"Come to the first meeting of the Bay Area High School Darfur Coalition at 2 p.m. on Oct. 1st," Hoffman said. "We need to establish our generation and not let genocide happen on our watch."
The meeting will take place at Hoffman’s house. Please e-mail her at [email protected] for further contact information.
To learn more about Bill AB 2941 go here