New Things: Week 3

Two new things this week. . . .

This year, Dan and I began what I hope will become an annual tradition by participating in Amnesty International's Write for Rights Global Write-A-Thon. Last night, on Human Rights Day, we made a date night of writing and/or printing and signing a total of 58 letters, notecards, and postcards in support of those suffering human rights abuses.

The letters that we printed and signed went to international government officials or embassy offices demanding action.


In addition, we wrote notes and postcards to the individuals suffering human rights abuses to provide them with support and encouragement. These include prisoners of conscience who have been unjustly imprisoned, communities that have experienced persecution and discrimination, and defenders of human rights facing daily threats. Reading their stories made me feel truly grateful for a life free from persecution; writing letters seemed like such a small (yet important) thing to do considering the unimaginable challenges they face.


After three and a half hours, our letters were ready to send to Romania, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Gambia, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other places all over the world. It was a pretty amazing thing to be a part of such a worldwide effort--they are expecting over 250,000 letters to be sent! (P.S.--If you're interested in writing, it's definitely not too late even after the Write-a-Thon ends on December 12.)

The second new thing of the week: After contemplating it for months, Dan and I finally signed on to CREDO Mobile, a cell phone service that supports progressive causes. I've had mixed feelings about supporting my previous phone carrier after learning more about their politics, so it's nice to get behind a company I can support 100% (and, as an added bonus, it doesn't cost any more than our old plan, and I'll make out with a new phone!).

All in all, I guess it was my week to do my little bit to promote social justice. Next week's new things are likely to be much less lofty, but for now, it feels nice to move from thoughts to action--even if they are just little actions--to support causes I care about. For me, it's all part of my journey to really prioritize the things that matter most to me.