Now is When We Make History...

Women Unite!                                                                              

Powerful women from 20 plus countries standing up and speaking out against injustices in Nigeria, where Nigerian girls are being held prisoner.                                                                                                                                                                  

Photo credit: Anyone who took a picture of us... too many to count or identify!

Nu and I standing in front of the Massachusetts State House for the release of Nigerian girls

Photo credit: Nu Myat Theingi Oo

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of traveling with Ashli Edwards, our Simmons Liason, and Maria Correa, one of the four Student Ambassadors from Mount Holyoke. We got up bright and early - we left around 6:15 a.m. - and got on the road headed to the Massachusetts State House to prepare for the delegates and speakers to arrive.

We stopped at Dunkin Donuts - THANK GOD ALMIGHTY FOR CAFFEINE AND BAGELS WITH CREAM CHEESE - and continued on our way with all sorts of materials and supplies. We met up with Judge Lynda Connolly to finish setting up before everyone arrived. When the delegates and student ambassadors arrived and gathered in front of the State House with our "Bring Back Our Girls" signs, that is when we began to make history.

Yesterday, four of the Nigerian girls who were abducted by Islamist gunmen on April 14 in their home village of Chibok in Nigeria escaped. The girls were taken by Boko Haram, a terrorist organization in northeastern Nigeria. Boko Haram originally abducted 276 girls but since then, 57 escaped, including the four girls who escaped recently, leaving a total of 219 girls still missing. The search is still on and people from all around the world continue to work towards the release of the remaining 219 girls. 

It was a solemn demonstration and the message was clear: as women from all around the world, we stand up for our fellow sisters in other countries, especially those in Nigeria who are being held prisoner. We are their voice. Bring them home.

Today, we continue our journey at Simmons College and it will be a slower, more low key day than yesterday, but learning will continue to happen and connections will continue to be made.

That is all for now. Until tomorrow...