Washington D.C. Walk to End Genocide
It was quite poetic really; a group of diverse individuals gathered in the shadow of the Holocaust Museum with one common goal- to raise awareness about genocide and money for survivor relief projects. Whether you spoke to attendees or merely read the signs that they were all holding, it was apparent that while all working towards the same cause, reasons for walking were vast and varied. There were members of Rwandan, Congolese, and Armenian diaspora whose own lives or the lives of their families, friends, and communities have been upturned by genocide and mass atrocities. But there were also those like myself who are more distantly connected to the issue, Jews whose ancestors were affected in some way by the Holocaust, human rights activists, and members of the DC community for whom genocide does not play a part in their personal narrative beyond their feelings of moral obligation to help fellow human beings.
At 1:30 as the programming was about to begin, the patch of lawn that served as the starting and ending point of the walk was littered with people in red shirts chatting, looking at info booths, and making signs to hold while walking. The speakers were incredible as they took their real life experiences and made the issues that sometimes feel so far away so tangible. The religious leaders truly instilled that feeling of community and oneness that is so important to strengthening a movement.
The actual walking portion itself was beautiful; the weather was perfect and the mood bright as people passing by in cars honked, waved, and cheered in approval of the messages of peace held up on signs. Peace and coexistence felt so real that day, and I was left deeply grateful and wishing more than ever that everyone could know that kind of calm.