Through the Invisible Children organization, Juan Diego Catholic High School students are responding to an international movement to stop violence toward children in Africa. The students have a lot of company since the release of a video on March 10 that is receiving attention from many people, particularly on social networking sites like Facebook. A call to action will take place on April 20 and is open to the public.

     Children on the other side of the world are suffering in ways that most Americans cannot imagine. In Uganda, some kids are fighting for their lives while others are fighting on behalf of Joseph Kony.  Kony is a rebel leader, and one of the world’s most sought-after war criminals. Through the Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, Kony is attempting to overthrow the government. In order to achieve this goal, Kony abducts young boys and brainwashes them into becoming child soldiers. The girls are often raped and turned into sex slaves. Much of the world is unaware that this is happening.

     The Invisible Children organization began in 2003 when three young filmmakers took a trip to Africa looking for a story. Their documentary about Kony and the LRA, Rough Cut, was produced in 2005. Invisible Children became an official non-profit organization in 2006.

     Their website, invisiblechildren.com, says “We are storytellers. We are visionaries, humanitarians, artists, and entrepreneurs. We are a generation eager for change and willing to pursue it. With a U.S. headquarters in San Diego, CA, our programs rely on talented staff, hundreds of committed volunteers, and thousands of young activists who want to use their voices for peace.”

    The KONY 2012 film is one way that the Invisible Children organization is trying to raise awareness; it has received a bigger response than even its creators expected. On YouTube alone, there have been more than 83,251,332 views, and more than one million people have liked it on the Invisible Children Facebook page. The organization is having the video translated into different languages in order to accommodate an even bigger audience.

     Esther Kasue is a freshman at JD; she explained that the movie made her really sad. She wants other people to be aware of what’s going on. “I didn’t know about the war, even though I’ve been to Africa several times," Kasue said.  "It made me want to go back to Africa so I could help them with their troubles."

     Other students feel the same way.  Facebook is covered with conversation since the film’s release. Students at JD are posting videos and pictures in order to inform others.

     One of Invisible Children’s biggest goals is making Kony famous so his crimes are exposed since the organization believes individuals must be aware of his existence and his crimes before he can be brought to justice.  Celebrities, sports stars, and talk show hosts like Oprah Winfrey are voicing their personal feelings through Facebook and other resources as well. Major news channels and newspapers across the country have also reported on it.   

     The goal is to get Kony’s face everywhere. Forwarded text messages are spreading the word, encouraging others to become part of the fight. T-shirts, posters, and banners make his name known all over the world. There is hope that 2012 will be the year that ends the war and makes Kony accountable for what he has done for 26 years.

    JD students can also invest in the bracelet campaign. “Internally Displaced Persons” make the bracelets in order to generate income in places where jobs are almost impossible to find. This was Invisible Children’s first economic initiative. The bracelets come in different colors that represent different African kids who are suffering from the war. Another purchase is the action kit. For $30, JD students can show their support of the KONY 2012 campaign. The action kit includes: a T-shirt, KONY bracelet, action guide, button, stickers and posters.

Invisible Children is inviting everyone to an event on April 20, 2012. This call to action is referred to as “Cover the Night.” Individuals in major U.S. cities will gather to cover the streets with KONY 2012 posters, banners, and pictures. The goal is to inform everyone of Kony and the atrocities he has committed.

     John Pfeil is one of the Invisible Children volunteers who came to JD.  He believes the youth of America are capable of changing the world, and he does not want anyone to miss the opportunity to be part of the movement.  “All of us have the power to bring a new chapter to history where when the people decide that someone shouldn’t be allowed to commit crimes with impunity, we can do something to end it,” he says.

     Grace is a young woman who grew up in Uganda during the war. She was featured in one of the Invisible Children’s bracelet campaign films. After showing KONY 2012 to JD theology classes, she explained to students that she was always living in fear. Invisible Children allowed her to go back to school through a scholarship, and now she tours with them, sharing her story.

     “This organization has changed my life right from the start when they met me in 2007,” she says.

     She wants JD students to use their talents and do as much as they can to make sure Kony is made famous.

     Nicole Veltri, a theology teacher at JD and the advisor of JD’s Human Rights International Club,  arranged the Invisible Children’s visit. She also has high hopes for student reaction. “I think it’s important for people to find something outside of themselves that they believe in and put that belief into action,” she says. “I’m always amazed at the students’ response to the Invisible Children.”

      Veltri also mentioned that the Invisible Children organization has a long-standing relationship with both JD and its sister school, Judge Memorial Catholic High School.  Students at JD are ready to join others in taking on the challenge to stop Kony through dedicating themselves to this growing movement.

     “When the war comes to an end -- oh, that will be my joy,” Grace says.