Painting Pennsylvania Ave red.

MOVE: Invisible Children's new film from the creators of KONY 2012

MOVE is a behind-the-scenes look at the viral video KONY 2012, the organization behind it, and the movement that made Joseph Kony famous. You can lead or you can follow, but eventually everyone will have to MOVE.

MOVE: what we aim to achieve

KONY 2012 showed the world that Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) must be stopped to set a new precedent for international justice and help people in central Africa find peace. In response, world leaders from U.S. President Barack Obama to UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon made promises to help make it happen.
But Joseph Kony continues to roam free.

What’s Happening

Recent reports from leaders in central Africa and escaped LRA abductees [1] indicate that Kony is roaming freely in an area controlled by Sudan near the border of Central African Republic. Meanwhile, his top commanders are perpetrating attacks hundreds of miles away. So far in 2012, the LRA has carried out 233 attacks on communities in CAR and neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), abducting at least 402 innocent civilians [2]. Approximately 470,000 [3] people are currently displaced by these attacks, out of fear of the LRA.

What We’re Doing

Invisible Children works with regional partners and civil society leaders in the LRA affected regions to bring a responsible and permanent end to this conflict by prioritizing civilian protection, defection of LRA members, and the rehabilitation of affected communities through our Protection and Recovery Programs [4] in central and East Africa. Our programs address these critical concerns in the following ways:

Civilian Protection – The Early Warning Radio Network protects civilians by giving remote communities the communication infrastructure to report LRA attacks and receive warning when LRA groups are active nearby.

Online premiere of MOVE

Our newest film, MOVE, is premiering at KONY2012.com on Sunday, October 7 at 7:00PM PDT.
The film is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the most viral video ever, Invisible Children itself, and the mechanics of a movement to stop one of the world’s worst war criminals. Directed by our chief storyteller Jason Russell, this film challenges a generation to take a stand for international justice. Either you lead or you follow, but everyone will eventually have to MOVE.
Prior to the film’s online release, Jason Russell will appear on Oprah’s Next Chapter in his first on-air interview since March. The interview will air at 9/8c on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
I know, we’re excited too.
P.S. Sharing is caring. #MOVE

invisiblechildren.com

Behind the scenes with the Uganda film team

Christened ‘Dream Factory 2’, the Uganda film team office may resemble a cool, dark cave with its blacked-out windows for easier editing and the AC always on to keep the computers from overheating. But the dream team behind the videos is anything but cold and lifeless.
Jay Salbert of Fairfax, Virginia and Tony Bazilo of Atiak, Uganda, the current film team, are pretty much the coolest guys in town. Jay worked as a film editor with Invisible Children for about a year in the San Diego office before flying off to Uganda. There he joined Tony, a student in the Legacy Scholarship Program and the first film intern in the Gulu office. They spend their days out in the field filming and photographing Invisible Children Uganda (ICU) programs, or in the office logging photos, organizing assets, editing photos and uploading the finished products.
Jay has adjusted quickly to working in a new environment.
“It’s just really cool to see the impact of our programs so that we can communicate that through images.”
While Jay trains Tony on how to use the cameras and lights, Tony brings his own expertise to the team.
“It’s always difficult working in a place that isn’t home,” Jay says. “When you go out to the villages people speak a different language, so it’s great to have Tony around so he can translate.”
So Tony, what’s it like working with Jay?
“We’re always cracking jokes around here and we can laugh,” Tony says. “He’s been like a role model to me.”
And the mutual admiration doesn’t end there.
“Tony has such a good attitude all the time, even if we’re super stressed he’s always got a smile on,” Jay gushes. “Tony’s the best at that.”

Jay and Tony set up lights for the interviews in the new IC film

One of Tony’s favorite skills learned so far is lighting

Tony gets experience in the field, filming interviews to be aired on Ugandan television for International Peace Day

Jay gets out in the field, filming everything from Village Savings and Loan group leaders, to cute puppies

A typical morning for the film team will start with checking e-mails and taking tea with mandazi – kind of like a donut. Work continues up until 1pm, when the team heads to lunch. Usually to the pork joint, but sometimes to an Ethiopian or local restaurant.
If the paparazzi want to know where to catch this duo, they need look no further than some of the most popular cafes in town. Tony hangs out at Coffee Hut, for the wireless internet, while Jay can be found at Sankofa on the weekends, enjoying a French press and cinnamon bun. In fact, he’s such a regular the Sankofa staff call him when cinnamon buns are ready.

Jay at his favorite weekend hangout – Sankofa

Look out for the next project these two are tackling: staff photos for the website.




 

invisiblechildren.com

KONY 2012 at Mountainfilm

Every memorial day weekend, the tiny mountain town of Telluride, Colorado hosts a film festival called Mountainfilm. If I remember correctly, it was birthed from a pre-X-games love of action sports films, the kind that are a continuous slow motion montage of snow boarding flips, gnarly surf shredding, mountain biking down an erupting volcano, etc etc. But over the last twenty years, the festival has evolved into something more. The love of action sports necessitated beautiful scenery, and that accented and enflamed within the athletes and filmmakers a love of nature. That love of nature infected the film festival with an activist’s heart, and the films expanded beyond sports and stunts to environmental conservation and human rights. Now, the festival is a majestic collective of creative filmmakers aiming to raise awareness about the most important issues facing our planet. It is my favorite weekend of the year.

$10M authorized by U.S. Congress

Sometimes – when you ask nicely – U.S. Congress makes $10 million available for protecting families at risk of LRA attacks. That’s good money. Thanks to everyone out there who called, tweeted, or met with their Members of Congress. Nice work.
Check out Resolve’s blog post about it. Resolve is our partner in KONY 2012 and they know what’s what in DC.
-Azy
From Resolve:
This week, we received some big news as the committees in Congress that set America’s foreign aid budget released their proposals for 2013. Thanks to the committed activism of young people across the U.S. and support from a few key champions in Congress, we’re now very close to securing $10 million for life-saving programs in communities targeted by LRA violence.

The Debating Spirit

“I like debating because it needs critical analysis which can help unearth solutions to issues in the society,” comments Ben, a debater from Gulu Army School.  He says that debating has helped him overcome stage fright and improved his spoken English, a problem he has been fighting since childhood.
You could see how engaged the students were in the debate organized by the Legacy Scholarship Program. The room was full to capacity, with many students peering through the window bars from outside to get a glimpse of the action. The main hall at Sir Samuel Baker school was as silent as a grave, while all eyes focused on the debaters trying to convince the judges of their case on the topic “true democracy is impracticable in our contemporary society.”

Mend: Laker Lucy

Meet Laker Lucy- a natural leader, Mend seamstress and loving mother. Lucy spent 7 years in captivity before escaping.

Uganda captures LRA senior commander

A senior commander in the rebel Lord's Resistance Army has been captured by the Ugandan army, a spokesman has said.

Caesar Achellam was seized on Saturday following a struggle between Ugandan soldiers and a group of 30 rebels.
The commander, whom Ugandan officials say is a top rebel military strategist, was captured in the Central African Republic, one of several nations where the Ugandan-led LRA operates.
The most notorious wanted LRA leader is war crimes suspect Joseph Kony.
Following his arrest, Achellam told reporters: "The general of the division, Caesar Achellam, who has fought in the jungle since 1984, is from now on in the hands of the Ugandan Army."
"My coming out will have a big impact for the people still in the bush to come out and end this war soon," he said.

Saturday inspiration

Do you want to be a Roadie?

Do you want to be a Roadie? (You. Yes, you.) We are currently looking for the best and the brightest to join us for Fall 2012. The deadline to apply is May 25th. Details here: http://bit.ly/Fall2012Roadie

NY Times: The complexities of capturing Kony

As the world was rapidly becoming aware of Joseph Kony’s atrocities, people were left appalled. Without knowing the region, it is hard to understand why it would be so difficult to capture one man. The New York Times released a story yesterday with updates from the American team helping to track down LRA leadership. The Green Berets, who are only in “an advise and assist role” and do not take part in actual combat, explain the complexity of the situation:

Former Liberian president convicted of war crimes

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor looks down as he waits for the start of a hearing to deliver the verdict in the court room of the Special Court for Sierra Leone in Leidschendam, near The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday April 26. Photo credit: Peter Dejong/AP

Last Thursday an international tribunal found ex-President Charles Taylor guilty on 11 counts of war crimes in Sierra Leone. It is, undoubtedly, a milestone for international justice as he is the first head of state since the Nuremberg Trials to be indicted for war crimes, and the first ever to be convicted. This verdict comes just weeks after Thomas Lubanga was found guilty by the International Criminal Court for his use of child soldiers in Congo.

Obama extends deployment of U.S. advisers in LRA-affected region

 

Today, President Obama announced that he would extend the deployment of 100 advisory troops to the LRA-affected regions of Central Africa. He was speaking at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum this morning when he made the announcement.
It was just over six months ago that President Obama originally announced his decision to deploy 100 advisory troops to the region on a time-limited mission. These special forces advise regional militaries and aide in logistics and intelligence. These are not combat troops–though they are combat ready should they need to defend themselves. The extension of their deployment and President Obama’s public commitment to seeing an end to LRA violence is very encouraging. He said:

We love us some George Bernard Shaw.

KONY 2012: Family Edition

All ages are participating in Cover the Night. It just goes to show that you’re never too young to create awareness. Or too cute for social activism.

Gwen in Tucson, Arizona

Kicking off Cover the Night: a global day of action to promote justice for Joseph Kony

The original goal of Cover the Night, as introduced in the viral KONY 2012 video, was to make Joseph Kony famous. That happened in a matter of days thanks to millions of people around the world who shared the KONY 2012 films. The event has expanded into a global day of action, embodied by the idea that our liberty is bound together and that the human connection extends around the globe, but starts across the street.
Already this week, thousands of Kony 2012 supporters have contacted the African Union, the United Nations, global leaders, and heads of state, asking them to support international efforts to end LRA violence.
And today, April 20, 2012, people all around the world will be serving their local communities and promoting justice for Joseph Kony in creative and constructive ways.

Cover the Night: Advocacy for U.S. citizens

The end of LRA violence will only come as the result of increased support to the existing international effort. We’re coordinating our efforts so that local, national, and global leaders will coordinate theirs. Because when they agree, change can happen.
We’ve been encouraging you to channel your demands for justice to Washington and we’re already seeing results. Since the launch of KONY 2012, a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives introduced the Kony 2012 resolution into Congress and it has roughly 100 cosponsors. This is remarkable – a true sign that your voices are powerful – but we still have a long way to go.
Make it your mission to get all three of your members of Congress (your two Senators and your one Representative) to cosponsor the Kony 2012 resolution. Here’s how you can do that: