How did you choose your topic? (OR: Why was this topic important to you?)

We all felt that the prompt provided by CGS - "Failing Darfur 5 Years On" - was, in itself, a very powerful message.  In thinking about what five years of conflict and crisis in Darfur meant to each of us, we were struck by the paradox that the longer the genocide stretched on and the higher the numbers climbed, the further removed we have all become from those suffering on the ground.  Confronted with these daunting statistics, our conversations about Darfur, our presence at meetings or events, and our single signatures on petitions didn't seem significant.  But as we watched the 2008 presidential race, we could no longer deny the huge impact that committed, everyday individuals can have.  These things do count.  And though it can be difficult to see how everything adds up, we think it is also important to remind people that sometimes the response can be very simple.

Before this contest, did you consider yourself fairly knowledgeable about global issues? Has this contest opened your eyes in any way?

The three of us have been lucky enough to spend time abroad and have advocated for different human rights issues around the world.  But it was really through work with committed young people in organizations in the U.S. like CGC, Action in Sudan, STAND, and the Student Campaign for Child Survival in college that we got involved with the Darfurian crisis.  Like the message in our video - that little things DO add up - we think it is important for people of all ages and from all over the world to realize that they can help people on the other side of the world without ever meeting them.  The prompt of this contest made each of us stop and think about five years of conflict.  Five years is such a long time.  We thought about the kindergarten classrooms full of five-year-old children in the elementary school in our neighborhood.  And then we thought about the five-year-olds in the Darfur region.  And we thought about what they've seen in their lifetimes and what they shouldn't have.

Did you have any weird, funny, horrible, or in some ways memorable moments during the making of this film for the contest?

When we began this project, our original assumption was that we'd find all these statistics, graphs, and charts in major newspapers that we could highlight.  It was depressing, however, when our search came up almost empty and we were reminded of how relatively little coverage there has been of this crisis, particularly in American news outlets.  At the same time, anyone trying to learn more about the genocide in Darfur will discover what we did - there are many government agencies and citizen sector organizations committed to helping people all over the world to understand this crisis, its roots, its impact, and a way out.  And that was really inspiring.

Anything else you'd like the viewers to know?

The music for our video was created by Carolyn Alroy and made available by Blue Scout Music (http://www.bluescoutmusic.com/).  Special thanks also to Ashoka for letting us use their space to shoot and to Citizens for Global Solutions for prompting discussions on issues that threaten the world around us.  We look forward to collaborating on future projects as we continue to work together to bring an end to the Darfurian genocide.

* Music used with thanks to: Carolyn Alroy, "Waiting for You to Be Born"