Meet Francesca: i-ACT’s New Student Activities Liaison

My name is Francesca Freeman and I am in my second-year at University of Chicago. In high school, I was very active within the anti-genocide movement. We worked with organizations such as the Darfur Dream Team Sister School Program at the Enough Project, Washington, DC’s Darfur Interfaith Network, and my high school’s STAND chapter. Upon reaching my senior year of high school, I became the president of my high school’s STAND chapter and led a very successful club for the rest of my time in high school. Arriving at college, however, my activism and passion towards the anti-genocide movement was buried under hours of reading Karl Marx and Adam Smith.

A few weeks ago, I got together with another student at my school that had lived in South Sudan for a year while working in a hospital before beginning his education at the University of Chicago. I walked away from our conversation feeling inspired and motivated to renew my passion for activism relating to the refugee camps in Chad. I went straight home, opened my laptop and started to research. I had interacted with i-ACT during my time as president of the STAND chapter through the Darfur Dream Team but I didn’t know too much about their programs or projects. I started looking through the i-ACT website, and I couldn’t resist becoming involved! I emailed Katie-Jay and Jennifer from Little Ripples and asked what I could do to help. After some emails and a video call, I am happy to say that I will be filling the role of i-ACT Student Activities Liaison. I hope to be able to connect the student anti-genocide movement, which is so strong in high schools and colleges, with i-ACT, and especially Little Ripples and Darfur United. It is truly amazing what students can do when they come together for a cause. I am excited to bring together students who believe that it is truly time for a change.

Francesca Freeman