World Can’t Wait’s We Are Not Your Soldiers project is starting its twelfth year of visits to high schools and college classes with recent veterans of U.S. wars of terror. We are now beginning to schedule our class visits for the fall semester.
With the Trump/Pence Regime envisioning and engaging in even more militaristic engagements and gearing up to expand those wars to additional countries via both traditional and drone warfare (as well as nuclear threats), it is more important than ever to go in to speak to students who are largely unaware of what’s happening internationally.
At the same time, the wars for empire are at the heart of the flood of refugees risking their lives to escape the war zones of the Middle East and Africa. The issue of immigration is within the consciousness of many students. That awareness needs to be built on to recognize why it is neither in their interests nor those of the people of the world for them to enlist while, on the other hand, becoming part of a movement opposing these wars is.
Visits are designed in close consultation with participating teachers to make presentations fit in with their curricula and be as relevant as possible to the needs of their students.
- Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans tell stories of their own experiences in the military. The presentations may include film, music or spoken word. In-service and post-service issues such PTS, medical/psychological care or lack thereof and homelessness are also addressed, as well as the very high incidence of sexual abuse inside the military.
- We Are Not Your Soldiers can also provide a historical presentation with a Vietnam military resister and/or veteran. Another option is to have a dialog in the class between the recent veteran and the Vietnam veteran comparing and contrasting their experiences.
We Are Not Your Soldiers wants to visit as many students as we possibly can in this 2018-19 school year. We can arrange to do this wherever the school is located.
- If you are an educator, contact us now to arrange a visit to your school.
- If you are a student, put us in touch with your teacher or principal so we can come to your class.
- If you are a parent, we’d love to work with you to interact with your child’s school.
Please pass this message on. Call us at 646-807-3259 or email us at wearenotyoursoldiers@worldcantwait.org now to arrange a fall visit!
In June, we prepared a report describing in detail the accomplishments of We Are Not Your Soldiers during the 2017-18 school year as well as our goals for the coming year. Please take a look. When that report went out, Nick Mottern, a member of World Can’t Wait’s Advisory Board had additional questions about We Are Not Your Soldiers which we have posted here with answers from project coordinator, Stephanie Rugoff. Please read that here.
| Comments from NYC teachers whose classes we visited in the 2017-18 school year
“Thank you so much for the incredible work you do to bring awareness of what is happening with the military. It’s so important.” – Manhattan alternative high school teacher “Just wanted to thank you AGAIN for spending a truly engaging, thought-provoking day with us. The work you do is incredibly vital for young people like my students, all of whom were enthusiastic, moved, and grateful in their responses when I asked them for their thoughts on your visit in class the next day. I’m constantly trying to raise consciousness (and consciences…), but it is often a tough, uphill trek, so I’m happy to have your help in the mission. I would love to have you back next year sometime to meet a new batch of students! In the meantime, please keep doing the work you’re doing — I know how exhausting it is but I promise you it is worth it!” – Teacher in a traditional Brooklyn high school Help get We Are Not Your Soldiers veterans in front of students, who are targeted to be the force bringing war on the world. Your donations provide stipends to vets who volunteer for this project, cover their travel expenses, pay for educational materials distributed to students and for the social media inputs we need to grow this project. Please make your donation now. |