THE SEED

WELCOME | 

#ITSCOOLTOCARE

WRITING | BY RACHEL BLACKBURN 

It was first semester of my second year at university, and I sat numb, heart pounding, as I read the textbook. How was it possible that in 2007, 33 million people were living with human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) and that 3,400 young people, aged 15-24, just like me, were infected with HIV each day- yes I just said EACH DAY. Surely, I thought, this couldn’t be right. Shockingly, almost five years after I sat in that classroom, this statistic has only increased, with an estimated 35 million people, worldwide currently living with HIV/AIDS. Between 2011 and 2020, more than 140 million girls will become a child bride - that’s 14.2 million a year and 39,000 a day. Sexual violence in war continues to be used as a strategic, deliberate action to gain control over women through physical and mental harm. And you thought your day was rough huh? I knew then, as I still know - SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE. 

And the seed of WABI-SABI sprouted.

Welcome to The Movement, from wherever in the world you are - Hello, Sallut, Hallo, Ciao, Ahoj, Bog, Hej, Shalom, Marhaba, Hujambo! My name is Rachel Blackburn and I’m writing to you from Sydney, Australia. I think of myself as a sensitive and strong person. Things that are important to me do not hit and bounce off, they hit and enter my spirit, igniting a flame that is difficult to douse. When something is important to me, I think about it, dream about it, draw about it and write about it - point in case, WABI-SABI was born. I’ve never had a cookie cutter life, initially by default and now by choice. I went to 3 different primary schools and 4 different high schools. I have worked in 26 different jobs (and none of which I have ever been fired from). I’ve never broken a bone and I may be the only adult I’ve met to have never had chicken pox. I’ve flown on over 320 aeroplanes; I’ve abseiled down a mountain and jumped from a plane. I’ve lived in 25 different houses across two states in Australia and two states in America. I’ve had 3 cats, 2 dogs, 2 budgies, 2 mice and a rabbit called shadow. 

My life bursts at the seams with people, work, study, books and photos (yes, I’m nicknamed Paparazzi)- all of which is layered with structure and sprinkled with spontaneity. Just the way I like it. I don’t enjoy sitting still and predictability in life is like nails down a chalkboard. I’m not one to walk by and forget you and when we meet I’ll probably ask too many questions, not because I’m a chatterbox but because I like to know someone’s story so I can understand and learn- because there’s always something to learn. 

THE PART I SAY “I KINDA KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT” 

As a graduate (Bachelor of Secondary Education: Human Movement and Health Education) from Sydney University, with First Class Honours, I chose to return earlier this year and continue my studies with the Sydney Medical Faculty, studying a Masters of Public Health (and I’m graduating this November- yay!). Employment, research and volunteer work have provided me with over eight years experience working in health education. Through my honours program (2012) I conducted a qualitative research project into sexualities education and proceeded to present these findings as a co-presenter at the Joint Australian Association for Research in Education and Asia-Pacific Association Conference (2012). Having recently returned to Australia after spending 18 months aboard in New York City, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the United Nations International School and at the non-profit organisation New York Cares working with disadvantaged youth in the Greater New York City area. This period confirmed my desire to pursue a career in public health. Martin Luther King, Jr once said, “OUR LIVES BEGIN TO END THE DAY WE BECOME SILENT ABOUT THINGS THAT MATTER”, and I for one, have no intention of being silent (fist pump).

THE PART I TELL YOU “THIS IS HOW THE SEED GREW”

On Thursday 8^th March 2012 I awoke to discover that something had occurred around the world over night - Kony2012: Invisible Children. A Human Rights campaign had begun via a video posted online, running for 29:59 seconds and more than 25 million people had viewed it within hours. As I watched Jacobs story I was overwhelmed, seeing his face and hearing his cries, my body wasn’t sure whether it needed to break down and hysterically cry or violently vomit up my breakfast. Joseph Kony is a Ugandan guerrilla group leader, head of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). He abducts children from their homes across several countries including northern Uganda, the Democratic republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan. It is said more than 60,000 children have been taken; boys become soldiers and girls become sex slaves. He is one of the world’s worst war criminals and this campaign aimed to begin a chain reaction, which had hoped to result in the arrest of Kony and disarm the LRA. The ‘Invisible children’ site states, “If the world knows who Joseph Kony is, it will unite to stop him. It starts here”. And that's when I decided I wanted to spend my life making the world aware of things I believe are unacceptable- full stop.

At the age of 14 my Grandpa handed me the Diary of Anne Frank. I learned of World War II and the sickening war crimes that resulted in the death of millions. I felt physically ill that people allowed this to happen; how could anyone believe this was ok. Several years later a teacher suggested I watch ‘Hotel Rwanda’. Throughout the movie I again felt sick, my chest hurt and I felt this overwhelming sense of betrayal. I had been betrayed by my global nation that had once again allowed such a horrible massacre to happen. People around the world had continued to live each day, many oblivious to what was happening, whilst over 800,000 people were brutally murdered. Not many months passed and I watched the film ‘Blood Diamond’, exposing me to the horrifying reality of child soldiers. I continued to look into issues that happened around the world. How were so many people living in constant chaos - poverty, fear, violence and disease consumed their nations. What could I do to help? And how was this even happening? 

THE PART I TELL YOU “LETS GET REAL, I’LL LEVEL WITH YOU”

I will be the first to tell you (yes, you heard it here first)- no I haven’t been on the ground in Africa, the Middle East or Asia. I haven’t observed with my own eyes the atrocities that I will talk about. I don’t run an orphanage. I don’t have a father in politics. I haven’t worked for a global human rights corporation. But what I do have is two eyes, a heart and one hell of a voice. I think that's where the problem begins, right? We think we have to be someone special to care, someone special to speak up- but I’m here to tell you, you don’t! At some point, unacceptable acts, started to become acceptable. That needs to stop.

Because guess what? 

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