[staff] A Night to Remember
On March 20, 2008, I had the pleasure of taking Mathew, Jonathan, Nafiza, Tarana and Yessenia to a very special event hosted by the MacArthur Foundation, at one of the most grandiose location in New York City, the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Now in its second year, the teens are students from the Virtual Video Project after-school program, founded by the MarcArthur Foundation. We were invited to meet the international community, and support Kofi Annan, as the first-ever recipient of the International Justice Award. What an eye-opener it was for all of us to see him in person! A night to remember, indeed!
As a Canadian living in New York, not only was it inspiring to meet world leaders from my home country, but to recognize exceptional individuals from all over, I was beyond belief. To name a few…Allan Rock, former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nation, whom I met once when I was younger. Lloyd Axworthy, former foreign minister of Canada, and Louise Arbour, former member of the Supreme Court of Canada, now in her fourth year as the appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Right; whom I had the brief pleasure to speak with in the ladies’ restroom. 
What I learned from the dazzling evening was something I never expected. I expected the teens to be ooohed and wowed by the beautiful hotel, the array of gorgeous refreshment and amenities, a wonderful time and a pleasant meal, and of course, being in an environment with a crowd of people they are normally unaccustomed to.
What I did not expect was my own excitement from the event, the "giddy" feeling, so tp skea. I can't describe how much I enjoyed from participating in the capacity bestowed upon us. I felt like one of the students; just another wide-eyed follower of people greater than me, by what they’ve accomplished in their lives, and how overwhelmed I was to be a part of it. I shook hands with former child soldier and book writer, Ishmael Baeh, and to say it was a humbling moment for me would be one simple way to put it. I was beaming with pride, curiosity, and a real sense of belonging each time I introduced myself to someone or vice versa.
In the minds of my students, they remember a crowd of predominately middle-aged White folks dressed up for a fancy evening. In my eyes, I saw global citizens, fighters for justice, individuals who struggled to bring peace to different corners, men and women, children and parents of those who care to give all they have for a better world.
