![]() ![]() Anne wrote, “Even if people are still very young, they shouldn’t be prevented from saying what they think.” Young voices matter. And like Anne continues to inspire generations, we are inspired by the new generations of young people willing to make their voices heard, like the brave students campaigning against gun violence in the aftermath of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. When our leaders use hateful rhetoric against immigrants and refugees, we must not remain silent. When we see Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia, misogyny, and bullying, we must speak out. When we see violent white supremacist rallies, such as one that occurred in Charlottesville, we must remember and act. Discrimination, injustice, and exclusion did not end at the conclusion of World War II and the liberation of the camps. Anne writes in her diary, “The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” It lies in our hands. The memories of those who perished during the Holocaust, including Anne, must sustain us and urge us to make a difference. That we must speak out and say never again! Her words show us that we cannot be blind to the atrocities and abuses that surround us. Anne’s words teach us that actions and language matter. We connect so deeply with her because her emotions reflect our own. Anne’s search to find out who she is as a young woman while living through the worst horror in history impacts us all because she feels the same emotions that most teenagers feel at that age: angst, love, isolation, fear, loneliness. This is why Anne’s legacy is so great, and why she connects so deeply with people, youth in particular. Drawing inspiration from Anne’s quote about being a strong woman, this exhibition looks at the way young people deal with identity, discrimination, and exclusion. The exhibition not only tells the story of Anne, but also stories of young people today. In March 2018, the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect held North American premiere of Let Me Be Myself: The Life Story of Anne Frank at the Seattle Holocaust Center for Humanity, a new exhibition courtesy of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. And her words continue to inspire, to provide optimism and lift generations up. ![]() She is a woman of inward strength and courage. ![]() Yet she is an extraordinary person, not only because she wrote these things amid war and violence, but also because in this teenage girl, we find reflective wisdom and wit. In many ways she is an ordinary teenager, writing about ordinary teenage things. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |