UCLA presents Mighty Mic: Free Burma

This past Tuesday UCLA put on their 3rd Annual Mighty Mic concert benefit. Last year they raised donations AND awareness for the situation in Darfur. This year, they put on the benefit for the crisis in Burma. UCLA's UBA was able to attend and participate in this benefit. Along with having our own table (WHOO!! Ok, we shared it with another org./assoc. but we still REPRESENTED!), we got to see many performances, including Daphne Loves Derby (Eric went crazy), Blackalicious (I went crazy), Audible Mainframe, and many more.

But the most exciting part of the entire event and night was when 3 Burmese monks came onto the stage. There was this rush of appreciation and enthusiasm as they walked across the stage with such regal and humble expressions. The monks, Pyinya Zawta, Gawasita, and Agga Nya, are all influential leaders of the Saffron Revolution. They were the leaders, organizers, and the activists that led many to speak out about the militant and violent government in Burma. They spoke out and organized the Burmese people, especially students and Buddhist monks, to speak out about human rights. The Burmese government was hostile to their actions, which led them to seek asylum in America, where their lives weren’t threatened everyday. What struck me the most was when Pyinya Zawta kept emphasizing the importance of youth and activism. How, as the voice of the future, we have to continue fighting for universal human rights so that we can live in a future that is fair and kind to all that live on this precious Earth.

I enjoyed this event tremendously. I hope Pyinya Zawta, Gawasita, and Agga Nya’s journey and activism for a democratic Burma will see much success.