Youth United for Darfur Rally in April 2009

A month from now, there will be a concert. There will be drums, guitars, pianos and singers. There will be a massive, excited audience. There will be renowned bands.

And the entire event will be held in an effort to save Darfur.

And it was envisioned by a couple of teenagers.

Last summer, when JVibe announced its 18 Under 18 winners, the pool included Spencer Tweedy, musician and blogger from Chicago, and Ethan Barhydt, founder of Chicago-based organization Youth United for Darfur (YUFD). Since being recognized for their extraordinary contributions to the greater community, Spencer and Ethan have connected and are now uniting their passions for music and philanthropy to assist refugee children from Darfur by putting on a concert and fundraising campaign.

Ethan and Spencer’s combined vision resulted in YUFD's creation of “Rock ‘n’ Raise for Darfur,” a month-long campaign that will launch in February to fund a Darfuri refugee camp school. Over the course of the month, YUFD, supported by the Enough Project, the Save Darfur Coalition and Amnesty International, will bring together thousands of students to raise $57,000—the amount required to fund an entire school in a Darfuri refugee camp. The campaign will include a concert that will celebrate the efforts of students and gear up participants for the remaining weeks of the campaign. Popular Chicago bands, including The Blisters (Spencer will represent on the drums), will perform at the concert.

Morgan Sendor, Coordinator of YUFD, is spearheading the fundraising component of the campaign. She is a senior at Glenbrook South High School in Glenview, Ill., and has been very involved in the Save Darfur movement for several years. Morgan, Ethan and Spencer all say that their Jewish roots and values have motivated them to participate in philanthropy. After all, what they are doing is a mitzvah—literally “commandment” in Hebrew. So helping people isn’t just a good deed. It’s a commandment from God.

During the “Rock ‘n’ Raise for Darfur” month, more than 50 student groups will organize fundraising events at their respective schools. Students will receive a guide on fundraising ideas. They can even use an online itemized registry to help a specific component of a Darfuri school, including teacher training, school rehabilitation, school supplies or sports equipment. According to these teens, letting people choose where the money goes really lets them know that they are directly helping the situation. They can make a difference in the lives of those who truly need it.

Of course, there’s still a lot to be done. YUFD is looking for more people who want to get involved. Even those who don’t live in the Chicago area can help to raise money. There is no doubt that every dollar donated makes a big difference in the lives of these refugee children. To learn more about Rock ‘n’ Raise for Darfur, email RocknRaiseDarfur@gmail.com.

Ilana Strauss has written for publications such as The Jerusalem Post and Teen Ink. She also wrote Quasi-Notes, a comical, unofficial history of the United States, and ran The Lotus Reader, an online literary magazine. She lives in Chicago and likes to doodle. A lot.