WE DAY 2011

By Dana Marie Krook

A time of change is coming--and it starts with you!

"Be the change" is Free the Children's call to action for everyone across the country and We Day is a way for them to kick-off this year of youth movement. Co-hosted by The Vampire Diaries' Nina Dobrev and singer Joe Jonas, this year's We Day included perfomances by Nikki Yanofsky, Neverest, Classified, City and Colour, the Kenyan Boys Choir, Nelly Furtado and more. Inspiring speeches from activists like Rick Hansen, Degrassi stars Ainslinn Paul and Munro Chambers, Marc and Craig Kielburger, Spencer West, Danny Glover--the list is quite extensive.

Highlights for me this year were a moving moment of silence from Michel Chikwanine (former child soldier), who told his heart-breaking story with poster-boards only, AND Nelly Furtado's performance of "Powerless (Say What You Want)" with the Kenyan Boys Choir (which lead to her announcement that she is donating $1 million to Free The Children to support The Girls For Change Program in Kenya.)