08-09 Creative Activism Overview

Day of Prayer and Advocacy

Organize the other leaders in your group and students on your campus who are interested in issues of AIDS, poverty and injustice to come together for a Day of Prayer and Advocacy. Spend time in prayer for the people and countries your advocacy affects as well as government leaders and your campus. Encourage participants to sign the prayer pledge and spend time planning your campus events for the year.

Broken Bread poverty meal: October 16 national day
To commemorate World Food Day, students across the country are invited to identify, interact and intercede on behalf of those broken by the cycle of AIDS, malaria poverty and hunger. Using a simple porridge meal, true-to-life stories, discussion, prayer and advocacy, students are invited to engage their faith and respond with their hearts and through their citizenship.

“Do You See Orange?” t-shirt campaign
Saturate your campus with awareness impact of AIDS on children in sub-Saharan Africa by getting five percent of students on your campus to wear an "ORPHAN" t-shirt, illustrating the reality that one out of every 20 children in sub-Saharan Africa is orphaned by AIDS. Join us March 30-April 10 for our national dates, or organize your own throughout the year.

“Lives are at Stake” visual display – December 1
During World AIDS Day, create a visual display on your campus using pictures of children from areas affected by the AIDS pandemic. Encourage students on your campus to take a picture to reflect, pray, and/or fast for that child throughout the day.

“Religion that Works Day” – January 27
Join with students across the country that will spend time working in their community to raise money to help support the working poor around the world. Organize a group or encourage students to do it on their own. Get creative--do yard work for people, sell something you make, or donate a shift at your job. Your work will help the poor liberate their families from poverty.

40 Days Toward Justice – Begins February 25
During Lent, encourage your Acting on AIDS leaders to focus on the justice of God and the role he invites each of us to play. Use this resource throughout the season of Lent. This resource will include writings from experts in the field of faith and justice and will be available online in the months leading up to Feb. 25.

“Night of Nets” – April 25, World Malaria Day
To effectively address AIDS, we must also address preventable diseases such as malaria, which are particularly deadly to those living with HIV and AIDS. In 2009, Acting on AIDS will launch “Night of Nets” for World Malaria Day, inviting students to understand the complexities of malaria and take a simple step toward overcoming it.

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