Starvation, tear gas, and secret police

What do high school students imagine when they hear the word “socialism”? ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ Hello Friend, What do high school students imagine when they hear the word “socialism”? I bet they do not imagine starvation, inflation, secret police, and violence like we’ve seen in countries like North Korea. The Dissident Project is addressing the issue head-on. The Dissident Project brings survivors of authoritarian socialist countries to high schools around the United States to share their experiences and give students a new appreciation for the freedom we have in America. Our speakers come from places like China, North Korea, Eritrea, Hong Kong, and Venezuela and have firsthand experience with the dangers of socialism. To help our Dissident Speakers travel across the country as they speak to students, I need to raise $17,000 by the end of the week. [Friend, will you support a Dissident Speaker with a gift of $10, $35, $50, or any amount? Click here to send your gift to fight socialism ]( One of our speakers, Grace Jo, has experienced growing up in North Korea. “During the 90s, North Korea suffered one of the world’s worst famines. During that time, I only ate about 1 meal a week—a little rice, maybe some vegetables. Sometimes even mice that we caught. In 1998, my grandmother and younger brothers all passed away because of starvation. The food situation was very bad. My younger brother and I were starved for 10 days straight. We only drank cold water because there was no food we could find. My father was tortured and starved to death, he passed away when North Korean agents transferred him from a detention center to jail, and his “crime” was that he left his country in search of food for his family. That was when my mother, sister, and I first escaped, and it turned into the first of many, as we were caught, repatriated, and escaped again. Some of my family escaped, but most were murdered by the regime.” This is just a small part of her story, Friend. You can help her share her experience with high school students across the country. [Please support Grace Jo and the rest of the Dissident Project speakers today ]( Another one of our speakers, Frances Hui, is the first Hong Kong activist to receive political asylum in America. “I grew up in Hong Kong, a city that was once free. When I was 13, I got involved in social movements as an international advocate and student leader for Hong Kong. Then the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) cracked down and started stealing our freedom. At 14, I faced tear gas and pepper spray while fighting for my home. The CCP imposed a national security law that cracked down on political activism in Hong Kong. Offenders could face penalties of up to life in prison. Friend, the CCP is the ultimate surveillance state. They are known for silencing the opposition, human rights abuses, and persecuting people for their religion. Their takeover of Hong Kong left no family, town, or life untouched.” Friend, the Dissident Project has already reached over 3,000 students, and each one has walked away with a new appreciation for our freedom and an understanding of how easily we can lose it. Will you give high school students a lesson they will carry with them for a lifetime? Click below to show your support. [Donate $10 >>]( [Donate $35 >>]( [Donate $50 >>]( [Donate $100 >>]( [Donate $250 >>]( [Donate $500 >>]( [Sponsor a School $1,000 >>]( [Donate Any Amount >>]( Thank you, Casey Given The Dissident Project is a program of Young Voices, a 501c3 nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible and will be acknowledged via email receipt. Donations made to the Dissident Project will be spent exclusively on that program. Your America News 625 First Street #183, Alexandria, VA 22314 [Unsubscribe]( [unsubscribe]( | [manage data preferences](