Having Taken a Walk with Amal

Little Amal at UCLA Community Schools on 11/1/2023

Today I took a walk with Little Amal at the UCLA Community Schools in Koreatown. When she first walked out to the sound of a band playing along with her, I felt an indescribable feeling of understanding. As she walked the students to school, into their classes, they would hand her flowers, letters, welcoming her. The young children illustrated the exact reason that we need support for young refugees. They saw in the 12 foot tall puppet a new friend, a life worth protecting, and I think we all have something to learn from them, that even in the moments when we can see people as a statistic, as a number on a screen, we must recognize that they are a human being, too.

I hope that there are more opportunities for people to see Little Amal, to walk with her, and that you take the opportunity to do so, as well. There are two more events in Los Angeles, tomorrow (Downtown) or Saturday (in Inglewood).

Little Amal holding a letter welcoming her, written by UCLA Community School students.

Little Amal looking at the flowers that UCLA Community School students made for her.