Service for a Different Kind of Community
November 17, 2003
Why Me? is a new group at Tufts University concerned with international issues. The original Why Me? group was organized less than two years ago by a high school student in Sarasota, Florida, named Zac Tanjeloff. He traveled to some of the most destitute developing countries, and the terrible conditions there moved him to act. He wanted to help the people in these countries while also helping American teenagers realize how privileged they are. Tanjeloff went home and posed the question, “Why do we happen to be the lucky ones to live in a land of opportunity, where things such as food, shelter, and education are a guarantee, while those born in the third world must struggle without these basic necessities?” And so he created the group Why Me? at Sarasota High School.
In its first year, Why Me? expanded to include four other Florida high schools.
Why Me? members collected huge amounts of medical supplies to send to developing nations, in addition to school supplies, toys, and other items. Why Me? students even traveled on a relief mission to Guatemala. The efforts by this group have already been recognized in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Zac Tanjeloff’s older sister, Jasmin, now brings the group to Tufts. Jasmin Tanjeloff and Nora Martin-Cooley, both seniors at Tufts, co-founded the group on campus. Tufts is the first university in the country to bring Why Me? to the college level.
The mission statement of the group states that its objectives are three-fold. First, Why Me? hopes to “create a community of Tufts students who are motivated to open their minds and learn the various angles on international issues relating to injustice, inequality, and the resulting global inequities, through organizing teach-ins, hosted events, and whatever mediums deemed appropriate by the club’s members.” Second, Why Me? expects to find ways to aid international communities of need. Third, the organization seeks to act by raising funds and traveling on service trips.
According to Tanjeloff, college students sometimes have difficulty looking outside of their own campus. “Why Me? provides a way to do so,” said Tanjeloff. “By actively educating ourselves, we are setting an example for everyone we come in contact with by promoting an environment where the desire to truly learn about the world we live in is of the utmost importance.”
Why Me? endured many obstacles in trying to become recognized as a club this semester. Organizers had to prove to the TCUJ that Why Me? is different from Amnesty International and the UNICEF portion of LCS. They kept up hope all through September and October, and finally, on Oct. 24, they were officially recognized as a club at Tufts University. The next day, Why Me? brought in professors from Harvard and Northeastern universities who provided a poignant teach-in about AIDS in Africa and how students can help. Tanjeloff commented, “We recognize people often have the desire to help others and make a difference. They often disregard this desire because it seems impractical. The intention of our club is to bring that inner desire to the surface and make it a priority and reality for all of us. We recognize that if everyone makes that desire a priority, then our unity can truly make the difference we all want to make.”
Check out one of their meetings on Tuesdays at 9:45 p.m. in the Lewis Lounge. Why Me? is currently organizing both short and long-term fundraisers. These include fundraisers for an African aids organization and a relief trip to Nicaragua next spring. Tanjeloff summed up the organization by saying, “the premise of the club is for students to actively educate themselves beyond the classroom. This is a brand new organization, and it can be whatever we want it to be.
Everyone has an opinion, and anyone can be a leader. There are no elections, for we believe that anyone dedicated to a position should be able to have an important role. We are full of positive energy, dedication, and excitement and don’t want to let go of any of that. Anyone who wants to be involved is more than welcome.”
Why Me? is growing. They look toward expansion at Tufts, to colleges around the state, and then the rest of the nation. For more information, contact the organization at tuftswhyme@yahoo.com.
