Day Six: Giving Voice to the Voiceless.

When I returned to Iraqi Kurdistan this past summer, I went with the Tiziano Project, an organization devoted to empowering and resourcing citizens around the globe to become citizen-journalists.

I and two other guys from the project worked with several of my former students to create several multimedia news stories, two of which would end up on CNN's iReport website. What's more, one of my students was even interviewed for a CNN broadcast--the opportunity of a lifetime to share his experience as a citizen-journalist with the world!

I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to go back in this capacity.

Not only because Kurdistan is my adopted little corner of the world, and not only because the people there (my students, in particular) have a "permanent piece of my medium-sized American heart," (to quote The National's Matt Berringer), but because I was drawn to the profundity, the necessity, of the work: to give a voice to the voiceless.

The Kurds indeed have a story to tell. It's a story mired in unspeakable tragedy, yet full of resilience, beauty, and redemption. I know I want to have a hand in getting their story out for the world to hear, in giving this otherwise-voiceless people a chance to speak out.

So why do I bring up such earnestly idealistic (if not slightly heavy-handed) notions?

Because I find myself inspired by my friend Lindsay.

Lindsay has given several years of her life now to serving the various peoples of Africa. The Congolese are one such people group.

And because of Lindsay's work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (through her organization Food for the Hungry International), she has been given the opportunity to speak out about the crisis and utter devastation that has befallen the country in recent weeks.

She's been given a chance to speak on behalf of the people she serves.

CNN has done several on-air interviews with Lindsay. This was their latest with her. I, for one, am incredibly proud of my friend; incredibly grateful for her work.

And incredibly inspired.