1. We are caravaning our way down to Soldier Field in Chicago in order to reduce cost for anyone who would like to participate. Therefore, we will need to know if you are coming with us to ensure we have a seat for you in one of the vehicles. If you would like a ride please email displacemetransport@gmail.com and provide the name(s) and phone number(s) of the person (people) wishing to reserve a seat for themselves. We can not guarantee space for anyone who did not email a reservation.

2. We therefore also need volunteers to drive a group of people in their cars. As a courtesy to the people nice enough to volunteer to drive, drivers are exempt from the trip fee. If you would like to volunteer to be a driver in the caravan, please email displacemetransport@gmail.com and provide your name and phone number as well as the number of seats you have available in your vehicle. Requests to place certain persons in your vehicle will be honored to the best of our abilities.

3. To be a rider in the caravan there will be two cost options: A) Caravan Rider- $12 includes your contribution for gas money and parking fees round trip. Or B) Caravan Rider Plus- $25 includes your contribution for gas money and parking fees round trip as well as a Displace Me T-shirt and a "Rocking Out for Invisible Children" compilation music CD. (Funds produced from t-shirt and CD sales go directly to support the Invisible Children. T-shirts and CDs will be available for purchase separately if you choose not to purchase them as part of your trip fee.)

4. Once your seat in the caravan has been confirmed (you will receive a confirmation email to tell you which car you will be in), simply show up at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor between 7am and 8am on April 28th, 2007. You can be dropped off or park your car there overnight. Once there you will need to check in with your driver.

5. Please note due to limited space we are asking each caravan member to only bring one sleeping bag, one pillow, and if you must, one backpack or small bag. Remember you need to bring a sealed box of Saltine crackers and a sealed 1.5 liter bottle of water as well to be collected upon entry to Soldier Field. If you come to one of our Caravan meetings before April 28th (meeting dates will be posted soon), we will take the picture of you wearing a white t-shirt with a red X to turn in to the Invisible Children Organization team in Chicago as requested. If you can not attend one of those meetings, please just bring a photo of yourself wearing a white t-shirt with a red X with you when you arrive on the morning of April 28th, 2007 and turn it in along with the Saltines and Bottle of water to your driver.

6. We will depart Soldier Field at approximately 1pm on Sunday April 29th, 2007. We will arrive back at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor at approximately 5:30pm. This is going to be a fantastic and amazing experience, I'm so glad that you're taking the time and interest to participate in Displace Me Chicago 2007. Remember that your participation in this event is significant, it will change lives, it will save lives, and it will help end a war.

DISPLACE ME

When Hurricane Katrina hit this country, we saw for the first time what a displaced American looks like. Now we're asking you to imagine for 24 hours what itÕs like for the millions of people in Northern Uganda who have been displaced for more than ten years.

Last year, 80,000 Americans commuted to their downtown city districts and slept outside for the thousands of children in Northern Uganda who walk for miles from their homes every night to avoid abduction from the Lord's Resistance Army. In June of 2006, just two months after Invisible Children's “Global Night Commute,” peace talks ensued. As a result, rebel activity and abductions have decreased and night commuting has been on the decline.

But the most devastating aspect to this war still exists: the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. Ten years ago, more than 1.8 million Ugandans were forcibly evicted from their homes and transported to overcrowded camps which now face desperate conditions. Dependence on foreign aid, lack of food and water, alcoholism, sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS, inadequate sanitation and lack of education have caused immeasurable damage to two generations of northerners and the near-total destruction of Acholi culture.

This year, Displace Me is the nationwide event giving Americans the chance to respond. Displace Me begins on April 28th around noon and will end the morning of the 29th. This overnight gathering will send a bold statement to the US government that Americans care about ending the suffering of millions living in Uganda's displaced camps. We are demanding our government's support of the peace talks, which will allow the Acholi people to go back to their land and the abducted children to be returned home.

Unlike the Global Night Commute, which was held in more than 130 cities, Displace Me will only be in 15 strategic locations. Here are the three reasons why:

1. Simulation: Ten years ago the government of Uganda gave its citizens 48 hours to relocate into camps. Many had to travel very far from their homes, often walking for days to reach their destination. We too will travel.

2. Sacrifice: realistic camp experience Displaced camps typically house 10,000 to 60,000 people each. We believe that experiencing this size and congestion are key to understanding life in the camps.

3. Strength in SIZE: visibility It is more powerful visually to have a massive amount of people in a few locations than a moderate amount of people in many locations. Having 15 locations will raise the number of people at each site, thus giving the nationwide event more media awareness, political clout, and potential to result in change.

Northern Uganda has been identified as one of the “worst five places in the world in which to wake up.” Ironically, most of the world today still views Uganda as politically and economically stable, unaware of the situation in the north. Limiting the number of locations means that many of you will have to travel (possibly a few hours) to displace yourself for one night, but in doing so, you will show your dedication to action.

On April 28th, join tens of thousands who are saying, “Displace Me” and leaving their homes to bring them home.

Questions? Email DisplaceMe@invisiblechildren.com.