Now 19 more Ogoni activists have been imprisoned and face the same fate as Saro-Wiwa. Colo. The freedom centers are designed to educate visitors about the plight of the 19 activists currently imprisoned and to tell the story of the Ogoni's struggle to protect their homeland against the environmental devastation caused by the oil industry. Since the New York center's inception, thousands of visitors have used free fax and phone lines to contact President Clinton and Shell Oil. Visitors have also written letters of support to the imprisoned Ogoni activists. Thanks to the Everett Summer Internship Program, students have the opportunity to experience first-hand the challenges and rewards of public interest work.
Interns receive a weekly allowance.
All Everett interns participate in a variety of educational and social events featuring community leaders. The program has been essential to the Sierra Club's ability to sponsor student internships each summer. Everett interns work on a variety of programs at the Club, including conservation issues, grassroots activism and media outreach. Their accomplishments are impressive. Everett intern Jennifer Kurz worked for the global warming and energy team and prepared a public education report on the environmental problems associated with gas-guzzling light trucks.