This article first appeared on Reel Time with Richard

While much of the world is rightfully concerned about what’s going on in Gaza, the northeast African country of Sudan may be the site of even greater misery, if only because its population is far larger. After years of dictatorships, military coups, rebellion and civil war, its people—those who haven’t fled—find life a daily struggle.

The documentary Sudan, Remember Us is a record of the ways young Sudanese rebels tried to head off the current situation by fighting repression and pushing for change. These protesters are remarkable for the courage they display, but also for their creativity, as they often use poetry and other forms of art to make their points.

Written and directed by French-Tunisian filmmaker Hind Meddeb, the doc begins with scenes of military strife in Khartoum in 2023, representing the beginning of the civil war that still engulfs the country. It then flashes back four years to the spring of 2019, when a rebellion has ended the long reign of dictator Omar Al-Bashir.

State Rep. Christine Cockley (D-Columbus) will be hosting a Prevent, Listen, Act, Navigate (P.L.A.N.) town hall with several other state legislators Tuesday, August 19th at 9:15am at the Hilltop Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. This event engages community members in a conversation about gun violence, firearm safety, survivor support, and legislative actions.

Also planning to attend are State Rep. Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus), State Rep. Dontavius L. Jarrells (D-Columbus), and State Senator Bill DeMora (D-Columbus). 

The P.L.A.N. Ohio initiative aims to:

• Prevent gun violence through education and firearm safety.
• Listen to what the community needs when it comes to life-saving trauma response techniques.
• Act through advocacy and civic engagement; and
• Navigate resources for mental health, youth programming, and victim support.

House Democrats are hosting P.L.A.N. Ohio events across Ohio to help spread awareness about gun violence, provide resources for constituents, and create safer communities for all Ohioans.

P.L.A.N. Ohio events are free and open to the public.

This author refuses to jump out of an airplane.  I do not even like roller coasters.  I am not a thrill seeker.  Nonetheless I am going to write about mRNA vaccines with the same apprehension I would have if jumping off of a cliff.  This will likely cause me to lose a few friends.  As a retired Pharmacist, I believed most of the prevailing wisdom throughout the Covid lockdowns.  I have given thousands of Covid vaccinations during my career, because I believed in them.