What Is the What

Usually, when I go to a reading of a notable author, I don’t expect to be shoved and pushed aside by my fellow literature lovers. However, as I arrived only ten minutes early to the wildly popular reading of Dave Eggers and Valentino Achak Deng, I shouldn’t have expected anything less. Every seat filled and every step crammed with at least three excited students’ Bascom-trained butts, the room grudgingly admitted me into its jam-packed 10×10 space in the back of the Elvehjem lecture hall. And though I didn’t actually get a glimpse of the two speakers until an hour into the lecture after some wimpy students left because of their tired legs, I still completely enjoyed the reading.

Valentino Achak Deng was born in Southern Sudan, in the village of Marial Bai. Growing up in refugee camps because of the Sudanese civil war, Valentino decided he would make a difference in other Sudanese lives when he grew up. Consequently, when that time came, he looked for a writer to document his life and his accomplishments and randomly found Dave Eggers. Dave and Valentino hit it off immediately, Valentino’s hilarious miscommunications and Dave’s easygoing attitude carrying them through the US, Sudan, and other parts of Africa.

Valentino spoke of his creation of the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation, which has a main purpose to educate people around the world, including the Sudanese, about the conflict in Sudan. His goal is cultural awareness; additionally, the Foundation just opened a secondary school in Marial Bai, which includes a library and housing for teachers. The school was built in less than a year, and up and running soon after that. And now it’s actually in progress! I was completely astounded by this seemingly quick achievement since usually, advancement is difficult to achieve in such a short time.

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