Name: Cooper Barrett
Major: Political Science
Age: 20
Organization: Invisible Children
Position: President
Her Campus (HC): So Cooper, you’re the current president of FSU Invisible Children, how did you first become involved with this organization?
Cooper Barrett: I didn’t become involved with Invisible Children until my senior year of high school when the Kony 2012 video went out. I looked into them when people began debating the topic and decided that I really liked their programs and the cause that they have now been fighting over 10 years for and I’ve been actively involved ever since.
HC: Can you tell us a little bit about what this organization does?
CB: The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is a brutal rebel group made up mostly of abducted soldiers. Invisible Children exists to stop them and bring every captive home to their families. They do this by taking an approach that dismantles the army from within. The do this through “Come Home” messaging, both posted on known LRA trails, and broadcast on a FM and Shortwave network of radios that cover nearly 3,000 square miles. These programs work: in the past month, nearly 100 people have escaped from the rebel group.
HC: Does Invisible Children FSU have any events planned for this year?
CB: Our biggest event this year will be in the Spring and will be part Dance-A-thon, part dance showcase, and all funds raised will be going directly to young men and women in Central Africa in Invisible Children’s Legacy Scholarship Program.
HC: How do you think your experience with Invisible Children will help you pursue your goals for the future?
CB: The people that I have met through my involvement with Invisible Children, both on campus and when I attend their conferences and retreats, have all been incredible. I have even begun working on a nonprofit for Latin American education with a few friends that I made at Invisible Children’s Fourth Estate conference in 2013. This organization has made me realize what I am supposed to do for the rest of my life.
HC: If you could change one thing about the way students at FSU perceive global issues what would you want to change?
CB: I feel like a lot of people everywhere, not just at FSU, don’t always think about another person’s story. We forget everyone is just as human as we are sometimes, even the people a world away. The world is becoming more connected by the day and borders mean less and less when it comes to global issues. The sooner we realize that we have the ability to help solve problems a world away for people in crisis, the sooner peace and democracy spread. I think it’s time for our generation to show what we can do.
HC: Do you have any advice for students who are passionate about working with non-profit organizations?
CB: Just to find an organization that you love and learn everything about them. Do your research and know exactly how they help other people. The more you get involved, the more you’ll love doing this kind of work.