Night

History is full of famous figures, of those who have spoken out against the crowd for what they believe in; people who have stood by what they know is right and challenge society to join them in a quest for justice and a better world. Textbooks are not filled with people who simply go through the motions, but rather those who choose to enact change and do what it takes to make their voice be heard. By choosing to be committed to a cause beyond yourself, you give yourself the power to change the world. You must look beyond any fear or doubt within yourself and throw away any hindrance that stands in your way because those who choose to make a difference can, no matter how big or small they may be.

Throughout the novel Night people were treated as a whole, moved along in mass, forced to dress, act and be the same in the camps, as though the individual no longer existed and the whole herd of people had blended into one unheard mass. If only all of these people had listened to Moshe the Beadle when they had the chance, before their lives were forever changed for the worse. He alone had managed to escape from the concentration camp he was taken to and came back to the city to warn the others. It was his hope that his voice would be heard and he could change the fate of those he knew; that his experience would be enough to save others from the same. By speaking out against the powers that were taking over everything Moshe took a huge risk and yet he knew that it was up to him to be the voice that warned them all and he felt that God had chosen him to let it be known to many the horrors that they were about to face before it was too late. If only they had heard his cries of warning.

Oskar Schindler was able to save over a thousand lives during the Holocaust simply by putting people's names on a list and allowing them to work in his factory. He used all of his personal fortune to pay for those who could not help themselves, the Jews, who had been condemned by the power of one other man, Adolf Hitler. Simply by deciding to use his resources for what he knew was right Schindler was able to save the lives of generations of Jews and really make a difference. His actions were recognized by those he saved and they revered him as the one man who had given them justice among all the cruelty. His power to save them was demonstrated several times throughout the film, specifically in one scene where his factory manager had been put onto the train by accident and Schindler's voice alone was enough to shut down the entire train to save one man from being sent away because he had demanded so. Schindler used his power in society for the greater good and he alone changed the lives of many and demonstrated how if other individuals had taken it upon themselves to change the lives of others more people would still be alive.

Born in Kenya on April 1, 1940 I have gone on to achieve much more than most would have thought at the time. The name Wangari Maathai would eventually become associated with the first East and Central African woman to hold a PhD, the first female chair of a department at the University of Nairobi, first female associate professor at the University of Nairobi, Chairman of the National Council of Women of Kenya, member of Kenyan parliament, co-chair of the Kenya Jubilee 2000 coalition, founder of the Green Belt Movement, assistant minister of Environment, Natural Resources & Wildlife, and the first female African to receive the Nobel Peace Price in 2004. Among my many accomplishments the most recognized is the Green Belt Movement, a program in which I organized many women of Kenya to help themselves and their families simply by planting trees. This project has allowed these women to better their environment and get a job to provide for their families and has resulted in the planting of 20 million trees in Kenya alone. By planting a tree these women see that they can make a difference and change the world around them for the better.

Wangari Maathai started the Green Belt Movement and her commitment to environmental protection and through that peace has brought her a great deal of recognition and success with the program. The organization has been able to change the face of Kenya by the simple