“Sometimes I see pictures on Facebook where people are on a beach and jump in the air. Because of my physical condition I am not able to jump, so when I see those photo’s I am reminded of the fact I don’t have all the physical freedom I would like to have. However, despite of my condition I still feel free. I was born with this condition but it is up to me to decide how I live my life. I play music in a latin band, I volunteer and I am part of the national 4 and 5 May youth committee, a committee who draws attention to the Dutch Memorial and Liberation day. Together with a multi-cultural group of young people we organise a yearly memorial service in Amsterdam at the Van Woustraat. Where there used to be a ice-cream shop named Koco. The owners, Alfred Kohn and Ernst Cahn were both Jewish. In Februari 1941 Alfred Kohn was deported to a concentration camp and one month later Ernst Cahn was executed by the Nazis. The story really touches my heart because it shows what it is like to lose all your Freedom. I never been through war but I do realize how important it is to be reminded of the freedom that we have. That is why I am involved in the committee, so people don’t forget.”
There is a lot to say about Social Media but without Facebook I would have never been able to run a project such as Humans of Amsterdam. I probably would not been able to raise over 10.000 euro’s for refugees in 2015 and I don’t think I would have published a book with National Geographic by the age of 27. For the opening of Facebook’s new office in Amsterdam they created a photo exhibition to highlight a few of those who contribute daily to the Facebook community. I’m honored to be a part of it but mostly excited to keep working hard and to continue this journey
Photocredit: Kirsten van Santen
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