We've been busy lately, with a successful Ask the Candidates training in Des Moines and appearances by supporters at candidate events across the country.

The Iowa training brought together over 50 state activists, including members of the local Sudanese community, to learn how they can make Darfur a priority in the 2008 presidential primaries.

The day-long conference included sessions on the current violence in Darfur, the most relevant questions to ask presidential candidates, advice on using the media, and an introduction to the Iowa political system. The day ended with an inspirational call to action by Reverend Gloria White-Hammond and a reception with local campaign representatives, where training participants were able to put into practice their new skills.

The training participants wasted no time putting what they'd learned into practice. At a John McCain "No Surrender" event in Des Moines, activist Jerry Farajalla -- dressed in his orange "I Caucus for Darfur" t-shirt -- asked McCain, "What will you do for the people of Darfur if elected president?" Others attended events held by Fred Thompson, Barack Obama, Chris Dodd, and Joe Biden. In the coming days, the Democrats especially have a lot of events scheduled in Iowa, and you can bet on seeing orange t-shirts lining up to ask the right questions.

Iowa wasn't the only place people were taking action at candidate events. Last Wednesday, Jackie Lewis, a student at the University of New Hampshire, had the chance to ask John Edwards a question at an MTV/MySpace Forum at UNH. Luckily, Jackie had prepared for this opportunity by visiting the Ask the Candidates website beforehand and writing down a policy question that she was interested in. Jackie began by telling Sen. Edwards that she was a member of STAND before asking, "China right now is in a really unique position to use their influence to stop the genocide in Darfur. What role do you think the United States should play to influence China and to use that pressure to stop the genocide?" Take a look at how Edwards responded.

In Iowa alone, over 500 people have signed up as Ask the Candidates activists since the September training. As the primary season heats up, you can play an important role in bringing Darfur to the forefront of the issue discussion. Get active, spread the word, and make a difference!