“I have to admit that it can be annoying sometimes, but I comfort myself with the thought that ‘You won’t know until you ask,’[…] I believe that if everyone asked themselves “why?” before they did something, they’d be much better persons, and also much more honest […] So the word ‘why’ not only taught me to ask, but also to think.” 

Anne Frank, Tales from the Secret Annex (New York: Bantam Books, 2003) 151-152.

I found myself at the same intersection of action and reflection that Anne acknowledges in her short tale “Why” when I began the Anne Frank Initiative (AFI) at the University of Iowa. After having co-organized the Provost’s Global Forum “Teaching Anne Frank” and having brought the 13th Anne Frank Sapling in the United States to Iowa City—planted on the Pentacrest—in the spring of 2022, I had the time to reflect on why there is a continued need to sustain these and similar efforts in the future. I wanted to continue to “grow” awareness, bring people together, and open people’s minds and hearts about social justice issues and the need to fight against bigotry, prejudice, and crimes against humanity.

Thus, I followed Anne Frank’s candid advice and presented my “Why” for an Anne Frank Initiative (AFI) at the University of Iowa to Dr. Russell Ganim, associate provost and dean of International Programs. I explained why I wanted to ensure the momentum and efforts that transpired in 2022 in connection with Anne Frank’s story would carry on and develop in more wide-spread and interdisciplinary ways at our institution, in our community, and in our state. With the support of Dr. Ganim and his staff in International Programs, a new project was born. Today, I can report that I have 14 advisory board members committed to creating learning opportunities and community projects that critically explore, dissect, and build on Anne Frank’s narrative from multi-faceted angles. I am honored to call Dr. Waltraud Maierhofer, Dr. Alisa Weinstein, Mr. Aron Aji, Dr. Natoshia Askelson, Dr. Maia Sheppard, Ms. Mallory Hellman, Ms. Shereena Honary, Dr. Carl Follmer, Dr. Denise Fillios, Ms. Ashley Holt, Dr. Anne Kiche, Dr. William Coghill-Behrends, and Dr. Peter Gerlach my team.

This year, the AFI organized a trip to the Danville Museum which tells the story of Anne Frank’s pen-pal relationship in the late 1930s with Danville resident, Juanita Wagner. We are grateful for our collaboration with the Danville Museum moving forward. In the spring and fall, during the International Day Human Rights Conference organized by the University of Iowa Baker Teacher Leader Center and sponsored by International Programs and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, the AFI organized breakout sessions to educate middle school students on topics such as the power of writing, identity, the Anne Frank tree sapling, and a virtual tour of the Secret Annex. Additionally, the AFI welcomed approximately 200 students from the Clear Creek Amana Community District and taught students about the Anne Frank sapling’s significance and the unique story that Anne Frank has in Iowa. This visit culminated in a paper leaf activity centered on writing. Students composed their thoughts on horse chestnut leaves which then were displayed in the hallways of CCA schools. The advisory committee is excited to announce its first student intern who will be bringing a new student perspective to the AFI.

The Anne Frank Initiative (AFI) will continue its role in investigating Anne Frank’s literary contributions, her ongoing legacy, and all that she represents in a more globalized, international, and contemporary context. Events and undertakings over the next year will serve as transformative moments not only for the UI campus but for the state and beyond.

Kirsten Kumpf Baele, director of the Anne Frank Initiative