Our story starts with realization, education, and compassion.

Terezin Concentration Camp

Terezin Concentration Camp in 2016

Photo credit: Dave Russell Jr. Copyright © 2016.

Written by our Director.

Pictured above is Terezin Concentration Camp, a former concentration camp in Terezin, Czech Republic during World War II. The camp was used to house more than 150,000 Jews, including 15,000 children, while they awaited railway travel to Treblinka and Auschwitz. More information about Terezin Concentration Camp can be found on Terezin.org.

I visited Terezin not because I had planned to, but because I had mistakenly found myself in the Czech Republic following a trip from Dresden, Germany. That's a story for another time. Admittedly, I had never heard of Terezin. It was then that I realized, I likely hadn't heard of many of the concentration camps used during World War II by Nazi Germany. In fact, it wasn't until my visit to Bremen, Germany that I learned that most concentration camps were outside of Germany.

It was this sobering realization that made me question a lot of what I had learned, what I thought I knew, and what my cultural upbringing had taught me. Some parts of America are very diverse, and other parts less so. I grew up in a less diverse environment, and was truly shocked at the world around me when I started traveling.

It was that shock that motivated something in me.

Terezin Concentration Camp - Arbeit Macht Frei

Terezin Concentration Camp - Arbeit Macht Frei - 2016

Photo credit: Dave Russell Jr. Copyright © 2016.

It wasn't that I wasn't educated about the World Wars, in fact I had done multiple research studies on all of the wars in schools. It was that as a society we focus on the larger aspects of the wars. The most deaths happened in Auschwitz-Birkenau, but there were more than 1,000 concentration camps and subcamps established during the Nazi control.

In my travels, I began making it a point to learn something about the area's history. Anything. From the eyes of the locals that lived there.

When I was in Hungary, I learned about the Soviet reign and how smiling in public was considered suspicious. I learned about the natural hot springs, and how these bath houses dated back to the Romans on the Danube River. The hot springs were one of the main reasons the Romans decided to colonize the area.

In Romania, I learned about the reign of Vlad Tepes, the brutal wars throughout his reign, and the history of World War II in the country. The communist regime under Ceaucescu. How each person felt about Ceaucescu &em; I had wanted to know everything I could, and often asked the locals what it was like back then. Many expressed that they were pleased during the reign, and only during the end of his reign was he considered a bad leader. Others didn't approve of him at all. I found that speaking to these individuals, in a time where they are now free to voice their opinion, I was given a deeper look into that history.

In Moldova, I learned about communist control, the history of Moldova being part of Romania. I spoke to the locals and learned about their preferences, many wanting to go back to Romania for family and many choosing to obtain Romanian passports. To this day, I continue to learn something new about everywhere I can.

Opening my eyes and seeing the world for what it is.

Prague, Czech Republic

Prague, Czech Republic in 2016

Photo credit: Dave Russell Jr. Copyright © 2016.

The world is a beautiful place, awaiting exploration and providing opportunities to everyone along the way. The opportunity to learn, to forage, to experience enjoyment and pleasure. That's what I always believed. I still believe some of the world holds these things to be true.

Now. Now, I am not so naive to think that everyone in every place has those same opportunities. Is the world bias? Of course not. These opportunities are afforded to people by other people. For some, there is freedom. For others, there are restrictions and their opportunities in life are limited.

Through learning about the limitations of others, I knew I wanted to help somehow. I would speak with the locals and try to learn their language, even if I had a hard time gathering my thoughts or ideas. I would try. They were appreciative towards me, and helped me to learn and understand better.

In this experience, the most important thing I learned was to listen, to allow yourself to be educated, and to hear everyone around you. No one is wrong, and no one is right. There is a right for me, and a right for you. I learned that living in peace was more than just wishing governmental peace. It was about living in peace myself with the others around me.

It was about discovering what we can all do to help.

Russian Dolls in Moldova

Russian Dolls in Moldova

Photo credit: Dave Russell Jr. Copyright © 2016.

I knew that there were changes that I had to make in order to help. I had to consider how I could help. I knew that I wanted to help in some way, but the process of being able to help felt far away and outside of my reach. I started small, helping people locally as I went. From there, I started using my business life to help people - providing discounts to students and teachers, working with higher education institutions, and donating to non-profit organizations. I knew I wanted to do more.

That's where Attempt Global comes in. It's time to help people and animals at a larger scale. It is my hope that Attempt Global will be able to end human and animal suffering through our mission. We have an extensive internal roadmap for ways to assist in the battle against suffering, but we need help from our supporters to make it happen.

We are small, and just starting out. We will succeed, and we will reach our end-goal of helping to end human and animal suffering. We are determined, and we are ready.

Today, we are together.

Jewish Cemetery - Moldova

Jewish Cemetery - Moldova

Photo credit: Dave Russell Jr. Copyright © 2016.

Today, I start Attempt Global in hopes to end human and animal suffering, in hopes that I can get people to accept the people of all cultures around the world. In hopes that we can work together to feed, clothe, and shelter humans around the world. In hopes that we can save animals from the abuse, neglect, and in some cases torture that they are often exposed to.

Today, I hope and put all of my faith into the world changing one human and one animal at a time. It's the least we can do.