hreusa

Say hello to Erin Ostlund, one of our 2026 Kirby Edmonds Fellows!

by hreusaAugust 7, 2026August 8, 2026Leave a comment

Say hello to Erin Ostlund, one of our 2026 Kirby Edmonds Fellows! Erin Ostlund is a second-year History PhD student at the University of Minnesota, pursuing a graduate minor in human rights, with research centered on gender and labor in Latin American export production and broader U.S. economic, political, and military ties to the region during the late twentieth century. Before returning to graduate school, she spent fourteen years as a secondary Spanish and Social Studies teacher, consistently centering social justice and human rights in her work, and more recently interned part-time with the ACLU of Minnesota on a campaign to abolish 287(g) agreements with ICE, while also becoming deeply involved in local community organizing and rapid response during the ICE occupation of Minnesota. As a Kirby Edmonds Summer Fellow with HRE USA, Erin will develop the virtual 2026-27 Training As Action Series.

Background: Spent fourteen years as a secondary Spanish and Social Studies teacher before returning to graduate school

Degree: Second-year History PhD student with a graduate minor in human rights, University of Minnesota

Focus: Gender and labor in Latin American export production, and U.S. economic, political, and military ties to Latin America in the late twentieth century

Experience: ACLU of Minnesota intern working to abolish 287(g) agreements with ICE; active in local community organizing and rapid response during the ICE occupation of Minnesota

Edmonds Project: Developing the virtual 2026-27 Training As Action Series

Read the full bio of our Edmonds Fellows at https://hreusa.org/current-fellows-and-research-scholars/ and explore the Training as Action Series project on our website to learn more about TAAS fundraising project at https://www.every.org/human-rights-educators/f/2026-27-training-as-action

Help us invest in future leaders like Erin.

Donate today and be the reason for a just future and equitable education!

🔗 every.org/human-rights-educators/f/kirby-edmonds-fellowship

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Introducing Devira Sari, one of our 2026 Kirby Edmonds Fellows!

by hreusaAugust 6, 2026August 8, 2026Leave a comment

We’re proud to introduce Devira Sari, one of our 2026 Kirby Edmonds Fellows! Devira Sari is a Master’s student in Human Rights Studies at Columbia University whose work bridges grassroots advocacy and global policy across Indonesia, Japan, and the United States, with a focus on business and human rights, Indigenous rights, climate justice, and education. Her advocacy began in rural Indonesia, where she founded the Period Poverty Project, bringing reproductive health education and women’s health rights to marginalized young women and girls, deepening her commitment to human rights education as a tool of empowerment. As a Kirby Edmonds Summer Fellow with HRE USA, she is expanding her expertise in community engagement, public policy, and human rights advocacy at both domestic and international levels.

Background: Advocacy work began in Indonesia, founded the Period Poverty Project, bringing reproductive health education and women’s health rights to marginalized young women and girls

Degree: Master’s student in Human Rights Studies, Columbia University

Focus: Business and human rights, Indigenous rights, climate justice, and education

Experience: Grassroots advocacy and global policy work spanning Indonesia, Japan, and the United States

Edmonds Project: Expanding HRE USA’s membership and fundraising

Read the full bio of our Edmonds Fellows at https://hreusa.org/current-fellows-and-research-scholars/

Her work embodies the spirit of Kirby Edmonds’ legacy—empowering the next generation of human rights educators through hands-on leadership experience.Donate today and be the reason for a just future and equitable education!

🔗 every.org/human-rights-educators/f/kirby-edmonds-fellowship

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Meet Caitlyn Krueger, one of this year Edmonds’ Fellows

by hreusaAugust 5, 2026August 8, 2026Leave a comment

We’re excited to spotlight Caitlyn Krueger, one of this year’s Edmonds Fellows! Caitlyn Krueger is a Master’s student in International Education Development at Teachers College, Columbia University, focusing on human rights, peacebuilding, and the use of storytelling to elevate educator and learner voices.

She currently serves as a Professional Development Coach with the Center for the Professional Education of Teachers, and previously taught music in upstate New York while integrating human rights education into her classroom, worked with the International Rescue Committee supporting refugee and resettlement learners, and holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education with a minor in Atrocity Studies and Practices of Social Justice from Syracuse University. This summer, she joined HRE USA as a Human Rights Education Now! Podcast and Advocacy Fellow.

Background: Taught music in upstate New York before transitioning to human rights education

Degree: Master’s student in International Education Development, Teachers College, Columbia University (with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, Syracuse University)

Focus: Human rights, peace-building, and using storytelling to elevate educator and learner voices

Experience: Professional Development Coach at the Center for the Professional Education of Teachers; former work with the International Rescue Committee supporting refugee and resettlement learners

Edmonds Project: Human Rights Education Now! Podcast and Advocacy Fellow

Read the full bios of our Edmonds Fellows at https://hreusa.org/current-fellows-and-research-scholars/, and don’t forget to check out our podcast!

Join us in celebrating Caitlyn’s work and supporting more young leaders like her.

Donate today and be the reason for a just future and equitable education!

🔗 every.org/human-rights-educators/f/kirby-edmonds-fellowship

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Zinn Education Project: Teaching for Black Lives Study Groups Info Session

by hreusaAugust 4, 2026Leave a comment

Join Zinn Education Project on Tuesday, August 11, at 7:00 pm ET/ 4:00 pm PT for a 50-minute informational session for educators interested in forming a Teaching for Black Lives study group in their school, district, or statewide. Participants will hear from study group coordinators Alana Ward, UniServ Director for The SCEA in North Charleston, South Carolina; Jenifer King, elementary teacher in Las Vegas, Nevada; and Laura Ellis, high school librarian in Rockville, Maryland.

Every group receives Teaching for Black Lives book copies, Rethinking Schools subscriptions, study guides, access to a network of social justice educators, and more!

Learn More & Sign Up

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Episode 78 with Dr. Abraham Magendzo is available on Human Rights Education Now!

by hreusaAugust 4, 2026September 3, 2026Leave a comment

Dr. Abraham Magendzo is one of Latin America’s leading scholars in human rights education. He earned his Licentiate in Education from the University of Chile, a master’s degree in Education and History from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a doctorate in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Throughout his distinguished career, he has served as Director of the Interdisciplinary Program for Educational Research (PIIE), a member of Chile’s Center for Training, Experimental and Pedagogical Research, a professor and researcher at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and a member of the Curriculum and Evaluation Unit in Chile’s Ministry of Education.

Abraham has worked as an educational consultant for organizations including the Organization of American States (OAS), UNESCO, the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI), the Ford Foundation, and the Carlos Galán Institute in Colombia. He is an active member of both the Chilean Network and the Latin American and Caribbean Network on Human Rights Education. His contributions to education have been recognized with Chile’s Gabriela Mistral Award in 2004 and the country’s National Education Award in 2017. He currently serves as a professor at the Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano in Santiago, Chile.

In Episode 78, Dr. Abraham Magendzo reflects on the personal and historical experiences that shaped his lifelong commitment to human rights education (HRE). Drawing on the legacy of the Holocaust and the human rights violations committed during Chile’s Pinochet dictatorship, he explains how these events inspired his work to rebuild democratic society through education after the return of democracy. Abraham discusses the early challenges of introducing HRE in Chile and throughout Latin America, emphasizing the importance of developing scholarship, educator networks, and regional collaboration.

Throughout the conversation, Abraham highlights the need to connect human rights to people’s everyday lives rather than treating them as abstract legal concepts. Inspired by Paulo Freire’s educational philosophy, he argues that HRE must use accessible language grounded in learners’ lived experiences. He also examines contemporary challenges, including poverty, migration, Indigenous rights, and the rise of right-wing political movements, stressing that human rights are indivisible and must encompass economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights.

The episode concludes with reflections on the growth of human rights education across Latin America, the importance of international collaboration, and his belief that the field’s next step is to move from discussion to meaningful action. Abraham emphasizes that protecting human dignity requires educators, communities, and institutions to transform human rights principles into everyday practice.

Topics discussed:

Origins of Dr. Abraham Magendzo’s commitment to human rights education
The Holocaust and Chile’s Pinochet dictatorship as formative influences
Restoring democracy through human rights education
Building human rights education networks across Latin America
Paulo Freire’s influence on human rights education
Making human rights accessible through everyday language
Human rights in daily life, families, schools, and communities
Poverty as a human rights issue
Migration and the rights of immigrants
Indigenous rights and contemporary political challenges
International collaboration among human rights educators
Moving from dialogue to action in advancing human rights

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.

Thank you for supporting the Human Rights Education NOW! podcast!.

All episodes of Human Rights Education Now! are available on:

Buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Deezer, PlayerFM, Pocket Casts, and the HRE USA website,

HRE USA would love to learn how listeners are using episodes in their classrooms and with their communities. Please send comments and ideas for classroom use to kristi@hreusa.org.

The HRE USA Podcast Team

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Mischa Geracoulis (Season 3, Episode 74)

by hreusaAugust 4, 2026

Episode Descriptions and Resources

Mischa Geracoulis is the Outreach and Engagement Officer at Project Censored and Production Lead at The Censored Press. She contributes to the State of the Free Pressyearbook, serves as a Project Judge, and is the author of Media Framing and the Destruction of Cultural Heritage (Routledge, 2025). She is also a Global Press Freedom Expert and Index Respondent with Reporters Without Borders. Her work focuses on human rights, journalistic ethics, press freedom, and the preservation of cultural heritage. She holds an M.A. in Education and Media Studies and a B.A. in International Development, with a concentration in Southwest Asia and North Africa.

In this episode, Mischa examines how human rights, journalism, and the preservation of cultural heritage intersect, focusing on the legacy of the Armenian genocide. She discusses how cultural erasure and historical silences cause ongoing human rights violations and how journalism documents these histories to resist erasure. The conversation centers on cultural heritage as a human rights issue, focusing on Rafael Lemkin’s work and media narratives. Mischa’s discussion of “change-centered” journalism and the role of microhistories in amplifying marginalized voices links to Edward Said’s Orientalism and critiques of media and power. Mischa describes her work with Project Censored, focusing on promoting critical media literacy and defending freedom of expression under Articles 19 and 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The episode centers on contemporary censorship, particularly political pressures on academic and journalistic freedom, and how media institutions shape or suppress truth. The discussion concludes with a global perspective on the destruction of cultural heritage (the case of Nagorno-Karabakh) and a call for educators to integrate critical media literacy and cultural heritage into human rights education. Mischa emphasizes empowering people to critically analyze media and identify whose voices are included/excluded is essential to advancing human rights today.

Topics Discussed:

Origins of Mischa Geracoulis’ work in human rights and journalism
Armenian genocide and cultural erasure
Journalism’s role in documenting human rights abuses
Cultural heritage as a human rights issue
Microhistories and change-centered journalism
Edward Said’s Orientalism and media analysis
Project Censored and media accountability
Critical media literacy in human rights education
Censorship, propaganda, and academic freedom
Cultural destruction in Nagorno-Karabakh
Educators’ role in preserving cultural heritage

Full topic listing available for download (PDF)

Credits

Bill Fernekes, host, producer, and editor

Kristi Rudelius-Palmer, executive producer

Elizabeth Schwab, editor

Sabrina Sanchez, sound director and project manager

Jazzmin Chizu Gota, production coordinator

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision.
Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Educators USA, a project of the Center for Transformative Action in Ithaca, New York

Marissa Gutierrez-Vicario (Season 1, Episodes 5 & 6)

by hreusaAugust 3, 2026August 3, 2026

Episode Descriptions and Resources

Episode 5

In episode 5 part one, Marissa Gutierrez-Vicario discusses her background and work in human rights activism, particularly in the context of her organization ArteJustice. She talks about her Chicana heritage and the activists who inspired her, as well as the connections between human rights and activism. She explains the development of ArteJustice and the importance of using visual arts to promote activism about human rights issues.

Topics Discussed:

Importance of art, creativity, and justice
Examining the root causes of social problems using human rights language
Using the word “resistance”
Origins and development of ArteJustice

Visit ArteJustice to learn more about the organization’s mission, learn about their projects, and how you can get involved!

Full topic listing available for download (PDF)

Episode 6

In episode 6 part two, Marissa discusses her spiritual journey and its connections to her work in human rights, particularly in the area of racial justice. She talks about the importance of partnerships in advancing social justice work and the role of the federal government in advancing human rights in the US. Lastly, Marissa shares insights on the critical changes necessary to advance HRE in the USA, including using language to empower and train young people.

Topics Discussed:

Unitarian Universalism role towards eradicating racism and oppression
Importance of being explicit about addressing racial justice
Art and personal narratives as an entry point to understanding injustice
Key insights that would help HRE move forward in the USA

Visit ArteJustice to learn more about the organization’s mission, learn about their projects, and how you can get involved!

Full topic listing available for download (PDF)

Credits

Bill Fernekes, host, producer, and editor

Kristi Rudelius-Palmer, executive producer

Elizabeth Schwab, editor

Sabrina Sanchez, sound director and project manager

Jazzmin Chizu Gota, production coordinator

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision.
Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Educators USA, a project of the Center for Transformative Action in Ithaca, New York

David Shiman (Season 1, Episodes 3 & 4)

by hreusaAugust 3, 2026August 3, 2026

Episode Descriptions and Resources

Episode 3

David Shiman discusses the origins of his interest in human rights and social justice, and the impetus his election to the Amnesty International USA Board of Directors gave to work in human rights education (HRE). He also describes his work as a human rights educator in the former communist states of Eastern Europe and how HRE has developed over time in Europe, the USA, the Philippines and South Africa. Challenges for HRE in both pre-collegiate and higher education also are explained, drawing upon Shiman’s work at the University of Vermont. The episode closes with a discussion of Shiman’s publications about human rights education and the obstacles which remain to incorporating HRE in higher education programs for teachers.

Topics discussed:

Deweyan conception of education
HRE activities across Europe
Role of the Internet and social media in forging connections about HRE
Challenges for HRE growth

Full topic listing available for download (PDF)

Episode 4

In the second half of his conversation with Bill Fernekes, David Shiman shares insights about current and future challenges facing HRE in the USA. In particular, he links the success of HRE to maintaining an open and respectful classroom climate where the exchange of ideas and the study of controversial issues is a central focus of instruction. Shiman then discusses the importance of engaging in public conversations about human rights in local communities, while recognizing that changing attitudes is a slow process. He concludes by identifying key initiatives that would raise the profile of HRE in pre-collegiate education and legitimize HRE as a field of scholarly inquiry.

Topics discussed:

Connecting HRE to local issues through community investigation
HRE and contemporary social crises
Link between work in prejudice reduction and human rights education
Developing stronger community connections
Importance of forging global connections between HRE advocates
in the USA and other countries
Embedding HRE into local and state curriculum standards

Full topic listing available for download (PDF)

Credits

Bill Fernekes, host & producer

Kristi Rudelius-Palmer, executive producer

Sabrina Sanchez, director of sound design

Our staff includes Jazzmin Chizu Gota and Natela Jordan

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision.
Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Educators USA, a project of the Center for Transformative Action in Ithaca, New York

Nancy Flowers (Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2)

by hreusaAugust 3, 2026August 3, 2026

Episode Descriptions and Resources

Episode 1

Nancy Flowers discusses her early life interest in human rights and social justice as a prelude to her involvement in human rights activism through Amnesty International (AI). She also addresses the origins of human rights education (HRE) in the U.S. and its gradual evolution from work done by Amnesty International USA in the late 1980s to the present. Obstacles to the acceptance and institutionalization of HRE in the U.S. are discussed and contrasted with the more rapid development of HRE in Latin America, the Philippines, and Europe.

Topics discussed:

Development & evolution of HRE
Involvement with HRE in the U.S. and global
HRE infrastructure
Allies & efforts in the HRE field

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Full topic listing available for download (PDF)

Episode 2

Nancy Flowers continues her conversation with host Bill Fernekes. The episode begins with a discussion about some of the USA’s inaugural human rights education (HRE) books, conferences, and other projects in which Nancy was involved. The episode continues with conversations about reproductive rights, cultural norms, transnational solidarity building and important insights guiding HRE moving forward. Listeners will also learn who is Nancy’s most influential role model in HRE and the one critical change needed to advance HRE in the USA.

Topics discussed:

Contextualizing the local within a global
Transnational solidarity building
Resisting xenophobia and anti-democratic tendencies
Challenging mainstream narratives as pathways for HRE
Places and strategies for incorporating HRE
Recalibrating how HRE is perceived and relating HRE to social justice issues
Patience as an essential quality for HRE advocates

Full topic listing available for download (PDF)

Credits

Bill Fernekes, host & producer

Kristi Rudelius-Palmer, executive producer

Sabrina Sanchez, director of sound design

Our staff includes Jazzmin Chizu Gota and Natela Jordan

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision.
Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Educators USA, a project of the Center for Transformative Action in Ithaca, New York

Democracy Begins at Home: A Narrative Playbook for Local Government

by hreusaJuly 29, 2026Leave a comment

Join us to learn about a pro-democracy narrative and message guide for local government.

August 12th at 2pm ET (1 pm CT, 12pm MT, 11am PT)

Register Now!

The assault on democratic principles and institutions—both in the United States and around the world—is not just a threat to freedom, it also threatens the successful advancement of every social issue. From health care, education, and religious liberty to economic opportunity, environmental justice, and human and civil rights, authoritarian narratives and policies are actively undermining and threatening to erase hard-won progress. Democratic values, principles, and institutions are key to advancing and protecting our freedoms, and local government plays an important role. Because local governments are closest to the people they serve—where residents have the most voice, shape decisions, and hold leaders accountable—they are ideal proving grounds for democratic action and advancing support for democracy.

Join us on August 12th to learn about a new narrative and message guide to strengthen public trust in local government and advance democracy. In this workshop, you will have a chance to learn about the evidence-based research that informed this narrative and how to apply a pro-democracy and local government narrative to your own work.

We will hear from National Civic League board member, Wendy Willis, alongside Metropolitan Group’s Rodolfo Córdova Alcaraz and Max Friedenwald-Fishman. The new messaging resource, “Local Government and Democracy Narrative + Message Guide” was developed in collaboration with NCL, staff from cities across the country, and the Pro-Democracy Narrative Playbook.

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.