Dialogues for Maui: A 3 part series to listen, share, explore and take action on natural disasters and climate change

This interactive space is open to everyone, including those directly impacted;  those who want to support but aren’t sure how; and anyone interested in taking action. Join to listen, pause and reflect in sharing experiences and emotions related to the recent fires on the island of Maui. Led by intergroup dialogue facilitators based on the mainland with heart ties to Hawaii, this session aims to foster understanding, empathy, and a community of support from both sides of the Pacific Ocean.We hope to hear stories that help us understand the impact of this latest devastation and what resources are needed most, both immediately and in the long-term. We also hope this is just the beginning of collective action towards sustainable change.This is the first in a series.

Friday, October 13th (future dates TBD)

4pm HST / 7pm PST / 10pm EST

Register

Civil Discourse: An American Legacy Curriculum for Adult Learners

The Center for Civic Education, with funding from the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics, has released the Civil Discourse: An American Legacy Toolkit, a free online curriculum for college classrooms and adult learners that assists educators and their students in developing civil discourse skills using primary sources and current events.

>> Access resource

Banned Books Week: Defend the Right to Study People’s History

This year during Banned Books Week 2023 (Oct. 1–7), not only are books being banned, but also the right to teach about racism and LGBTQ+ identity — essentially placing thousands more titles off limits. Official lists of banned books reveal only the tip of the iceberg.

  • Create a Pop-up Display
    • Create an interactive display for your school or library to promote discussions about the dangers of banned books and efforts to defend the freedom to learn. We provide free downloadable display materials and guidelines.
  • Wear Teach Banned History buttons to promote awareness of how the current legislation bans more than books.
    • Invite conversations about the need to actively oppose book bans, teach truthfully, and defend LGBTQ+ rights. Remind people that the bans go way beyond books — the attacks target the teaching of history and a more inclusive curriculum. Order buttons.
  • Find an Event Near You
    • Check out the calendar of events, coordinated by the American Library Association, Freedom to Read Foundation, the National Education Association, PEN America, PFLAG, Project Censored, and more organizations.

>> Learn more and view all resources

>> Learn more about Banned Book Week

Every Man, Woman, and Child: Music to Teach and Activate Human Rights

Every Man, Woman and Child is a musical presentation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) released in various formats. The original ballad, which was the FIRST grassroots expression of the UDHR ever performed for the UN in 1987.

Listen to all the versions of Every Man, Woman, and Child on Spotify.

Visit the website

With human rights under threat and change desperately needed in the world, communities around the globe can move, groove, and meditate, bringing the meaning of this lofty idea into intimate, emotional focus through music.

FREE DOWNLOAD of the chant version (recording and score) featuring Harrison Crenshaw, which won a Global Peace Song Award in 2016.

Download music | Download score

Human Rights come into focus globally on
Peace Day, September 21, and Human Rights Day, December 10.
Put your musical events on the United Nations World Peace Event Map!

Two new episodes with Chris Buckley, Jake Skrzypiec, Kevin Maysonnet, and Shirin Unvala, Connecticut teachers and students on Human Rights Education NOW!

We are pleased to announce the availability of our latest installment of podcast episodes in Human Rights Education NOW! Episodes 15 & 16 feature conversations with Chris Buckley, Jake Skrzypiec, Kevin Maysonnet, and Shirin Unvala, Connecticut teachers and students. 

Chris Buckley teaches history and human rights at Brookfield High School in Brookfield, Connecticut. Chris serves on the Steering Committee for the Connecticut Human Rights Partnership (CHRP). He is an instructor for the Introduction to Human Rights course offered by the University of Connecticut’s Early College Experience program and an HRE USA Regional Representative for Connecticut. 

Jake Skrzypiec is a social studies educator in Manchester, Connecticut. He developed Manchester High School’s Human Rights class, a required course for all students, and is an Early College Experience instructor through the University of Connecticut. He also serves as secretary of the Connecticut Human Rights Partnership, a non-profit working to advance human rights education and advocacy in the state. He is a frequent educational partner with the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center and a member of the National Council for the Social Studies HRE Community leadership team. Jake serves on the HRE USA Steering Committee and a Regional Representative for Connecticut. 

Kevin Maysonnet is a student at Manchester High School and a member of the University of Connecticut’s Human Rights Close To Home Youth Advisory Team, which engages educators and youth in the development and implementation of human rights education for civic action. 
Shirin Unvala is a student at the Center for Global Studies, Brien McMahon High School and is also a member of the University of Connecticut’s Human Rights Close To Home Youth Advisory Team, which engages educators and youth in the development and implementation of human rights education for civic action.

Episode 15:  Chris Buckley, Jake Skrzypiec, Kevin Maysonnet and Shirin Unvala, Part One

In Episode 15, Chris Buckley, Jake Skrzypiec, Kevin Maysonnet, and Shirin Unvala, students and teachers, share their initial interest in human rights issues. They then discuss their thoughts on how to make schools more accepting of human rights issues, and the vision of human rights education (HRE) as a universal requirement for students. Chris, Jake, Kevin, and Shirin discuss misconceptions about HRE and the importance of emphasizing the “through and for human rights dimensions” of HRE. Next, the group discusses the Human Rights Close to Home program at the University of Connecticut, as well as challenges and obstacles which educators face when implementing HRE into public education spaces. The group goes on to share their thoughts on changing the public conversation to emphasize human rights issues in public discourse in the USA and the importance of examining local issues from a human rights perspective. 

Topics discussed:

  • Ideas on how to make schools more accepting of HRE
  • Vision for HRE as a universal requirement for students
  • Misconceptions about HRE 
  • Importance of emphasizing “through and for human rights dimensions”
  • The Human Rights Close to Home program at University of Connecticut
  • Challenges and obstacles educators face when implementing HRE in public education
  • Changing the conversation to emphasize HRE in public discourse in USA
  • Importance of examining local issues from a human rights perspective

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE



Episode 16: Chris Buckley, Jake Skrzypiec, Kevin Maysonnet and Shirin Unvala, Part Two

In Episode 16, teachers Chris Buckley and Jake Skrzypiec discuss the Human Rights Education (HRE) Community within and in connection to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). Next, students Kevin Maysonnet and Shirin Unvala share their thoughts on using HRE to address human rights challenges in the US by engaging in activities that improve the quality of life for others and mobilizing people to advocate for human rights related to local issues. Chris and Jake further elaborate on connecting HRE to current issues in the US, such as attacks on LGBTQ+ community and restrictions on the study of US history. The group goes on to discuss the importance of envisioning today’s HRE students as change agents and the need for community members to speak out in support of human rights from the local to the federal level. Lastly, the group shares influential role models in HRE and closes with an important HRE quote and one recommendation each which they believe would advance HRE in the USA. 

Topics discussed:

  • HRE Community and connections to the National Council for the Social Studies 
  • HRE as a way to address human rights challenges in US
  • Mobilizing advocates for human rights issues at a local level
  • HRE as a way to address local issues such as LGBTQ+ concerns as one example
  • Importance of support for HRE on a local and federal level
  • Envisioning today’s HRE students as agents of change
  • Influential role models in HRE 
  • Recommendations for advancing HRE in the USA

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.

Training as Action Series (TAAS): Protecting Democracy, Promoting Human Rights 

Session flyer

Human Rights Educators USA’s annual Training as Action Series (TAAS) is a virtual training series focused on bridging personal and collective action on some of the most critical human rights issues of today. TAAS creates an educational space to connect and collaborate with others in human rights education and training. It also gives participants the skills and information needed to take action on rights issues in their communities. The 2023-2024 training series will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and center on the theme, “Protecting Democracy, Promoting Human Rights.” Sessions will discuss topics such as voting rights, facilitating difficult conversations, organizing an advocacy campaign, communicating with decision makers, protesting, and mental wellness.

Sessions:

  • Protecting Democracy, Promoting Human Rights (Thursday, October 5th, 7-8:30 pm ET)
  • Voting Rights: What You Can Do to Combat Voter Suppression(Thursday, October 12th, 7-9 pm ET)
  • Calling In: Facilitating Difficult Conversations (Thursday, October 19th, 7-9 pm ET)
  • Human Rights in Action: Organizing an Advocacy Campaign (Thursday, October 26th, 7-9 pm ET)
  • Communicating with Decision Makers: How to Contact Influential Figures (Thursday, November 2nd, 7-9 pm ET)
  • Protest and Beyond: Powerful Ways to Promote Your Message(Thursday, November 9th, 7-9 pm ET)
  • Finding Joy: Integrating Mental Wellness into Your Advocacy Strategies (Thursday, November 16th, 7-9 pm ET)

>> Learn more

>> Register

Resources for National Hispanic Heritage Month

Taking time to amplify and honor the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans is as imperative as it is galvanizing. Celebrating our pluralistic heritage is essential at a time when Xenophobia is gripping many mainstream news narratives and fueling the fire of a fraught upcoming election year. With the spotlight currently on schools, it is more crucial than ever to reimagine migration in the classroom, champion the powerful work already happening in schools, and build upon those efforts. 

Schools are potent sites of belonging and community building and are often one of the first institutions where immigrant families build immersive relationships. At Re-Imagining Migration, we know how many hats teachers and school administrators wear to make their schools centers of belonging, and we hope our resources will aid you in the process.

Re-Imagining Migration’s Resources for Teachers on a Time Crunch  

New Year Teacher Toolkit

Greater Than Hate Coalition Announces Parents Week of Action

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, the National Education Association (NEA), the nation’s largest professional employee organization representing more than 3 million elementary & secondary school teachers & faculty, and the “Greater than Hate” coalition of advocacy groups that share a common goal to oppose hate in all its forms, are joining forces to launch a “Parents Week of Action” from September 23 – September 30th, 2023 to show up & show out for LGBTQ+ youth as students get back in the swing of the school year.

Read more

Call for Proposals for Winter 2024 Special Issue: Conceptualizing Micro-Level Narratives in Thematic Constructs of Internationalization

Guest Editors: Omolabake Fakunle, University of Edinburgh: omolabake.fakunle@ed.ac.uk and Fiona Hunter, Centre for Higher Education Internationalisation. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano

This special issue invites contributions to submit reflective accounts, theoretical papers, or findings from empirical research pointing to the importance of micro-level individual dimension in internationalization. Contributors can utilise different theoretical approaches that speak to the relational dimension of internationalization, such as a decolonial approach or capability approach to underpin articulations of agency amidst structural affordances and constraints.

Proposals should be 500 words and submitted on or before October 1, 2024.

Authors will be notified of their acceptance by November 15, 2024. Completed articles should be submitted by January 30, 2024. All articles will undergo a double-blind peer review process and must follow the JCIHE guidelines: https://www.ojed.org/index.php/jcihe/about/submissions. 

>> See the full call
>> Proposals can be submitted directly to omolabake.fakunle@ed.ac.uk or can be submitted via the JCIHE website