For the first time in over 40 years, the International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) will be held outside Canada, in Bangkok, Thailand, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of Equitas’ flagship international training program.
This edition reflects Equitas’ commitment to expanding access to human rights education and strengthening engagement with partners and movements across the Global South.
Program at a Glance
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Online preparatory phase: 15 September – 23 October, 2026 (self-paced, approximately 12–15 hours over 6 weeks)
In-person training: November 1 – 13, 2026 (11-day intensive training)
Languages: English and French
Participants: Approximately 100 human rights educators and defenders from around the world
Participation fee: $9,180 CAD (Includes: training fees, accommodation and meals, educational materials, and medical insurance covering emergencies)
International travel and visa costs are not included.
Bursaries: Limited full and partial bursaries may be available
Location: Bangkok, Thailand When: Fall 2026
APPLICATION DEADLINE : Monday, June 8, 2026 Space is limited – early applications are encouraged.
The Toolkit—created by youth in partnership with UNICEF USA and Kids Impact Initiative—gives young people a practical way to analyze policies through a child rights lens and share recommendations with decision-makers. Piloted and tested with UNICEF clubs across the country, it’s designed to be used independently by youth leadership groups on local, state, and federal advocacy efforts. If you work with youth leaders, youth councils, or after school programs, we invite you to share this new resource and encourage youth feedback so it can continue to grow and improve.
We are thrilled to announce that film distributor Abramorama has acquired the North American theatrical rights to American Agitators. Please see this article about the film.
As Abramorama president, Karol Martesko-Fenster, says in their press release, “American Agitators is a powerful reminder that the fight for justice and equity is never finished. It is passed from one generation to the next. Raymond Telles has crafted a deeply resonant film that connects the visionary organizing of Fred Ross Sr. to the urgent movements of today. We are proud to bring this story to North American audiences.” American Agitators will open at The Quad theater in New York City on May 1 and will run for the entire week and then rollout across the US and Canada to follow. Please join us in NYC and invite your family and friends
For upcoming screenings and tickets in your city, click here: Join us!
(If your city is not listed, check back soon. We continue to add more screenings.)Check out and share the official trailer to American Agitators HERE.
As we say in the opening of the film:Effective agitators advance society by protecting values rooted in dignity, equality and justice. They build power by joining together to make change. Successful movements have never been about one person. A movement is shaped by courage, sacrifice and the leadership of thousands who have come together to demand a more just and equitable future.As we enter this new phase of the our impact campaign, which will enable to reach thousands of more viewers, your continued support and guidance is greatly appreciated. A donation to our efforts will most assuredly make a difference in all of our efforts to make this world more just and equitable. Donate
Abramorama Acquires ‘American Agitators,’ Documentary On Fred Ross Sr. Who Mentored Dolores Huerta And Fought For More Just America
By Matthew Carey, Documentary Editor, Awards
Fred Ross Sr. and Dolores Huerta in ‘American Agitators’
EXCLUSIVE:Abramorama has acquired North American theatrical distribution rights to American Agitators, a documentary exploring the life and legacy of community organizer Fred Ross Sr., who mentored some of the most impactful activists in American history.Abramorama will open the film, directed by Raymond Telles, at The QUAD Cinema In New York City on May 1, followed by a rollout across the U.S. and Canada. The documentary is narrated by playwright and filmmaker Luis Valdez (himself the focus of the new documentary American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez) and features commentary from an incredible array of notable Americans guided and influenced by Ross, including Dolores Huerta, Nancy Pelosi, Robert F. Kennedy Sr., Satsuki Ina, Dale Minami, Eliseo Medina, Jessica Govea, Herman Gallegos, and Ed Roybal. Fred Ross Jr., who has continued his father’s organizing work, also appears in the film.
“American Agitators shows how pioneering organizer Fred Ross Sr. spent decades mobilizing communities to challenge segregation, fight for voting rights, and empower labor movements,” notes a release. “The film also follows organizers today who continue Ross’s work, tackling issues such as fair wages, workers’ rights, and systemic inequality.”
“American Agitators is a powerful reminder that the fight for justice and equity is never finished,” said Karol Martesko-Fenster, CEO/President of Abramorama. “It is passed from one generation to the next. Raymond Telles has crafted a deeply resonant film that connects the visionary organizing of Fred Ross Sr. to the urgent movements of today. We are proud to bring this story to North American audiences.”
Among Telles’s credits is the 2015 documentary Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer’s Journey, co-directed by Yvan Iturriaga, which aired as part of the PBS series American Masters.Yemeni labor organizer Sharif (left) and Fred Ross Sr., circa 1975, CATHY MURPHY/GETTY IMAGES
“Fred Ross Sr. spent his life proving that ordinary people, when organized, can change the world,” Telles observed in a statement. “Making this film was a profound reminder that the work he started — fighting segregation, expanding voting rights, empowering workers — is still being carried on today, in Atlanta, in Oakland, and in communities across the country. I hope audiences leave the theater ready to be agitators themselves.”
Fred Ross Jr. (left) in “American Agitators.”
Among those Ross Sr. helped train were César Chávez and Dolores Huerta, who went on to found the United Farm Workers in 1962. (The reputation of Chávez, who died in 1993, recently imploded after the New York Times published an investigation that accused him of sexual abusing girls and sexual assault of women. Huerta just came forward to say Chávez raped her in 1966 and forced her to have sex on other occasions. The revelations do not tarnish Ross’s unparalleled work advocating for the downtrodden, disadvantaged, and overlooked in American society.).
“The film also highlights how Ross’s principles of grassroots organizing continue to shape labor movements today,” the release adds. “In Atlanta, Georgia, ‘Fight for $15’ organizers advocate for higher wages and unionization across the Southern states. In Oakland, California, in 2023, teachers, families, and community members joined forces to secure a fair contract with the Oakland School District, guided by the organizing and voter engagement strategies pioneered by Fred Ross Sr. and advanced by his son, Fred Ross Jr.”
Abramorama and The Fred Ross Project present American Agitators. The film is directed and produced by Raymond Telles (The Fight in the Fields) and produced by Olivia Heffernan David Telles. John Heffernan and Margo Feinberg serve as executive producers. Cinematography is by Vicente Franco and Daniel Telles; Angela Reginato edited the film. Mark Adler composed the score; Kenn Rabin serves as archival producer.
The Center for Childhood & Youth Studies is hosting a free virtual conference that shares the Global Wisdom of 10 Scholars who are part of its international Fellows Program. Research and recommendations on how to improve children and youth wellbeing will be shared by scholars from England, China, India, Pakistan, and the USA.
Summer Fellowship Project Summaries can be found HERE
In August of 2020, Human Rights Educators USA (HRE USA) lost one of its sustaining sources of inspiration and committed leadership – Kirby Edmonds. As a founding member of HRE USA, Kirby was instrumental in the establishment of HRE USA, directly shaping our mission statement, organizational structure, and most importantly our values framework and the consensus-based policy for decision-making. He served as Co-Chair of HRE USA for nearly a decade.
In honor of his legacy, HRE USA has created the Edmonds Summer Fellowship program to support hands-on leadership experience in human rights education and further Kirby’s work to engage young people in building human rights-friendly schools and communities. Fellows are supported with ongoing mentoring, guidance, and human rights learning opportunities throughout the summer.
The Edmonds Summer Fellowship program is supported in partnership with the Dorothy Cotton Institute (DCI) which carries on the legacy of civil rights legend Dorothy F. Cotton. Kirby served DCI as a Senior Fellow and Program Coordinator. DCI’s vision is a just and peaceful beloved community in which all people understand, protect and exercise full human rights. Their mission is to develop and train leaders for a global human rights movement and build a network of civil and human rights leadership. DCI’s Project Director, Laura Branca, said “Our Steering Committee proudly supports the Edmonds Fellowship to nurture young leaders and promote practices that transform individuals, schools and communities, opening new pathways to peace, justice and healing. What a fine way to honor Kirby’s legacy!”
Eligibility & Compensation
Ability to commit 100 hours between June 1-August 28, 2026
18 years old or older
$1500 stipend
Reside in the United States
Commitment to vision and mission of HRE USA
Donations to support the Edmonds Summer Fellowship can be made online or checks can be made out to the Center for Transformative Action with “HRE USA Edmonds Fellowship” in the memo line and mailed to the Center for Transformative Action, P.O. Box 760, Ithaca, NY 14851
Deadline to submit applications is Friday, March 27th at 11:59 PST
Summer Fellowship Project Summaries can be found HERE
In August of 2020, Human Rights Educators USA (HRE USA) lost one of its sustaining sources of inspiration and committed leadership – Kirby Edmonds. As a founding member of HRE USA, Kirby was instrumental in the establishment of HRE USA, directly shaping our mission statement, organizational structure, and most importantly our values framework and the consensus-based policy for decision-making. He served as Co-Chair of HRE USA for nearly a decade.
In honor of his legacy, HRE USA has created the Edmonds Summer Fellowship program to support hands-on leadership experience in human rights education and further Kirby’s work to engage young people in building human rights-friendly schools and communities. Fellows are supported with ongoing mentoring, guidance, and human rights learning opportunities throughout the summer.
The Edmonds Summer Fellowship program is supported in partnership with the Dorothy Cotton Institute (DCI) which carries on the legacy of civil rights legend Dorothy F. Cotton. Kirby served DCI as a Senior Fellow and Program Coordinator. DCI’s vision is a just and peaceful beloved community in which all people understand, protect and exercise full human rights. Their mission is to develop and train leaders for a global human rights movement and build a network of civil and human rights leadership. DCI’s Project Director, Laura Branca, said “Our Steering Committee proudly supports the Edmonds Fellowship to nurture young leaders and promote practices that transform individuals, schools and communities, opening new pathways to peace, justice and healing. What a fine way to honor Kirby’s legacy!”
Eligibility & Compensation
Ability to commit 100 hours between June 1-August 28, 2026
18 years old or older
$1500 stipend
Reside in the United States
Commitment to vision and mission of HRE USA
Donations to support the Edmonds Summer Fellowship can be made online or checks can be made out to the Center for Transformative Action with “HRE USA Edmonds Fellowship” in the memo line and mailed to the Center for Transformative Action, P.O. Box 760, Ithaca, NY 14851
We’ve created a new set of resources in our HRE & Linkages series: Climate Action and Human Rights Education (HRE) are interconnected. The linkages are explored through this slide deck and this lesson plan, which expands on how to teach about the impact of climate change, understand the connection of these impacts to climate change, and how to take action to address these impacts. These issues are also discussed in Human Rights Here and Now, Bulletin #11.
On Thursday, January 15, join historian Jane Kamensky and the Center for Civic Education for “America 250: Reimagining 1776 for Today’s Classroom.” Join us to examine how the founding era is taught as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
We will spend a thought-provoking evening on how to teach the founding era in ways that empower and include all students. Whether through the civic ideals of equality and participation or the complex legacies of liberty and exclusion, this session invites teachers to explore 1776 as both a historical turning point and a living civic promise.
HREA, in collaboration with Pedagogy Futures, has just released a six-lesson module addressing AI Human Rights and Education! The curriculum empowers educators and students to critically engage with how AI shapes society, from education to governance, public services, and civil liberties. Through interactive lessons and real-world case studies, participants build essential literacy around AI’s potential and risks, all grounded in a commitment to dignity and human rights.
This course will introduce key M&E concepts, methods and strategies, including theories of change, logical frameworks, measurement and preparation of research findings. Learners will explore participatory methods and the human rights-based approach and develop an initial M&E plan.
The course will be taught by Dr. Felisa Tibbitts who has over 30 years’ experience as an evaluation specialist and done studies for the UNOHCHR, UNDP, UNICEF and the OSCE/ODIHR as well as for civil society organizations such as Amnesty International. She has taught monitoring and evaluation at Columbia University and trained adult learners in development, humanitarian and human rights organizations throughout the world.
For more information, including fees and how to register visithttps://www.hrea.org/courses. The enrollment deadline is September 22nd. Queries can be directed to learning@hrea.org.
Yemeni labor organizer Sharif (left) and Fred Ross Sr., circa 1975, CATHY MURPHY/GETTY IMAGES
HRE USA 