Category: Events

27 award-winning films that examine inequality, dignity, and pathways to change. Storytelling has the power to advance social change — challenging systems, amplifying voices, and sparking action. For World Day of Social Justice, we’ve curated a unique playlist that centers lived experience and spotlights solutions in motion.  Explore Playlist → Playlist Staff Pick  Director: Cinque Northern 27 min | USAWhen Liza Jessie Peterson brings her acclaimed play The Peculiar Patriot to Angola — America’s largest prison plantation — the performance is suddenly shut down. This film uncovers what provoked the closure, the truths that confronted the prison system, and the ripple effects of a visit authorities tried to silence. Watch Now →  Event Invite Institute for Humane Education (IHE) presents Adidas Owns the Reality — World Day of Social Justice Online Film Viewing  Saturday, February 21, 2026 12:00 PM ET | OnlineDirected by Keil Troisi and Igor Vamos, Adidas Owns the Reality exposes the exploitation of underpaid garment workers—and an unconventional, creative-activism strategy designed to raise awareness and hold corporations accountable. This free event will be hosted on the Institute for Humane Education’s Circle community platform. Click below for more info and details on how to join! Sign Up →   SIMA Academy is an award-winning education platform offering curriculum-ready documentaries and film club tools that spark critical thinking, connect learning to real-world issues, and foster engagement and agency across classrooms, networks, and leadership programs.

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

Learn about the UPR: What it is, how it works, and what you can do to engage in the process of shaping human rights in the United States!

This series of webinars and resources around engaging with the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights (URP) has been coordinated by the a coalition of HRE USA Regional Representatives.

Moving from theory to transformation to assist, support, and collaborate to bring collective, local actions to the United States’ 2026 Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights, this series includes video recordings of our sessions and accompanying learning materials and references.

Monthly series started Thursday, January 29, 2026 and will run through April.

All HRE USA members are encouraged to attend! Webinars are open to the public (so bring a friend!)

Upcoming sessions:

• Session 2: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 • 3pm (PT) / 6pm (ET)
• Session 3:Tuesday, March 10, 2026 • 3pm (PT) / 6pm (ET) 
• Session 4: Tuesday March 24, 2026 • 3pm (PT) / 6pm (ET)
• Session 5: Monday, April 6, 2026 • 3pm (PT) / 6pm (ET)

>> RSVP

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

COMMUNITY-BASED RITES OF PASSAGE PROGRAM

REGISTER NOW!

February 19, 2026

Sandy Sohcot will be conducting an international training with Yvonne Vissing, Frederick Marx, Bruno Annetta, and Bruce Lesley about how communities and organizations can develop a Rite of Passage Program.

Join us to gain information on how to put in place effective and meaningful rites of passage that enrich all participants, build social capital for your community, and ultimately generate vitality and positive engagement for everyone.

This training will occur on Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 12:00 noon EST. It will be free and open to the public on Zoom.

WEBINAR OBJECTIVES:

·   Provide information on the factors that contribute to having vibrant communities with healthy, engaged youth and adults;

·   Offer insights about the challenges youth are confronting that impact their well-being;

·   Present information about rites-of-passage, how they can help build vital connections across generations and contribute positively to all members of the community, and how to implement them;

·   Present information on other practices and cognitive tools that support effective rites-of-passage

THE WORLD AS IT COULD BE HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION PROGRAM (TWAICB)

IS PART OF THE INITIATIVE FOR CIVILITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Together we Present

COMMUNITY BASED RITES OF PASSAGE FOR YOUTH – WHY AND HOW

WEBINAR ON FEBRUARY 19, 2026, NOON-1:30 Eastern Standard Time

With support from Salem State University Center for Childhood & Youth Studies and Human Rights Educators (HRE) USA

 Contact yvonne@theworldasitcouldbe.org if you need more information.

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

This module examines how systemic inequalities related to gender and disability affect access to and participation in democracy. Participants will explore barriers that limit civic engagement and learn strategies to center marginalized voices. The module emphasizes inclusive civic education that empowers all individuals to engage meaningfully in democratic life.
Register here

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 2025–2026 Training as Action Series will center on the theme, “Defending Democracy and Human Rights in a Changing World.” This year’s sessions will explore urgent issues such as misinformation, protest rights, climate justice, and digital surveillance, highlighting how human rights education can equip communities to respond with clarity, courage, and collective action. Those who attend six or more sessions will receive a certificate from HRE USA.

Upcoming Session… 

2025–26 TAAS Sessions>> 2025-26 TAAS Flyer >> RegisterModule 7: Intersectional Democracy: Gender and Disability Rights 🗓️ February 9, 2026    7PM-8:30PM ET >> RegisterModule 8: Digital Rights and Democracy: Navigating AI, Surveillance, and Privacy 🗓️ March 9, 2026    7PM-8:30PM ET >> RegisterModule 9: Action Lab: Strategies for Defending Democracy and Human Rights 🗓️ April 13, 2026    7PM-8:30PM ET >> Register>> See all recordings of past 2025-26 sessions

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

Register

On Monday, February 2, 2026, historian Jarvis Givens joins Rethinking Schools executive director Cierra Kaler-Jones and editor Jesse Hagopian to discuss his latest book, I’ll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month. Drawing on archival research, personal stories involving family and students, and especially the wisdom of Black educators, Givens recovers the legacy of Carter G. Woodson and many others who envisioned Black history as a liberatory force — knowledge that shapes who we are, how we resist, and what we dream. Givens will also talk about the Black Teacher Archive and another new book, American Grammar: Race, Education, and the Building of a Nation.

Jarvis Givens is a professor of education and faculty affiliate in the department of African & African American studies at Harvard University. As an interdisciplinary scholar, he specializes in 19th and 20th century African American history, history of education, and theories of race and power in education. Givens is the author of Fugitive Pedagogy: Carter G. Woodson and the Art of Black Teaching, American Grammar: Race, Education, and the Building of a Nation, and I’ll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month.

ASL interpretation provided.

Professional development credit certificate provided upon request for attendees.

These online classes with people’s historians are held at least once a month (generally on Mondays) at for 75 minutes. In each session, the historian is interviewed by a teacher and breakout rooms allow participants to meet each other in small groups, discuss the content, and share teaching ideas. We designed the sessions for teachers and other school staff. Parents, students, and others are also welcome to participate.

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

Calling all human rights educators and advocates! The members of the HRE USA Regional Reps are coordinating a series of webinars to move from theory to transformation to assist, support, and collaborate to bring collective, local actions to the United States’ 2026 Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights. 

Learn about the UPR: What it is, how it works, and what you can do to engage in the process of shaping human rights in the United States!

Monthly series starts Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 3pm (PT) / 6pm (ET) and will run through April. All HRE USA members are encouraged to attend! Webinars are open to the public (so bring a friend!) 

>> RSVP

Questions? Email us at reps@hreusa.org

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

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 2025–2026 Training as Action Series will center on the theme, “Defending Democracy and Human Rights in a Changing World.” This year’s sessions will explore urgent issues such as misinformation, protest rights, climate justice, and digital surveillance, highlighting how human rights education can equip communities to respond with clarity, courage, and collective action. Those who attend six or more sessions will receive a certificate from HRE USA.

Upcoming Session… 

2025–26 TAAS Sessions>> 2025-26 TAAS Flyer >> RegisterModule 6: Intersectional Democracy: Race and Migration 🗓️ January 26, 2026    7PM-8:30PM ET >> RegisterModule 7: Intersectional Democracy: Gender and Disability Rights 🗓️ February 9, 2026    7PM-8:30PM ET >> RegisterModule 8: Digital Rights and Democracy: Navigating AI, Surveillance, and Privacy 🗓️ March 9, 2026    7PM-8:30PM ET >> RegisterModule 9: Action Lab: Strategies for Defending Democracy and Human Rights 🗓️ April 13, 2026    7PM-8:30PM ET >> Register>> See all recordings of past 2025-26 sessions

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

Sandy Sohcot will be conducting an international training with Yvonne Vissing about how communities and organizations can develop a Rite of Passage Program. This training will occur on Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 12:00 noon (ET). It will be free and open to the public on Zoom. 

This training will focus on how communities and organizations can mobilize to support young people so that they can build the positive lives that they, their families, their schools, and their communities believe would help them to live happier, healthier, safer lives. You can contact us for more information at yvonne@theworldasitcouldbe.org

As background to why this training is important, since its creation in 2013 with the assistance of Frederick Marx, hundreds of youth have benefited from this program which helps them to become leaders in positive problem solving and nonviolent conflict resolution. While it has never been easy to be a young person, the challenges they face today are enormous. It can be observed in rising rates of anxiety, depression, stress, loneliness, bullying, and violence against themselves or others.

Here are two sources of information about the growing concerns about our youth:

American Psychological Association April/May 2025
U.S. teens need far more emotional and social support

Annie E. Casey Foundation
Youth Mental Health Statistics July 25, 2025
The Annie E. Casey Foundation report includes a link to information about the factors contributing to Generation Z Mental Health, including:

• Lack of life direction and purpose: The same Harvard study found that half of Gen Z young adults say their mental health is negatively affected by not knowing what to do with their lives, and almost three in five (58%) lacked meaning or purpose in their lives within the past month. Among young people ages 12 to 26, another 2023 Gallup survey found that the biggest driver of Gen Z happiness is their sense of purpose at either school or work, but 43% to 49% of Gen Zers ​“do not feel what they do each day is interesting, important or motivating.”
• A need for connection with others: Sadly, more than two in five (44%) Gen Z young adults feel like they don’t matter to others, and one in three (34%) report loneliness, according to the same Harvard survey. This is corroborated by 2023 Gallup findings that about one in three Gen Zers ages 12 to 26 do not often feel loved (31%) or supported (35%) by others, and a similar share (30%) always/​often feel like nobody knows them well. This is especially troubling given that these young people are going through a vulnerable developmental stage, and evidence indicates that stable, supportive relationships are important for positive mental health.

Here are a few resources about the program, written by Sandy Sohcot and Frederick Marx:

Community Based Rites of Passage – Why and How. 
A virtual presentation of why rites of passage are vital elements to support healthy youth and vibrant communities, with resources to help implement them.

Community Based Rites of Passage – Getting Them Started and Keeping Them Going
A document providing step-by-step guidance on how to implement rites of passage in your community. 

Rites of passages have been essential parts of indigenous, religious and cultural communities throughout time, though have not been fully recognized and valued in our secular, everyday world. We hope this is a start to igniting widespread appreciation for and implementation of this deeply meaningful process. Let us know if you want more information.

We look forward to seeing you at the January training! 

Sandy Sohcot at sandy@theworldasitcouldbe.org
Yvonne Vissing at yvonne@theworldasitcouldbe.org

Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 12:00 noon (ET)

>> Join via Zoom 

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

On Monday, January 26, educator Brian Jones, in conversation with Rethinking Schoolseditor Jesse Hagopian, will discuss his latest book Black History Is for Everyone, a look at how the study of Black history challenges our understanding of race, nation, and the stories we tell about who we are.

Brian Jones is the inaugural director of the Center for Educators and Schools of the New York Public Library, and formerly the associate director of Education at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Jones was an elementary school teacher for nine years and earned a PhD in Urban Education at the CUNY Graduate Center. He has contributed to numerous publications, including Black Lives Matter at School: An Uprising for Educational Justice and is the author of The Tuskegee Student Uprising: A History.

January 26 at 4pm (PT)/7pm (ET), virtual 

>> Learn more and register

ASL interpretation provided.
Professional development credit certificate provided upon request for attendees.

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

Fri, Jan 23, 2026 | 9:15 AM – 2:30 PM

Join leading scholars, journalists, and community voices for a series of virtual panel discussions exploring how liberal arts expertise shapes our understanding of today’s most pressing civic issues—from the role of the media and constitutional rights to the lived impacts of state-sanctioned violence.

In a moment marked by deep political polarization and urgent questions around immigration enforcement and public safety, this event interrogates how language, law, ethics, and community narratives inform our response to current events.

Engage in rigorous dialogue that bridges academic insight with real-world consequence, and discover how the liberal arts help us make sense of conflict, community, and our shared civic future.

Register to attend one or multiple sessions throughout the day. 

This event is presented as a webinar via Zoom. This event is free and open to the public but registration is required. The webinar will be live from 9:15am – 2:00pm. Guests are welcome to join anytime to view their preferred session. 

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