This guide to transformative skills for climate action expands climate literacy to encompass those inner skills, qualities and capacities that help translate scientific understanding into transformative shifts in the way we do things, individually and collectively. The hope is that this guide will help educators, communicators and practitioners equip the whole of society with these essential resources. Download the free PDF her
Saturday, September 13th, 11 am ET
Module 1: Defending Democracy through Human Rights Education
This module explores how HRE can help defend democracy in the face of current global and local challenges. Participants map threats and reflect on civic roles.
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. 2025-26 TAAS Flyer
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. 2025-26 TAAS Flyer
Saturday, September 13th, 11 am ET
Module 1: Defending Democracy through Human Rights Education
This module explores how HRE can help defend democracy in the face of current global and local challenges. Participants map threats and reflect on civic roles.
HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.
Labor Day is a time to remind ourselves of the importance of solidarity — that progress comes when people recognize that we need each other and act together on that recognition.
One aim of today’s right-wing attacks on history is to stop young people from learning about the rich legacy of workers acting for justice. It’s no surprise that people of wealth and power are threatened by education that explores grassroots efforts to challenge exploitation.
The Zinn Education Project offers free lessons on labor history and campaigns for teachers’ right to teach.
Find examples below of free lessons and other resources about labor history — interracial solidarity, feminism, “organize the unorganized,” environmental justice and health & safety, immigration, workers’ rights — including “This Day in People’s History” stories. Teach Labor History
Poster by Ricardo Levins Morales
The annual Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA Awards) celebrate outstanding achievements in social impact storytelling, honoring the most cutting edge filmmaking from around the world that inspires activism, compassion and social transformation. Each year, projects are selected from over 140 countries, competing for awards, cash prizes, media features, and entry into SIMA’s distribution programs that bring selected works to communities and classrooms worldwide.
Films must be completed between October 2024 and September 2025 to be eligible for entry. Each title is permitted to enter once to SIMA. Titles that have entered in the past are not permitted to enter into the competition in subsequent years. Each entry may be submitted by only one individual or organization. If the film is a co-production, the entrant assumes full responsibility for notifying the other co-production partners of the entry. In the event of multiple entries for the same film, copyright ownership will determine which entry is accepted. The entrant is responsible for securing and clearing all rights.
For more information click here.
This administration is promoting the upcoming 250th anniversary of the American Revolution as a time to celebrate “a new era of American greatness.”
U.S. history textbooks and standards are plastered with the country’s founding documents, so-called “Charters of Freedom”: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It is important that young people study these texts so they can better understand and act upon the system of government they have inherited. In most cases, however, the curricular charge accompanying these documents discourages critical thinking. Instead, they and their authors must be celebrated, if not worshipped.
In the face of the racial justice uprisings of 2020, the Trump administration doubled down on this approach with a glaringly whitewashed “1776 Commission.”
And state lawmakers have flooded legislatures with bills that outlaw teaching the history of racism or sexism, while insisting upon the “study” of founding documents. These measures demand that teachers and students never question the ruling class that founded this country — nor the one at the helm today.
That is why we have compiled resources for an honest study of the American Revolution, so that students can learn from history to shape a more just future. We invite your feedback and suggestions of resources to add.
OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Join the official Preselection Committee for the 14th Annual SIMA Awards, celebrating the finest in documentary and XR impact storytelling from 140 countries. Our committee brings together filmmakers, editors, producers, curators, journalists, human rights advocates, social justice innovators, and postsecondary students.
As a committee member, you’ll have the exclusive opportunity to screen up to 100 documentary films (features and shorts) submitted to SIMA, using our evaluation tools and metrics to assess each project. This entirely virtual experience runs from September to December, allowing you to participate at your own pace.
By joining, you’ll gain unparalleled insight into groundbreaking independent filmmaking, earning a certificate of completion for your CV, and deepening your perspective on the world through these compelling stories. We’re looking for candidates with a strong passion for human rights, social justice, and social innovation who are studying or working in media, communications, journalism, international development, or human rights.
Applications close on August 9, 2025
OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Join the official Preselection Committee for the 14th Annual SIMA Awards, celebrating the finest in documentary and XR impact storytelling from 140 countries. Our committee brings together filmmakers, editors, producers, curators, journalists, human rights advocates, social justice innovators, and postsecondary students.
As a committee member, you’ll have the exclusive opportunity to screen up to 100 documentary films (features and shorts) submitted to SIMA, using our evaluation tools and metrics to assess each project. This entirely virtual experience runs from September to December, allowing you to participate at your own pace.
By joining, you’ll gain unparalleled insight into groundbreaking independent filmmaking, earning a certificate of completion for your CV, and deepening your perspective on the world through these compelling stories. We’re looking for candidates with a strong passion for human rights, social justice, and social innovation who are studying or working in media, communications, journalism, international development, or human rights.
On Monday, August 25, best-selling author Clint Smith will discuss his soon-to-be-released young readers edition of How the Word Is Passed: Remembering Slavery and How It Shaped America, adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul. Smith will be in conversation with Rethinking Schools editor Jesse Hagopian and educator and Prentiss Charney Fellow Jessica A. Rucker.
HRE USA 