On Monday, March 24, 2025, historian Jeanne Theoharis and Rethinking Schools editor Jesse Hagopian will discuss Theoharis’s book, King of the North: Martin Luther King’s Freedom Struggle Outside of the South.
Jeanne Theoharis is a distinguished professor at Brooklyn College. She is the author or co-author of numerous books and articles on the Civil Rights and Black Power movements and the politics of race and education. Her books include the award-winning titles The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks and A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History. Theoharis co-founded the Teach the Black Freedom Struggle class series with the Zinn Education Project and invited our staff to collaborate on a teaching guide for The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks book and film.
ASL interpretation provided.
Professional development credit certificate provided upon request for attendees.
Join us for an inspiring evening at the SIMA Short Film Screening, where the power of storytelling meets the global call for sustainable development. This unique event showcases a curated selection of short films that bring the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to life. These thought-provoking films explore key issues such as climate action, gender equality, poverty alleviation, and clean water access, illustrating how communities around the world are tackling the challenges of today to create a better tomorrow.
Immerse yourself in powerful narratives that highlight the impact of social, environmental, and economic changes, and see how filmmakers are using their craft to inspire action, raise awareness, and drive positive change. Whether you’re an advocate for sustainability, a lover of cinema, or simply curious about how films can ignite social transformation, this screening is for you.
Don’t miss the opportunity to witness how film can bring the SDGs to life in a way that’s compelling, impactful, and unforgettable!
Films line-up: 1. Words of a Changemaker This film features inspiring stories from individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities and the world. Through their narratives, viewers gain insights into the challenges and triumphs of changemakers dedicated to creating positive social impact.
2. Detroit Hives Detroit Hives explores the transformation of vacant lots in Detroit into thriving urban bee farms. This initiative not only revitalizes the community but also promotes environmental sustainability and education, highlighting the intersection of urban agriculture and social entrepreneurship.
3. Cross World: Cross World delves into the lives of individuals who bridge cultural divides through innovative projects and collaborations. The film showcases how these efforts foster understanding, unity, and progress across diverse communities, emphasizing the power of cross-cultural exchange in addressing global challenges.
The American Agitators world premiere will be on Sunday, March 16, 2025 at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California. This is particularly symbolic because this is where Fred Ross, Sr. held his first house meeting at the home of Cesar and Helen Chavez in the East San Jose barrio of “Sal Si Puedes.” Please join us at 6:45 pm on March 16th for the world premiere. Tickets can be purchased here. As legendary organizer Dolores Huerta, who is featured in the film, recently said: “Bringing Fred’s life to the screen is the medicine our society needs right now. He empowered people to be engaged in the democratic process.”
The National Climate Assessment is a major scientific report developed by several government agencies that describes climate change in the United States. This session will highlight the science found in the report, and then explore resources that support introducing the NCA5 to non-scientific audiences through the NCA5 Educator’s Guide.
The Climate Energy and Literacy Awareness Network (CLEAN) Team will introduce a guide that connects the information in the report to teaching guidance and resources. Patrick will describe how the new design and updates to the guide make it a powerful tool for education and outreach professionals and how to support their efforts in classrooms, communities, and beyond.
Patrick Chandler is an Education Specialist for the Climate Literacy Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) and other Cooperative Institute for Environmental Sciences (CIRES) climate education projects. His current focus is developing support and resources for teaching climate change across the curriculum in both science and non-science classrooms. Previously, Patrick designed educator guides and workshops for the CU/United Nations’ Right Here Right Now Global Climate Summit (RHRN) centered on helping teachers bring a human rights lens to climate change. Before starting with CIRES, Patrick was the Education Director for the Washed Ashore Project, raising awareness about marine debris through art/science partnership exhibits; taught biology for Kenai Peninsula College; was the International Coastal Cleanup Coordinator for Alaska; and the Special Programs Coordinator for the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies. He has over fifteen years working in and developing environmental education, art, stewardship, and science programs and received his Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from CU, Boulder focused on art and science partnerships to catalyze community action on environmental and social justice issues.
We understand that some of these workshops do not work for educator’s schedules, so all registrants will receive a recording and additional resources in their email within 1 week of the event. We are striving to make our events more welcoming to all, with specific goals about racial equity and inclusivity. Your answers during registration will help us to know how we are doing.
We need to remind students that this country has been at its best when people have organized to question and challenge presidents — opposing presidential support for slavery, war, invasion, environmental destruction, segregation, mass deportations, and injustice of all kinds. Our students need stories of this resistance to inform and inspire their own activism.
As we approach Presidents’ Day, students are witnessing the three branches of government being collapsed into one. It’s time to help students think critically about the presidency — and to question and challenge the president.
Teaching about Reconstruction and the Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th) sheds light on current events. For example, the administration is attacking birthright citizenship, as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. Students can learn that the 14th Amendment turned the Constitution into a document cited in legal arguments for equality. It is no wonder that the Trump administration is laser-focused on weakening it.
Join Youth Environmental Activists (YEA!) for our 2025 Youth Climate Justice Summit (YCJS) on Thursday, February 13th, from 10 am to 4 pm. YCJS will be a day of high school youth action, learning, and a chance to participate directly in government. Led by youth, for youth, this event will be a chance to interact with youth climate justice activists from across the Twin Cities Metro Area and discuss how to make change in your communities! Please note that each student must be individually signed up through this form so that our team can track food allergies, consent forms, etc.
The YCJS will be hosted at Springboard for the Arts. Youth will be chaperoned for the short walk to and from the capitol when meeting with legislators.
An Embroidered Archive of War featuring Sophie Neiman on February 2 at 1:00PM EST.
Sophie Neiman is a freelance journalist covering politics, conflict, and human rights across East and Central Africa. She is a grantee of the Pulitzer Center and her reporting and photography have appeared in Al Jazeera, The Christian Science Monitor, New Internationalist, The New York Review of Books, Prospect, and World Politics Review, among others. Sophie is passionate about telling women’s stories, elevating grassroots perspectives, and using journalism to confront the legacies of colonialism and imperialism. She is based in Kampala, where she is the co-chair of the International Press Association of Uganda.
December 10, 2024 Time: 7pm-9 pm Eastern, 6pm-8pm Central , 5pm-7 pm Mountain, 4pm-6pm Pacific
Join us virtually on the International Day of Human Rights. Educators and NGO professionals will hear from the film makers of Padauk:Myanmar Spring as well as scholar Palita Chunsaengchan, Assistant Professor from the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Minnesota. For the second half of the event, Elana Haviv, Ph.D., founder and Executive Director of Generation Human Rights, Inc. will lead the discussion. She has designed and implemented human rights-based curriculum projects for middle and high schools across the United States and Europe, as well as in refugee camps and humanitarian emergencies worldwide. In her independent consulting work, she has written for UNESCO, providing practical advice for teachers on how to manage constructive classroom discussions about violent extremism and antisemitism. Elana is also an Oral History Fellow at Columbia University and holds a Ph.D. from Antioch University.
Participants will receive a resource list and viewing guide on the film, and will discuss how to use this film in their classrooms. Participants should view the film before the workshop. All registrants will receive a free screening link to view the film prior to the talk as well as a detailed resource list and viewing guide. Attendance for this exceptional event is free for educators, but registration is required. From Documentary Educational Resources site,“Padauk: Myanmar Spring takes the viewer to the streets of Myanmar during the heady days following the February 2021 military coup. Through Nant, a young, first-time protester, we meet three human rights activists whose lives have been turned upside down by the coup. As the protests continue, Nant comes to understand the truth of a brutal regime that has continued to wage war against its own people for decades. Against a foreboding backdrop, Nant’s political awakening regarding the plight of others in her ethnically diverse country gives hope for the future. Beautifully augmented by poetry and art, Padauk: Myanmar Spring shows the resilience and determination of the people of Myanmar, and the sacrifices they’ve made.”
The Global Forum for Teacher Educators was founded in 2014 as a human rights initiative to promote free education among teachers, children, and marginalized communities at no cost.
HRE USA 