Category: News and Updates

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The Bluedot Institute is a virtual program, with in person retreats, that seeks to highlight, honor, and incentivize high school students and their teachers to engage in local solution-oriented climate action projects. Our work at Bluedot is motivated by the realization that we are leaving the planet to younger generations with big challenges to manage. Many young people fear their future is doomed and feel helpless. At the same time, we see young climate leaders emerging everywhere. We want to support and encourage their activities and inspire others to get involved, too. 

Our programs orient around land, sea, and sky, and we currently offer three paths of involvement: 

·  A curated writing program that provides students professional editing and the chance to be published when works are completed

·  A monthly fireside chat that helps students learn about climate issues and develop community projects that debut around Earth Day 2025

·  In-person leadership retreats (Upcoming Santa Cruz Island March 2025 and Martha’s Vineyard July 2025

Bluedot Intention and Program Information

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For Native American Heritage Month, and all year long, we offer recommended books for pre-K–12 that challenge stereotypes and focus on contemporary Native Americans. Our list is drawn from books recommended by Debbie Reese of American Indians in Children’s Literature.

Booklist

When: December 8, 2 – 4 pm
Location: The Henry A. Wallace Center at FDR Presidential Library & Museum,
4079 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538
Tickets: $25 General Admission, $20 Students (Current Students Only)

The rise of social media has brought an explosion of information and opinions, making it harder to sift through the noise and find the truth amidst misinformation. Bloggers, influencers, politically driven media, and politicians now wield the power to influence without evidence. How does traditional journalism rise to meet this challenge?

In honor of International Human Rights Day (December 10th), join us at the FDR Presidential Library & Museum for a lively discussion on how journalism and social media shape truth in the digital era.

Buy tickets now

More infromation about the panel

This panel discussion is in honor of International Human Rights Day

On Monday, November 18, 2024, documentary filmmaker Yoruba Richen will discuss American Coup: Wilmington 1898, a new American Experience PBS documentary directed by Richen and Brad Lichtenstein that examines a white supremacist massacre of Black residents of Wilmington, North Carolina. Richen, and others from the film, will be in conversation with Teaching for Black Lives co-editor Jesse Hagopian.

November 18 at 7pm (ET)/4pm (PT), Online via Zoom

 Learn more and register

The 35th Anniversary of the The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is coming up on November 20, 2024!

In preparation, we’ve updated our booklets, available at our online shop!

>>Order CRC Booklets
>>Check out all booklets

>> Resource Collection: Every Child, Every Right

Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights, the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race and the Program of International and Comparative Education of Teachers College are now accepting applications for the 2025 International Program on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Policy. This program is presented in partnership with the University of Auckland (New Zealand) and the University of British Columbia (Canada).

The deadline for submitting applications is November 10, 2024. We are accepting applications from professionals, researchers, practitioners and advanced students who wish to participate in an intensive program at Columbia University on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and policy. This program is an in-person two-week course from 27 May to 6 June, 2025.

With a central focus on human rights, this intensive immersion program provides an overview and analysis of the major questions in Indigenous affairs today, as they have emerged globally in the last decades. The program has an interdisciplinary approach and incorporates lectures and workshops on the most recent and innovative academic research and policy debates on Indigenous Peoples’ issues. It is complemented by visits to the United Nations and to a Native American Nation, discussions with United Nations officials, officials of a Native American Nation and other relevant parties.

For more information on the program, its methodology, and the application process – please download our flyer here.

>> Learn more

Use the links below to confirm and update your voter registration, request an absentee ballot, sign our pledge to be a pro–public school voter, and more.

• CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS
• REGISTER TO VOTE
• REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT
• PREVIEW YOUR BALLOT
• SUPPORT PRO–PUBLIC EDUCATION CANDIDATES

>> Take action

The ISHR Human Rights Research Award will provide students with an opportunity to gain valuable research experience, while supporting the work of Columbia faculty conducting human rights-related research. The research opportunities selected for the 2024-2025 academic year are enclosed (each opportunity includes distinct contact information for applying). Students who receive the Fellowship are expected to complete at least 80 hours of research assistance during the academic year. ISHR will award one research stipend per opportunity in the amount of $1,500. Priority will be given to HRSMA and UHRP students.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with preference given to applications received by Friday, November 8, 2024

>> Learn more