Members can easily become part of the growing Human Rights Education movement in the USA by joining one of HRE USA’s Action Teams and Working Group described below. >> For more information and/or join a team(s) or working group, please email info@hreusa.org.
The Advocacy and Policy Team actively advocates for and works on initiatives to further integrate HRE into U.S. education practices and standards in order to institutionalize the incorporation of HRE into K-12 standards in all 50 states, as well as in U.S. territories and in sovereign indigenous communities. This team works to provide feedback and reports through international human rights mechanisms.
Ongoing projects, programs, and accomplishments: (1) Actively advocate U.S. states to integrate HRE into education standards; (2) Develop Human Rights Education Guidelines for State Standards; and (3) Submit shadow reports on HRE in the U.S. to the United Nations.
The Awards, Recognitions, and Special Events Team is responsible for administering and selecting the recipients of the annual Edward O’Brien Human Rights Education Award for recognition of an outstanding contribution to human rights education in the United States. This team is responsible for the administering and selecting recipients for the annual HRE USA Youth Human Rights Action Awards. This team also convenes to develop and implement special events, recognitions, and celebrations.
Ongoing projects, programs, and accomplishments: (1) Coordinate annual human rights anniversary and celebratory events; (2) Develop the annual nominations and selection processes for 2-3 Youth Human Rights Action and 2 Edward O’Brien Award; (3) Award special honors for lifetime achievement and impacts awards; and (4) Recognize the award recipients through media outreach and the annual Human Rights Day celebration on December 10th.
Fellowships, Internships, and Professional Support Team is responsible for the development and implementation of the annual Kirby Edmonds Fellowship program, a summer fellowship program for young human rights leaders helping to advance HRE USA’s mission and priorities. This team also contributes to the selection and support of academic year interns and research scholars who come to HRE USA through partnerships with key universities nationwide. The team fosters and cultivates HRE USA’s emerging youth collective network. This team also administers and selects recipients for the annual Flowers Fund small grants that support innovation and mentorship in human rights education in the United States. The fund aims to encourage new philosophical and theoretical thinking, new pedagogies, and new outreach methods for human rights education, as well as emerging leadership in the field.
Ongoing projects, programs, and accomplishments: (1) Award small grants to enable professional development and innovation through the Flowers Fund; (2) Mentor 2-3 interns and research scholars during academic year; (3) Establish and support 2-3 Edmonds Summer Fellowships; and (4) Support and provide publishing mentorship for emerging scholars.
The Innovation and Partnerships Team initiates and implements projects to help forge collaborations with both HRE USA member organizations and other organizations with common interests related to the HRE USA mission. These collaborations aim to demonstrate how the human rights framework can be a vehicle to amplify and strengthen the work of others, as well as bring together allied organizations for effective collection action around common goals.
Projects have included: (1) Developing documents that articulate the connection of HRE to Social Justice Advocacy and the importance of DEI initiatives; (2) Helping promote the document outlining the connection of HRE to Education for Democracy; and (3) Organizing and facilitating roundtable discussions, such as the March 2024 Collaborate to Build a Culture of Inclusive Democracy.
The Membership Cultivation and Communications Team develops ongoing communications strategies to improve individual and organizational membership relations. The online and in-person communications center on responding to diverse human rights education and learning needs and to nurture engagement through committee and action team collaborations, mentorship, training, and communities of practice. This team also develops a cohesive approach and process to managing, organizing, and showcasing HRE USA’s online media presence. It provides oversight of the organization’s online media platforms, develops effective strategies to establish sustainable management of HRE USA’s digital content.
Ongoing projects, programs, and accomplishments: (1) Cultivate partnerships with other networks and associations; (2) Showcase our Human Rights Education story of impacts and possibilities; (3) Create a menu of ways to get involved within our various HRE USA’s leadership programming opportunities, including action teams, training co-sponsorships, mentorship, fundraising, social media, podcasts, policy, and partnerships; (4) Provide lessons, events, and other opportunities for our HRE USA blog, discussion forum, e-newsletter, and social media (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn; (5) Expand our organizational and individual members through online conversations and acknowledgments of renewals and contributions both in-kind and financial; Update our membership profile features on our website; (6) Respond to email inquiries to meet the diverse needs of our network; and (7) Complete annual reports for transparency and accountability to our membership.
The Professional Development and Training Team provides innovative and accessible human rights education and training resources (i.e. field-tested K-12 lesson plans incorporating human rights education and training into Social Studies, STEM, and Arts related classwork) for its members through its website, social media, e-newsletter, conferences, and online shop. In addition, this team delivers professional development opportunities for its members through relevant resources, mentorship programs, and capacity building workshops. The Human Rights Learning ColLABorative Project enable educators to work on specific themes, such as children’s rights lessons. The Children’s Rights Matters project also works to infuse the Convention on the Rights of the Child into educational tools for state, local, and school districts to increase awareness on the importance of children and youth participation, safety, and health and wellness.
Ongoing projects, programs, and accomplishments: (1) Mentor individuals through the Edmonds Fellowships, Research Scholars, Internships, Teaching Ambassador, and Flower Fund Programs; (2) Develop, implement, and evaluate annual Training As Action Series (TAAS); (3) K-12 Online HRE Lesson & Collection Library; (4) Distribute human rights booklets, posters, and curriculum through Online Shop; (5) Expand the Curriculum Integration Guide and lessons offered through the e-newsletter and social media; (6) Increase access to human rights and children’s rights lessons for educators and community leaders; and (7) Enhance children’s rights awareness through The Children’s Rights Matters Mission, Strategy and Goals Chart – Google Drawings.
The Podcast Team is responsible for our monthly Human Rights Education Now! Podcast and provides input on managing, organizing, and showcasing HRE USA’s online media presence. The goals of the team are to provide effective oversight for the podcast and the organization’s multiple online media platforms, while developing effective communication, marketing, training, and documenting of impact that will establish more sustainable management systems.
Ongoing projects, programs, and accomplishments: (1) Document outreach and impact of podcast; (2) Conduct interviews, edit, and publish the monthly podcast; (3) Promote the podcasts interviews and opportunities for curriculum; and (4) Present at the annual International Association for Human Rights Education Conference.
Regional Representatives coordinate human rights education activities and communicate with members and organizational partners in their areas. Regional Representatives are very involved in HRE advocacy, serving on HRE USA committees as well as on the boards for local and national organizations working in the area of human rights.
Ongoing projects, programs, and accomplishments: (1) Meet bi-monthly meetings to update and communicate with one another on human rights events & opportunities happening regionally across the nation; and (2) Engage in bi-monthly short learning sessions facilitated by volunteer regional representatives.
The Strategy and Priorities Team is responsible for articulating HRE USA’s multiyear strategic plan and organizational priorities. This team evaluates the success and impact of previous priorities and works to develop organizational priorities in collaboration with HRE USA leaders and members. This team is also responsible for tracking and measuring the success of short-term and long-term objectives connected with these priorities, and the impact these priorities have on both the growth of the HRE USA and human rights education nationally.
Ongoing projects, programs, and accomplishments: (1) Aligning leadership teams and objectives with organizational priorities; (2) Prepare and facilitate annual strategic planning meeting; and (3) Collaborate with stakeholders to define and articulate 2024-2026 priorities.
The Sustainability and Fundraising Team is responsible for planning and implementing annual fundraising efforts for the organization and measuring impact of these efforts. This team is also responsible for consistently evaluating the short-term and long-term fiscal sustainability of HRE USA, and to support a vibrant organization.
Ongoing projects, programs, and accomplishments: (1) Analyze and implement staffing, financial and sustainability plan and campaigns; (2) Develop annual budget in consultation with executive and steering committees; and (3) Create annual report for Center for Transformative Action (HRE USA’s fiscal sponsor) and membership.
>> For more information or to join at team, please email info@hreusa.org
HRE USA 