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Episode 74 with Mischa Geracoulis is available on Human Rights Education Now!

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Mischa Geracoulis is Outreach and Engagement Officer at Project Censored and Production Lead at The Censored Press. She contributes to the State of the Free Press yearbook, serves as a Project Judge, and authored Media Framing and the Destruction of Cultural Heritage (Routledge, 2025).Mischa is also a Global Press Freedom Expert and Index Respondent with Reporters Without Borders. Her work focuses on human rights, journalistic ethics, press freedom, and the preservation of cultural heritage. She holds an M.A. in Education and Media Studies and a B.A. in International Development with a concentration on the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. Her journalistic portfolio can be found at: https://muckrack.com/mischa-geracoulis/portfolio.

Episode 74 Summary

In this episode of Human Rights Education Now!, Mischa Geracoulis examines how human rights, journalism, and the preservation of cultural heritage intersect, focusing on the legacy of the Armenian genocide. She discusses how cultural erasure and historical silences cause ongoing human rights violations and how journalism documents these histories to resist erasure.

The conversation centers on cultural heritage as a human rights issue, focusing on Rafael Lemkin’s work and media narratives. Mischa’s discussion of “change-centered” journalism and the role of microhistories in amplifying marginalized voices links to Edward Said’s Orientalism and critiques of media and power.

Mischa describes her work with Project Censored, focusing on promoting critical media literacy and defending freedom of expression under Articles 19 and 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The episode centers on contemporary censorship, particularly political pressures on academic and journalistic freedom, and how media institutions shape or suppress truth.

The discussion concludes with a global perspective on the destruction of cultural heritage, including the case of Nagorno-Karabakh, and a call for educators to integrate critical media literacy and cultural heritage into human rights education. Mischa emphasizes that empowering individuals to critically analyze media and recognize whose voices are included or excluded is essential for advancing human rights in the modern world.

Topics discussed:

· Origins of Mischa Geracoulis’ work in human rights and journalism

· Armenian genocide and cultural erasure

· Journalism’s role in documenting human rights abuses

· Cultural heritage as a human rights issue

· Microhistories and change-centered journalism

· Edward Said’s Orientalism and media analysis

· Project Censored and media accountability

· Critical media literacy in human rights education

· Censorship, propaganda, and academic freedom

· Cultural destruction in Nagorno-Karabakh

· Educators’ role in preserving cultural heritage

Tags:

Human rights; Human rights education; Cultural heritage; Armenian genocide; Microhistories; Rafael Lemkin; Change-centered journalism; Edward Said; Orientalism; Project Censored; Critical media literacy; Armenian SSR; Nagorno-Karabakh; Journalism education; Daniel Ellsberg; Ben Bagdikian; Nelson Mandela; Gandhi

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE. 

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

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The HRE USA Edmonds Summer Fellowship: Deadline extened to Friday April 3rd at 11:59 PST

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CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Deadline to submit applications has been extended to Friday April 3rd at 11:59 PST

Click here to learn about the the Edmonds Summer Fellowship program.

Summer Fellowship Project Summaries can be found HERE

In August of 2020, Human Rights Educators USA (HRE USA) lost one of its sustaining sources of inspiration and committed leadership – Kirby Edmonds. As a founding member of HRE USA, Kirby was instrumental in the establishment of HRE USA, directly shaping our mission statement, organizational structure, and most importantly our values framework and the consensus-based policy for decision-making. He served as Co-Chair of HRE USA for nearly a decade.

In honor of his legacy, HRE USA has created the Edmonds Summer Fellowship program to support hands-on leadership experience in human rights education and further Kirby’s work to engage young people in building human rights-friendly schools and communities. Fellows are supported with ongoing mentoring, guidance, and human rights learning opportunities throughout the summer. 

The Edmonds Summer Fellowship program is supported in partnership with the Dorothy Cotton Institute (DCI) which carries on the legacy of civil rights legend Dorothy F. Cotton. Kirby served DCI as a Senior Fellow and Program Coordinator. DCI’s vision is a just and peaceful beloved community in which all people understand, protect and exercise full human rights. Their mission is to develop and train leaders for a global human rights movement and build a network of civil and human rights leadership. DCI’s Project Director, Laura Branca, said “Our Steering Committee proudly supports the Edmonds Fellowship to nurture young leaders and promote practices that transform individuals, schools and communities, opening new pathways to peace, justice and healing. What a fine way to honor Kirby’s legacy!”

Eligibility & Compensation 

  • Ability to commit 100 hours between June 1-August 28, 2026
  • 18 years old or older
  • $1500 stipend
  • Reside in the United States
  • Commitment to vision and mission of HRE USA

Donations to support the Edmonds Summer Fellowship can be made online or checks can be made out to the Center for Transformative Action with “HRE USA Edmonds Fellowship” in the memo line and mailed to the Center for Transformative Action, P.O. Box 760, Ithaca, NY 14851

Donate to Support the Edmonds Fellows

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

Support the 2026 Kirby Edmonds Fellowship Campaign

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We are proud to launch the Kirby Edmonds Fellowship Campaign, one of our most important fundraisers of the year. Centered around the theme “The Future is Now: Shaping the Next Generation of Human Rights Leaders,” this campaign reflects our belief that investing in young leaders today is essential to building a more just and equitable tomorrow.

The campaign supports the Kirby Edmonds Summer Fellowships, created to honor the remarkable legacy of Kirby Edmonds, a founding member of Human Rights Educators USA and a lifelong advocate for social justice. These fellowships provide emerging human rights education leaders with invaluable mentorship and hands-on experience. 

Your donation will go directly toward funding the training and mentorship of Edmonds Fellows for Summer 2026. Each fellowship costs us $2,000. This year, we are proud to support four Edmonds Fellows, and with your help, we hope to expand these transformative opportunities to even more young leaders next year.

Support the Campaign

Share the campaign: tinyurl.com/edmonds2026

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We are grateful for the generous support of our members, individual donors, and The Puffin Foundation Ltd
The core values of HRE USA and its partner organizations include transparency and critical thinking skills. We believe that human rights--and human rights education--belong to everyone, and that the full realization of human rights means that access to human rights education materials must never be conditioned upon the subscription to any particular religious faith, ideology, political affiliation, or membership in any particular organization and that any organizational connections should be openly acknowledged.