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Human Rights Education


 

Article 26
Fall 2008

Voice from the field

Human Rights Education Through Photography

jumping for joy

"What do you think of the lighting in this photograph?"
"What do you think the photographer was trying to get you to see in this photo?"
"What are human rights?"
"How does this photo illustrate human rights?"
"Tell me more about how you took this photo and why you decided to take it in this way."

Twenty middle school students answered these questions and more as they worked cooperatively to learn about human rights, film, and photography during a month long summer program at The Center For Pan Asian Community Services (CPACS) in Atlanta. Caitlin St. Louis, CPACS Marketing Coordinator, VISTA volunteer, and long-time Amnesty International member, crafted the curriculum for the program by combining lessons from Amnesty's Born Into Brothels and Our World, Our Rights curriculum and Duke University's Literacy Through Photography curriculum.

Three days per week, six hours per day, the students, many of whom are recent immigrants and refugees, learned photography skills and discussed human rights as they prepared to take their own photographs of human rights issues in their communities. After a brief introduction to human rights issues from Our World, our Rights, teachers showed the film Born Into Brothels, stopping the movie often to discuss the scenes with the students. Using the lesson The Transformative Power of Art from the curriculum guide as a starting point, teachers and students discussed how Zana and the children used film to communicate with others about issues they faced in their daily lives.

After watching the film, students went on a photographic scavenger hunt with digital cameras, searching for symbols of the United States and of various human rights. Students used the photos to share insights about their communities and articulate what they learned about human rights and about themselves. In groups, students practiced photographic conventions such as lighting, distance, and exposure before setting out to take photos on their own. Positive group critique and serious discussion of student photography provided immediate gratification to students and organically demonstrated the importance of each person's worldview and opinion. In addition to photography, teachers discussed the concept of personal responsibility for protecting and providing human rights in the community. During a visit to Georgia Hunger Coalition's Organic Farm, students learned about food security and helped the Hunger Coalition staff ensure human rights in their community by caring for the vegetables.

The goal of the summer program, according CPACS Associate Director Marianne Chung, is to empower students to try new things and to send them to high school with the knowledge that their worldview and experiences are valid and important. Also, the program is designed to help students become community leaders who can teach others about human rights and photography. Yotin Srivanjarean, Director of the Youth department at CPACS, who has taken photos for newspapers in the past, was amazed at the quality of the student's work, some of which he said looks professional even after such a short time period. Students will have the opportunity to display their work at the Human Rights Photography Exhibit during the upcoming CPACS TEA Walk on October 11th.

Enthusiasm for the program from the teachers, students, parents, and community has encouraged the CPACS staff to continue the lessons in this year's After School Program. CPACS' successful human rights and photography class provides students with a forum to discuss issues in their community and empowers students to take action and become leaders within the community.

Upcoming Event:
What: TEA (Together Empowering Asians) Walk & Human Rights Photography Exhibit
When: October 11th 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Where: The Center for Pan Asian Community Services
      3760 Park Ave. Doraville, GA 30340

Resources

War Dance - Available Now!

  • The HRE program is proud to announce our newest resource, a film companion curriculum guide to the outstanding documentary, War Dance. This film tells the story of children living in an IDP camp in war torn northern Uganda and follows their journey to compete in a national music competition in the country's capital, Kampala. War Dance helps to illustrate some of the human rights violations occurring in northern Uganda due to the war, but also shows the incredible resilience and hope of children. It is an inspiring story and a highly valuable education tool.
    It is currently available in PDF format on our webpage and will soon also be available in hard copy. To have a hard copy mailed to you free of charge, simply email your address to education@aiusa.org with "War Dance" in the subject line. Purchase a copy of the film »

Integrating Human Rights Education into the School Environment - Available now!

  • Interested in teaching about human rights but not sure if it developmentally appropriate? Or how to go about it? This pamphlet is intended for school-based educators and administrators and is available free of charge. Email us at education@aiusa.org for your copy.

Stolen Voices - Coming Soon!

  • A companion curriculum guide for the book Stolen Voices: Young People's War Diaries from WWI to Iraq. The guide is geared towards grades 7-9 and will be available online in the coming month!

We Are All Born Free - Coming Soon!

  • A new book geared towards younger learners to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The thirty articles of the UDHR have been simplified for young readers and each spread has been illustrated by an internationally renowned artist or illustrator. Books will be available October 1st. Click here to reserve your copy now »

Events

  • Amnesty International USA Regional Conferences are coming up this Fall! HRE materials will be available free of charge and attending the interesting and informative workshops is a great way to keep current with a wide variety of human rights issues.
    • West: Pasadena, CA - November 7 - 9
    • Midwest: St. Louis, MO - October 24 - 26
    • South: Memphis, TN - October 31 - November 2
    • Northeast: Boston, MA - November 14-16
    • Mid-Atlantic: Harper's Ferry, WV - November 14-16

Take Action!

  • Do you have an Amnesty International Student Group at your school? There's no better way to start the year than by mobilizing a group of students to fight for human rights! Visit our website to view our Activist Toolkit and learn how to set up a student group.

A special thank you to our wonderful team of Summer interns - Alexis Perlmutter, Elizabeth Kennedy, Kelli Sanchez and David Levy. Their dedication and hard work are an integral part of the HRE program's work.Also, a big thanks to Karen Robinson, the former HRE Program Director, for always being a source of inspiration and strength, for leaving behind a legacy of hope and empowerment, and for her passionate belief that education can make our world a better place.

Wishing everyone a terrific school year,
Melissa Robinson, HRE Program Associate


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