Amnesty International USA hosted its 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) at The Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit, MI, from February 21st to 23rd. The annual gathering brought together activists from each of our five US regions across 83 local groups, 10 task forces, 417 student groups, and 717 member leaders.
The AGM provided attendees the opportunity to connect, recharge, and reflect on our human rights work while standing together to tackle the critical challenges ahead.
“Better to Light the Candle Than Curse the Darkness.”
Executive Director Paul O’Brien and AIUSA Board Chair Ann Burroughs kicked off the weekend of human rights education, advocacy, and networking by lighting a white candle to signal the beginning of the first plenary.
After highlighting Amnesty’s long history of defending human rights and the previous year’s successes, O’Brien welcomed all those in attendance by addressing the current political climate and the importance of the AGM and the weekend ahead. With words of encouragement and inspiration, O’Brien energized the room by emphasizing the importance of community, solidarity, and resistance
“I’m looking forward to sharing this energy with you. We’re going to need it for the months and years ahead. I firmly believe if we stay together as a community, that the world’s oldest human rights organization is going to be a uniquely relied on force in this moment, along with the many partners and deeply impacted communities that count on us.”
Executive Director Paul O’Brien
With critical human rights issues on the line, this year’s AGM provided a variety of sessions to equip and educate activists to mobilize on movement priorities and respond to the current threats to human rights. The event program included two plenaries, 20 workshop sessions, five fireside chats, three caucuses, and informal side gatherings throughout the weekend.
Plenaries
Welcoming Remarks & Plenary I: Human Rights Under Trump 2.0
President Trump’s first days/weeks in the White House were full of attacks on immigrants, transgender and nonbinary people, as well as climate, global health, abortion healthcare, foreign aid, and domestic safety net programs. This plenary focused on resisting these attacks, emphasizing the importance of working together as a grassroots movement and mobilizing communities globally.
Parker discussed the importance of pushing back and getting loud in the fight to protect your rights. “An unjust law is no law at all,” she emphasized.
Klasing emphasized the importance of educating oneself on what the human rights system is, highlighting Amnesty’s human rights education modules as a free source of information.
The speakers gave attendees a renewed sense of hope by providing actions and tangible solutions for what’s ahead.
Plenary II: How We Win – Dismantling the Mass Deportation Machine and Changing the Border Narrative to Fight for Real Solutions
The second plenary of the weekend focused on AIUSA’s top priority campaign: the Trump Administration’s dangerous agenda on mass deportations and cruel border policies that are putting millions at risk. Speakers for this plenary led an in-depth discussion on the current challenges and the importance of winning back the narrative through Amnesty’s Human Rights Blueprint for the Border.
Speakers for this plenary were Isra Chaker, CEO, Every Pregnancy; Amy Fischer, AIUSA Program Director for Refugee and Migrant Rights; Guerline Jozef, Executive Director, Haitian Bridge Alliance; Jaclyn McJunkin, Director of Engagement and Project Coordinator, FluxWorks LLC.
Plenary III: Advancing Human Rights Together – AIUSA Strategic Planning for 2027-2030
As a grassroots membership-led organization, AIUSA members have a voice in shaping the strategic direction of a Nobel-prize-winning, internationally recognized organization. At this plenary, members had a chance to hear from the consultants who will help them build the next plan to usher our movement into the future.
Learn more about the strategic framework planning and get involved!
Sessions
This year’s AGM hosted 20 sessions and eight “fireside chats” covering a wide range of human rights topics, from advancing gender, sexuality, and identity rights to the impact of war and weapons on human rights to activism to counter authoritarian practices. Sessions were:
- “One Amnesty”: Understanding Your Role in the Global Movement as an Activist
- Police Brutality in Brazil and the USA: The Impact on the African Diaspora
- Building Bridges: How to Support Your Local Muslim Communities Advocating for Palestinian Human Rights
- Breaking Barriers: Advancing Gender, Sexuality, and Identity Rights
- Navigating Justice in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Resolutions Writing Workshop
- Understanding Genocide: An In-depth Look at Amnesty International’s Latest Report
- Authoritarianism and Human Rights: What’s coming and what can we do?
- Local Group Caucus
- Youth and Student Caucus
- Task Force Caucus
- Supporting Garment Workers’ Rights in South Asia
- Finding Your Activist Niche: Getting and Staying Involved Throughout Your Activist Journey
- War, Weapons, and Human Rights: Confronting the Challenges Ahead
- The Long Arc of the Universe: Movement Lessons Learned
- Human Rights and Climate Justice: A Guide to Coalition-Based Movement Building
- The School to Prison Pipeline – What is it and what can we do?
- Mobilizing Humanity to Understand the International Criminal Court (ICC)
- Unpacking Racial Justice
- From Ideas to Action: Collaborative Workshops for AIUSA’s Strategic Framework
Session Highlights
“Building Bridges: How to Support Your Local Muslim Communities Advocating for Palestinian Human Rights” discussed how activists can develop relationships with local Muslim communities to build cultural competency. The session was led by Shaheera Abbasi, Jennifer Estrada (pictured above), Mohamed Abdelsatar, AIUSA Egypt Country Specialist, and Ken Mayers, AIUSA’s North Africa Coordination Group Chair.
In “Breaking Barriers: Advancing Gender, Sexuality, and Identity Rights,” Tala Harb, AIUSA’s Senior Campaigner, provided attendees with the tools and knowledge needed to advocate for bodily autonomy and counter restrictive policies at the local level through effective activism tactics.
Callie Moore, Vice Chair of the AIUSA Board of Directors, led the session “One Amnesty: Understanding Your Role in the Global Movement.” This session demystified Amnesty’s governance framework – how the Amnesty movement is led by its grassroots members – ensuring attendees understand the democratic principles that drive our collective actions.
Fireside Chats
- Powering our Movement Through our Decision Making
- Ending Gun Violence
- How can we increase engagement in AIUSA’s Board Elections?
- Justice for Rocky Myers
- Banned Books Reading
- The UPR Review: Uniting People for Rights
- Every Voice Matters: Discover Your Enneagram Type to Strengthen Your Activism
- Gender and Reproductive Freedom: The Work Ahead
Fireside Chat Highlights
Ernest Coverson, AIUSA Program Director for Ending Gun Violence, led an engaging conversation around the crisis of gun violence in the U.S. and the much-needed solutions around legislation.
AGM attendees had a chance to analyze their personality traits and how they relate to activism in the fireside chat, “Every Voice Matters: Discover Your Enneagram Type to Strengthen Your Activism.”
Cynthia Gabriel Walsh, AIUSA Senior Director for Individuals at Risk & Human Rights Education, led a banned books reading, highlighting individuals whose human rights are under attack because of their work as authors, journalists, bloggers, filmmakers, poets, novelists, photojournalists, publishers, academics, musicians, and librarians.
Youth Activism Building the Movement
Over a quarter of attendees were youth and student activists, all fired up to make an impact on the issues affecting their generation and the world around them.
Throughout the weekend, they were asked the question, “How does it feel to be at the AGM?”
“It honestly just feels really empowering to be surrounded by a bunch of people who are so passionate about human rights…I feel like I’ve gained such a strong community of activists that I can always reach out to, to network with, and to really strengthen my own activism on my school campus,” Emma Mazzotta, AIUSA Student Activist Coordinator
“Being at the AGM is empowering because it feels like I actually have an outlet to express what I feel about the world and make a difference. I feel like I’ve gained so many skills when it comes to making connections and networking with people,” Shreya Halbe AIUSA Social Media Manager for Youth Leadership & Activism (pictured on the right)
“It’s really nice being included in such a big moment for Amnesty and also in the political and national scene right now…to look up to all these leaders and know that you can make a difference, too,” Gauri Bhatia, AIUSA Youth Leadership & Activism Slack Community Manager (pictured, left)
Youth Caucus
The Youth Caucus, led by Katie Davos, AIUSA Youth & Student Program Specialist, and Sara Goldschmidt, AIUSA Youth & Student Program Director, brought together AIUSA’s community of young activists to spend time envisioning a future they want to see, especially in the current context of human rights in the U.S.
Dozens of young activists joined the session, ready to share ideas and plan around the upcoming National Week of Student Action, which took place on March 3-7, 2025.
Youth activists participate in an activity focused on ways to build youth power at AIUSA.
Sumedha Mohanty, AIUSA Student Activist Coordinator, and Riya Gupta, AIUSA Youth Collective, share updates from their chapter.
Action Alley
AGM attendees had the opportunity to gather at Action Alley, a space for member activists to share more information on key human rights issues. Booths with educational materials, flyers, and call-to-action forms served as an activist hub for members to engage with one another and learn more about the different ways to impact their community.
Action Lab
Task force members from New York, California, and Texas joined other members from different states for an Action Lab led by Arielle Newton, AIUSA Senior Organizer. Members learned, strategized, and planned around AIUSA’s 100 Days Campaign, “Dismantle the Mass Deportation Machine and Invest in Welcoming Communities.” They walked away with powerful solutions and action items on how to stop Trump’s mass deportation machine.
Want to learn more and stay involved in this campaign? Join fellow activists on the Member Center.
Arielle Newton, AIUSA Senior Organizer, with a group of passionate members, discussing the goals of the Campaign.
With many members meeting for the first time, the Action Lab served as a space to mobilize the movement and build a community of human rights activists.
Activists from around the country gathered to share their ideas and brainstorm different campaign tactics.
Standing Together in Solidarity
As part of the 100 Days Campaign, AGM attendees were able to show their solidarity with asylum seekers and migrants by placing a symbolic monarch butterfly on a large installation that read the powerful call to “Dismantle the Deportation Machine.”
Members signed their names and left short letters of hope on paper monarch butterflies, which represent the resilience of immigrants and the human right of all living beings to move freely.
Attendees peppered the bright yellow canvas with paper butterflies, serving as a visual representation of collective advocacy and a rallying point for continued action.
The action also featured special guest speaker, U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who echoed the call and encouraged attendees to stand together during the many challenges ahead.
People Power Awards
The highlight for many AGM attendees was the People Power Awards presentation, which honored fellow activists and student groups who have played a pivotal role in leading AIUSA’s grassroots movement and fight for human rights.
Death Penalty Abolition Award
The Death Penalty Abolition Award was presented to TJ Riggs, AIUSA Alabama Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator. TJ joined AIUSA as a college sophomore at Samford University. Since then, he has emerged as a passionate and tireless leader. He leads AIUSA’s efforts to end the death penalty in Alabama and leads the Rocky Myers Working Group, which saw a victory this year in the commutation of Rocky Myers.
Rising Star in Activism Award
The Rising Star in Activism Award was given to Amya Williams, an AIUSA Task Force Member and current high school student focused on bringing activism into community-centered spaces. Amya has played a key role in organizing AIUSA’s HBCU homecoming events in partnership with Morehouse and Spelman College and has lobbied alongside AIUSA in Washington, DC.
Trailblazer in Organizing & Activism
The Trailblazer in Organizing & Activism Award honored Jonathan Lam, a current student at Cornell University, member of the Board-Youth Mentorship program, and member of AIUSA’s 100 Days Campaign working group. Jonathan also served as the 2024 Global Assembly AIUSA Member-At-Large delegate and has since been a force in the human rights space.
Asylum Casework Award
The Asylum and Refugee Casework Award was given to Lisa Konczal, who has served as the AIUSA Nicaragua Country Specialist for 12 years, working on over 60 asylum cases and impacting the lives of so many more.
Leading Change! Student Group of the Year Award
The Leading Change! Student Group of the Year Award was given to Glendale Community College (GCC), led by activist Bridgette Belle and long-time Faculty Advisor Ed McKennon. GCC student members have worked on a wide range of human rights issues this year, but most notable was their work on AIUSA’s campaign to protect abortion access in Arizona. GCC led numerous grassroots initiatives to support essential pieces of constitutional protections on abortion access.
“Working on the Reproductive Rights campaign was one of our most impactful experiences. Gathering over 800 signatures filled us with gratitude and hope as we fought for human rights in our state — and won. After the 2024 AGM, we maintained momentum by holding more events, recruiting members, and fostering community support,” Brigette Belle, Member of the Glendale Community College group
The Hironaka Award
The Hironaka Award recognizes the work, creativity, persistence, and impact of AIUSA local groups. This year, Local Group 1003 of Mid-Hudson, New Paltz, NY, was honored with the award. Their regional and global engagement exemplifies the impact that local groups have in the fight for human rights.
Read more about 2025 Amnesty International USA People Power Award Winners
Voting
The AGM concluded with the annual voting plenary, where resolutions were presented for members to vote on. Anyone who’s been a member for at least 50 days is eligible and encouraged to vote.
This year, members were able to vote on four resolutions:
- Boycott and Divestment Strategies in Amnesty International Campaigns – suggests that Amnesty should broaden economic pressure strategies beyond state actions to include consumer boycotts and/or disinvestment strategies. 99% voted yes on this resolution.
- Designating a Youth Seat on the AIUSA Board of Directors – suggests an avenue of increased youth presence and representation in decision-making spaces and reducing barriers to youth participation in governance. 89% voted yes on this resolution.
- Eliminating Regional Requirements for AIUSA Nominating Committee Members – proposes the shift towards evaluating candidates based on their ability to contribute effectively to the committee’s workload and their overall suitability for the role instead of the region in which they reside. 86% voted yes on this resolution.
- Extend and Overlap Terms of Office for AIUSA Nominating Committee Members – recommends extending committee terms to three years and a two-year staggered term for each Co-Chair. 99% voted yes on this resolution.
As a grassroots organization, our members are integral to shaping Amnesty International’s goals and policies, voting on resolutions, voting for candidates for the Board of Directors, and participating in a variety of governance roles.
We encourage you to get involved in the critical governance process. Email [email protected] for more information.
Reflection
After a weekend of education, activism, and movement building, O’Brien wrapped up the AGM with closing remarks describing the fight ahead and the importance that Amnesty will play in defending human rights.
“These are dark hours. But it’s in times of darkness that we reach out a hand in solidarity with each other and hold on. We need to hold on first and then lift our candle and light the way for others. That’s what Amnesty does. That’s who we are.”
Executive Director Paul O’Brien