Carrboro Human Rights Day

Hello Class,

So my project is to take on the beginning steps/detective work in planning Carrboro human rights day which will take place on December 5th. I mainly have been involved in contacting campus organizations who I think would want to help and in researching what other cities and towns have done to celebrate human rights. So far, I have emailed the contact person of the following organizations: advocates for human rights, linking immigrants to new communities, student action with workers, and the campus amnesty international group. I have not heard back from anyone. However, it is has only been a couple of weeks and many of these people are probably not currently in Chapel Hill and will have to wait to talk to their organizations before making a decision on whether to help out or not. I may continue to be involved in this project after the class is over, though, and plan on forwarding any emails I receive back to Professor Blau regardless. I also gave her contact information to the people I emailed.

As far as ideas for human rights day I have come up with the following:

• educate people, especially children, on their human rights and the importance of upholding their rights and respecting others' rights in the community
• cultural events to celebrate human rights through dance, music, drama, or art
• have UNC professors who teach or have written on human rights give lectures
• give awards to local human rights leaders, such as businesses who have been good at respecting the rights of their workers
• have poetry performance art or just plain poetry reading that emphasizes human rights
• have panehls on issues such as: equality, immigration, domestic violence, human trafficking, labor rights, racial and gender discrimination
• show a film. The following have been recommended by other human rights centers: Unnatural Causes- is inequality making us sick?, Ballot Measure 9, Race: The Power of an illusion, The Visitor, Milk, Rabbit Proof Fence, and Justice For All

If anyone has any other ideas on campus organzations who may want to help out with Carrboro Human Rights Days or any ideas on events that could take place on human rights day, let me know!

-Taylor