Ways to Get Involved in Human Rights on Campus

Hello "Foreign Invasions" Listers and Fellow Classmates,

This is Alyssa Piccirilli "tuning in" to let you know about some ways you can get involved in human rights work here on campus. It is important to take advantage of things going on here at AU, especially due to our reputation as a politically active campus. My involvement in human rights on campus has largely been with the Alternative Break program. I would like to give you a little more information about this program, as I think it is certainly one of the most effective and direct ways to get involved at American University.
I. LOCATIONS
The program runs trips three times a year, during Winter, Spring and Summer Break. The trips go to locations all around the world. This winter, we have three trips running to Guatemala, Thai/Burma Border and Senegal. There are seven spring break trips traveling to Colombia, Kenya, Northern Ireland and Bangladesh.There are also three domestic trips headed to a Native American reservation, and two traveling to New Orleans. Unforutantely all of these trips are full, but I strongly encourage you all to APPLY for a SUMMER BREAK trip. I am unsure of all the locations but there are certainly open spots for the trips headed to Nepal, India and Israel/Palestine!

II.ACTIVISM
The Alternative Break program places heavy emphasis on the fact that the trip is "just the beginning." All trips are required to participate in direct community service on site, as well as to come back to DC and initiate activism within the local community, on campus and in the city. Activism opportunities include bringing speakers to campus, getting internships at organizations in DC, lobbying Congressional and State Department officials and having other fundraising events for the communities.

III. APPLYING
Here is the website for the Alternative Break website, which will provide you with instructions on how to apply: www.american.edu/altbreak

Another avenue for involvement is getting linked up with the Community Action Social Justice Coalition. Located in the basement of the Kay Spiritual Life Center, this coalition is a student-run office focused on getting students involved in activism opportunities, on campus and in the city. I strongly encourage you all to get on their listserv or stop by the office to inquire about ways to get involved. CASJ is in charge of coordinating all social justice groups on campus in order to make sure everyone is informed of events and to promote collaboration amongst on-campus organizations and clubs.

Getting involved with the AU Human Rights Council is also a great opportunity. I also encourage you to check out their website: www1.american.edu/humanrights/index.html The website has a wide variety of information, including how to apply for human rights related grants, general information on human rights, a list of human rights internship opportunities, as well as a list of human rights groups here on campus.

The Alternative Break program, CASJ and the AU Human Rights Council are three great opportunities to "dive in" to human rights here at AU. These programs, however, are not the only ways to get involved but will certainly give you a spring board opportunity to launch yourself into other mediums of activism. Please check them out and tell your friends!

Best,
Alyssa