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PIP BULLETIN

FIRST EVER U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS FUND HERO NAMED AT CONFERENCE CONNECTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND RACIAL JUSTICE
Public Interest Projects believes that fighting racial injustice is at the core of all of the social justice work that we do and care about. The policies, laws and institutions that perpetuate racial inequity in our society still exist and must be addressed directly if we truly want change to happen. Racial justice cuts across all our programs at PIP. This week it takes center stage at PIPs U.S. Human Rights Fund (USHRF) conference in Philadelphia, PA. The USHRF, in collaboration with The Overbrook Foundation, Ford Foundations Criminal Justice Fund, and PIPs Just and Fair Schools Fund, is gathering social justice advocates, funders, artists and journalists Nov. 7-9 to examine the intersections of human rights and racial justice. More than 150 social justice advocates working on a diverse range of issues including immigration, housing, education, criminal justice and poverty alleviation are attending. See the program and expected attendees:
http://ushumanrightsfund.org/sites/ushrf/files/imce/USHRF_Convening_Booklet_Final.pdf

The convergence of human rights and racial justice is timely and urgent. In remarks at the gathering, Steve Foster, president and CEO of The Overbrook Foundation and chairman of USHRFs Steering Committee, said, We salute affected community members who are rising up and demonstrating the power of human rights. Listen to the voices of those participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement and you will hear how

the debate on economic rights is being reframed. Pay attention to those advocating for an end to racial profiling in immigrant communities and you will appreciate why complaints of border patrol harassment were dramatically reduced via a participatory human rights documentation campaign. The conference captures the growing number of domestic advocates employing the values, standards and strategies of human rights, and the rising power of human rights in the U.S. Just six years ago, there was no national network of domestic human rights organizations; no organized funding mechanism for domestic human rights work; no significant use of international human rights mechanisms by U.S. advocates; and little sustained pressure on the government to comply with human rights treaties. Today, the future is far brighter. Though much more remains to be done to ensure government accountability for the dignity and equality of all people, human rights are increasingly being brought home. A fearless example of someone helping bring human rights home is Jessica Lenahan. She is the recipient of the first-ever U.S. Human Rights Fund Hero Award. A woman of Latino and Native American descent, Jessica was separated from her abusive husband, who then abducted her three daughters in violation of a restraining order. She repeatedly sought the help of the police in her small Colorado town, but was ignored and even belittled. Tragically, her girls were murdered. An appeal for justice and accountability to the Supreme Court was denied. Jessica was caught in interlocking forms of prejudice, leading the police to dismiss her and the legal system to close its doors to her. But Jessica fought back. She fought for 12 years to make the police department of Castle Rock, CO accountable for their failure to uphold the right to protection for herself and her daughters. Jessica did this on behalf of women around the world, in hopes that no one would ever suffer this unfathomable loss. Earlier this summer she was vindicated. The Inter-American Commission for Human Rights delivered a landmark decision in Jessicas case. The Commission found that the U.S. government must be held responsible for the human rights violations suffered by Jessica and her children. This is a milestone in the movement to secure human rights. Jessicas fight, closely bound up with the issues of racial justice and human rights, resonates deeply with the values, standards, and strategies that we hold dear. PIP is proud to have organized this conference, where we know advocates and funders will be moved by the work of Jessica and others working to secure human rights. Our goal is that the convening:

Improves the ability of advocates and funders to use human rights to fight racial injustice through sharing strategies and experiences. Strengthens human rights organizing, advocacy and litigation outcomes in the U.S. by enhancing funder and advocate alliances. Builds the capacity of groups, especially those led by affected communities, to promote racial justice and human rights. Helps advocates and funders more effectively use arts, culture and new media for racial justice advocacy and communications through exposure to innovative arts, culture and new media initiatives. The conference will focus on how human rights values, standards, and strategies can help mitigate race-based discrimination and mistreatment and how advocates can work more effectively across diverse race-related issues using a human rights frame. The UNs Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) and how it can be used to maximum advocacy advantage will be an important focus. We are confident that new and strengthened alliances between donors, between advocates, and between donors and advocates will be forged. We look forward to sharing more outcomes of this event and updating you about PIPs other work in this area. We are grateful for the chance to collaborate with you in securing racial justice and human rights. Thank you. Michele Lord Berta Colon

President
www.publicinterestprojects.org

President

For more information on the USHRF conference and work, contact Angela Kahres, program associate, akahres@publicinterestprojects.org.

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