Peter Odida talks about his struggles overcoming the trauma of being a child soldier in Uganda, who was shunned by his village after returning from the bush. With tenacity, hard work, and the help of several NGOs, he earned a Master's Degree and is currently the Program and Outreach manager for eight schools in Uganda that are being supported by Words Into Deeds, an Ithaca-based NGO. The schools focus on educating girls and women and helping them become self-sufficient, for example by learning how to sew reusable hygiene kits that can be sold. Peter is currently working on his Ph.D. and hoping to get into a doctoral program in the United States. 
You can reach Peter by sending an email to: peterodida1992@gmail.com

Peter Odida Jan 3_4upload

We write about the annual "Write for Rights" letter-writing campaign, go over the 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and briefly talk about Guantanamo. President Biden recently released 11 Yemeni prisoners who were cleared for release years ago. He also commuted 37 people from death row to life imprisonment, but there are yet a few things the outgoing president can do before he leaves office.

Wayles Browne Jan 10_4upload

Abe Bonowitz, Director and Co-Founder of the NGO "Death Penalty Action," talks about the death penalty in the United States and efforts to abolish it. He reflects on the fact that families, whose loved-ones have been murdered, struggle to find closure and having the responsible person on death row does not make that easier. It also creates tremendous trauma for people who have to carry out these executions. Abe calls on President Biden to finish the job he started when he commuted 37 prisoners from federal death row, but commuting the sentences of those who remain on death row in federal or military prisons.
For more information visit: https://deathpenaltyaction.org/

Abe Bonowitz on the Death Penalty Jan 17

In this powerful episode, we hear from Farah, a Palestinian-American, as she shares her personal experiences navigating life in the U.S. while staying deeply connected to her roots in Palestine. Farah reflects on the emotional and political complexities of being a Palestinian in the diaspora, shedding light on the human side of the ongoing conflict.

Farah Jan 31_4upload

Veronika Velch (Ukraine Section Director of Amnesty International) and Ben Linden (Eurasia Advocacy Director at Amnesty International USA) talk about Ukraine and what the U.S. government could do to prioritize human rights. For more information visit: https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/the-trump-administration-must-protect-and-prioritize-human-rights-in-ukraine/


Veronika Velch and Ben Linden on Ukraine Feb 2025_4upload

We talk about the current challenges following the flurry of executive orders by the Trump administration and how that impacts refugees, refugee agencies, and refugee resettlement.

Julie Ficarra Feb 28_4upload

TJ Riggs, who is the Amnesty International USA Alabama State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator, talks about the recent commutation of Rocky Myers' death sentence. Rocky Myers has spent more than 30 years on death row in Alabama after he was convicted of a crime he did not commit. Rocky Myers was one of the cases featured on the "Write for Rights" campaign last year. His legal team worked with several organization to plead his case. Together more than two million actions were generated. Myers continues to be in prison but is no longer on death row. His legal team is now working to get him pardoned. 
For more information visit: https://www.amnestyusa.org/campaigns/rocky-myers/


TJ Riggs on the Death Penalty in Alabama March 7_4upload

We talk about the Universal Periodic Review, which is a mechanism initiated by the UN Human Rights Council to ascertain the human rights records of countries around the world. In a cycle that lasts 4 1/2 years, all countries get reviewed. During the current (fourth) cycle, the United States is among those countries. Reviews consist of country reports, for example, issued by the State Department, reports by various UN agencies, and reports by other stakeholders, including Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The deadline for making a submission is April 7, 2025. The United States will be reviewed in Session 50 this November, at the UN in Geneva. 
For more information visit: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-home
and: https://upr-info.org/en
You can also email Joshua Cooper: joshuacooperhawaii@gmail.com

Joshua Cooper on the Universal Periodic Review_4upload

John Iton, founder of the organization Change a Narrative, talks about the work of the group, which includes creating green spaces in New York City. Educating the community about nutritious food and home grown herbs and vegetables has brought his community in Queens together, as neighbors get to know each other more. The "Plant Back the Block" initiative has had environmental as well as social benefits. In the beginning of the show we also talk about increased censorship in this country, including the banning of books and efforts to destroy diversity initiatives and undermine inclusive education. To sign up for more information, visit: https://changeanarrative.org/


John Iton on Change A Narrative March 21

David Cingranelli, Professor of Political Science, teaches human rights courses at the Human Rights Institute at Binghamton University. He is also a researcher with the Rights Data Project, which quantitatively measures how human rights are being respected or violated around the world. We talk about a range of rights, including the right not to be tortured and labor rights, which are often violated. In particular the right to form and join labor unions without government interference, and the right to collective bargaining are not respected in many countries around the world.
For more information about the project, visit: http://www.humanrightsdata.com/

David Cingranelli_4upload

Danielle recounts how her neighbors in the City of Cortland, NY, filed numerous unfounded complaints against her household. Hoping to resolve the matter amicably, she raised her concerns with local police and city officials. Despite dozens of complaints submitted between May 2022 and March 2024, none resulted in citations or violations.
 
In June 2024, the situation escalated dramatically. The mayor, police, and city attorney showed up at Danielle’s home unannounced, appearing to threaten and intimidate her. Just three days after Danielle posted a YouTube video exposing the harassment, her partner, Andrew, was arrested and charged with harassment by all three neighbors. He later accepted a plea deal under pressure.
 
Since then, Danielle herself has been charged with a noise ordinance violation—she has a court hearing on April 14, 2025—and also faces harassment and disorderly conduct charges related to an incident where she was grieving inside her own home. That hearing is scheduled for April 30, 2025.

Community members are encouraged to attend these hearings at Cortland City Court. To view the criminal court calendar (under WebCriminal), visit:  iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/ecourtsMain
To receive updates on Danielle’s case, sign up here:  Case Updates Form
To support Danielle’s legal defense and efforts to stay safe, please consider donating:  GoFundMe – Help Danielle

Danielle Wimbish_4upload

Sandra Babcock, Clinical Professor of Law at Cornell University, talks about President Trump's executive orders, many of which are focused on difference and dissent. The former includes attacks against DEI policies and efforts to erase the identity of Trans people in this country. Sending people to be imprisoned in El Salvador without due process is also an assault on human dignity. The administration's effort to crack down on dissent includes prosecuting peaceful protesters and using coercive tools, such as withholding federal funding to universities in order to control what can be taught in classrooms. Sandra also reflects on how many high profile law firms have caved to Trump's demands and agreed to provide pro bono services for cases Trump cares about. Lastly, we talk about the work students are doing at Cornell's International Human Rights Clinic.

Sandra Babcock April 18_4upload

Sue Perlgut, Joan Adler, and Cayanne Lacko-Cave talk about reproductive rights, the organization End Abortion Stigma, and the Reproductive Rights Film Festival. On Monday, April 28, 2025 the film "Connie Cook" will be screened at Ithaca College.

For more information visit: https://filmfreeway.com/ReproductiveRightsFilmFestival
https://www.facebook.com/endingabortionstigma/
https://www.instagram.com/endingabortionstigma/

Call for Short Film Submissions in The Finger Lakes

Ithaca, NY: NY State’s only Reproductive Rights Film Festival is pleased  to announce that the 2025 Reproductive Rights Film Festival will include a selection of short shorts by Finger Lakes region filmmakers. Short short films (up to 10 minutes)  can be submitted in three categories: pre-college, college and general. Deadline for entry is June 30, 2025.  Please see our FilmFreeway site for detailed submission guidelines. For more information contact reprorightsfilmfest@gmail.com 

The  festival, which convenes its third annual season in September 2025 is hosted at Cinemapolis in Ithaca, NY,  and offers a selection of films and virtual programs that highlight the need to advance rights and access to abortion in the United States and beyond. The festival is free and open to the public! 



Reproductive Rights_4upload

Shannon Gleeson gives an update on immigration policies in the United States after Trump's first 100 days in office in 2025. We examine actions from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, including the use of the Alien Enemies Act, increased funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and court rulings regarding the removal of people to El Salvador without due process. We also look at the problem from a federal, state, and local perspective. This includes the dismantling of the Refugee Program and the CBP One app for asylum seekers, and raids being conducted at schools, hospitals, and places of worship. Stripping international students of their visas because they participated in demonstrations is a clear violation of first amendment protections. All of these policies impact not only the targeted communities but everyone. The way they were implemented has created intentional chaos. At the same time members of our community continue to stand up and do what they can to educate, advocate, and resist current policies that violate human rights.

Shannon Gleeson May 1_4upload

On the show, we highlight projects in Uganda where clean cooking using renewable solar energy for industrial and residential-sized stoves is resulting in reducing reliance on scarce, expensive, and unhealthy firewood and charcoal biofuels by up to 95%.
The project advances many of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (sdgs.un.org), including good health and well-being, the right to education, gender equality, affordable energy, economic growth and decent work, sustainable cities and communities, taking urgent action on climate change, and building partnerships for peace and security.

Our guests are collaborating on a new build project at the Upper Nile Institute for Advanced Technology (UNIFAT) Primary School in Uganda. The project is funded by Philadelphia, PA based 501©3 Friends of UNIFAT and the Central New York International Rotary Club.
Ithaca, New York/Central New York Rotary District member Gertrude Noden and Ugandan Peter Odida Climate Change Educator are the Project Managers for this international collaboration.
Susan Kiuyi Rose is a physics and mathematics teacher, the Assistant Governor of Rotary Zone 6 Uganda and serves as the Education Officer for the Rotary Club of Soroti Central.
James Bwire is a Public Health Specialist and Researcher, a member of the Environmental Sustainable Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) Clean Cooking Task Force, and President Elect of the  Rotary Club of Busia District 9213.
Khalib Nyende is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vron Engineering with over a decade in the design, fabrication installation and user training of smoke free solar cooking stoves solutions. https://www.vronengineering.com/ 
The UNIFAT School community and youth educational workshops, tree planting and ribbon cutting is scheduled for May 20, 2025.  For more information contact www.wordsintodeeds.org

Uganda Solar Kitchens for Schools_4upload

Paul Ortiz, labor activist and professor, who teaches labor history at the ILR school at Cornell University, talks about the origins of International Workers' Day (aka Labour Day or May Day). Workers from diverse ethnic and ideological backgrounds came together in the 1880s to strike for the eight-hour workday across the country. Corporations and the government cracked down brutally on the labor movement, even executing some of its leaders. The international community established the International Workers' Day in solidarity with the labor movement in the United States.

Paul Ortiz on May Day_4upload

Ian Lekus, who is the Policy and Communications Officer at the Council for Global Equality, and the LGBTQI+ Thematic Specialist at Amnesty International USA, talks about the current situation regarding the rights of LGBT+ people in the United States and around the world. We refer to the factsheet "Trapped in Danger" on the perils facing LGBTQ+ refugees recently published by several NGOs, and the report "Defunding Freedom: Impacts of U.S. Foreign Aid  Cuts on LGBTIQ People Worldwide" which was published by Outright International in February 2025. Members of the community are increasingly threatened by individuals as well as governments. Restricting the rights and freedoms of minority groups, for example, due process rights, or freedom of expression and assembly, ultimately undermines democracy in general for everyone. Currently, more than 60 countries worldwide criminalize LGBT+ individuals, their relationships, gender identity/expression, their access to health care, and/or to organize publicly.

For more information visit the following:

https://humanrightsfirst.org/library/trapped-in-danger-trump-administration-policies-endanger-persecuted-lgbtqi-people/

The press release:
https://humanrightsfirst.org/library/new-summary-report-details-how-trump-administration-policies-endanger-lgbtqi-people-at-risk-of-persecution/

Rainbow Railroad's community support teams:
https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/community-support-teams

The Outright report:
https://outrightinternational.org/our-work/human-rights-research/defunding-freedom-impacts-us-foreign-aid-cuts-lgbtiq-people

Pride 2025 with Ian Lekus_4upload

We talk about a range of issues, including Richard Dreyfus, who was posthumously promoted in the French army, after being wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. Upcoming local events are the "No Kings" rally in Ithaca (and around the country), and the local Juneteenth celebration.

Update with Wayles Browne June 13_4upload

Amy Fischer, who directs the Refugee and Migrant Rights campaign at Amnesty International USA talks about current state of affairs, Amnesty's "Human Rights Blueprint for the Border" and the research briefing "Lives in Limbo," based on a research trip to the border in February 2025 In the second half of the show Jim McDonald talks about the briefing "Dehumanized by Design" which is based on an immigrant detention center in El Paso, Texas. Meera Viruru talk about organizing efforts in Chicago for World Refugee Day, which is June 20th.

For more information visit:
https://www.amnestyusa.org/campaigns/human-rights-blueprint-for-the-border/
https://www.amnestyusa.org/reports/lives-in-limbo-devastating-impacts-of-trumps-migration-and-asylum-policies/
https://www.amnestyusa.org/reports/dehumanized-by-design-human-rights-violations-in-el-paso/


New tracks tagged #ute ritz-deutch