Gary Fine, who is the program director at the Durland Alternatives Library in Ithaca, NY talks about the Prisoner Express Program. Volunteers send books to prisoners, respond to letters, and create packets on particular subjects, including chess, meditation, and fiction writing. Prisoner Express currently sends out a newsletter to approximately four thousand prisoners around the country. Volunteers also solicit artwork, poetry, and journals from prisoners, and some of these are published in anthologies. A virtual art show will go live on May 27. For more information visit prisonerexpress.org.

Human Rights Show

Gary Fine May 21

Zoe van Nostrand, Marketing and Community Engagement Coordinator at the History Center of Tompkins County talks about various projects and exhibits at the center. The exhibit "Breaking Barriers: Women's Lives and Livelihoods" covers a wide range of women and time periods, starting with the impact local indigenous women and social structures had on the suffragist movement in New York. The exhibit can be viewed until March 12, 2022. On April 1, the next exhibit, titled "Recount: Facing our Census" will open. For more information visit: https://thehistorycenter.net/

WRFI Human Rights Show

Zoe van Nostrand March 4

Im Manu El-Bey is a human rights educator and defender, and a founder of the Universal Human Rights Coalition. He is based in Syracuse, New York. In this segment Manu reflects on August 31 being commemorated as the International Day for People of African Descent and how much further we still have to go to address racism in the United States and elsewhere. In a recent report to the United Nations, the ACLU and Human Rights Watch described the progress in the U.S. as elusive and grossly inadequate. To find out more information contact Manu by sending an email to: uhrc9@yahoo.com. The brief video below makes a case that civil rights of African Americans should be treated as human rights. 

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/manu/FMfcgzGqPzFzcNrkcgwMzpPCcdrFqPdL?projector=1

Manu Sept. 9

Human rights defender and educator Im Manu El Bey (Manu) reflects on the necessity to educate people on human rights and the international human rights framework. We also talk about the ongoing impact of racism in the United States. People interested in receiving information from Manu can email him at uhrc9@yahoo.com.

Manu Feb. 24

Lisa Konczal and Jim McDonald, country specialists respectively for Nicaragua and Sri Lanka at Amnesty International USA, talk about the human rights situation in those countries, especially as it related to press freedom. In Nicaragua, the government has used dubious laws, such as the Cyber Security Law to target people who are critical of the regime. Most news outlets have been shut down and hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans have fled the country in the last five years. In Sri Lanka the government continues to use the Prevention of Terrorism Act (which violates international law) in an effort to silence people who are critical of the government.

Around the world, the killing of journalists saw a 50% increase from 2021 to 2022. For more information, visit: https://amnestyusa.medium.com/why-the-freedom-of-press-matters-for-shaping-a-future-of-human-rights-a7e2e0dded0d

Lisa Konczal and Jim McDonald May 26

Human rights educator, defender, and activist Im Manu El Bey (Manu) talks about historically documented moments in the nation and beyond as they relate to slavery and the slave trade. To contact Manu, send an email to: uhrc9@yahoo.com

In New York State, a bill was passed in December 2023 (S.1163/A7691), creating a Reparations and Remedies Commission, to examine the history of slavery in New York, the continued impact of racism, and the possibility of reparations. For more information visit: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S1163/amendment/A

Last but not least, the "Youth Human Rights Declaration" was adopted by the United Nations Association of the United States of America in December 2023. For more information visit: https://unausa.org/youth-declaration-launch/ Also see: https://www.un.org/en/transforming-education-summit/youth-declaration

Im Manu ElBey Jan. 5

Paul O'Brien, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, talks about the human rights situation around the world as authoritarian regimes are becoming more emboldened. We also reflect on the challenges of organizing and being in coalition with activists whose backgrounds and identities differ from ours.  Amnesty International operates on several levels. Research is done through the International Secretariat in London and the regional sections. Deep research as well as press releases are frequently published. Recent lobbying efforts in the U.S. include the "Safeguarding Human Rights in Arms Exports Act." The organization is also grassroots, with student groups and local groups engaged in a wide range of activities, including letter-writing campaigns and events. Lastly, we reflect on 2024 being an important election year and how human rights could inform the discussions.
For more information visit: https://www.amnestyusa.org/ or https://www.amnesty.org/

Paul O'Brien April 5

We talk about a range of issues, including the importance and difficulties of achieving world peace.

For more information check out the following pages.
World Court of Human Rights: https://worldcourtofhumanrights.net/
World Citizen Government: https://worldcitizengov.org/
UN Declaration on the Right to Peace: https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/declaration-right-peoples-peace
On the military draft: https://reason.com/2024/06/15/house-passes-bill-to-automatically-register-young-men-for-the-draft/
A bill on veteran quality of life: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8070


If you would like to receive information from Manu, send him an email: uhrc9@yahoo.com

Im Manu El Bey June 21

Layla talks about the women's collective in Hebron, the West Bank, Palestine. The collective empowers women to have an income from their embroidery and also functions as a support group. We discuss the difficulties of living in Hebron, even more so since the war in Gaza broke out, and tourism in the area has sharply declined.
For more information about the embroidery, visit https://palestinepartners.org/

Hebron Women's Collective_4upload

Gaby Markolovic is a criminal defense attorney, educated at the Cornell Law School and currently working in Texas. We talk about the injustices in the system and the discrimination minorities experience.

Gabriela Markolovic_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

Gary King and Mike Levy talk about the powerful forces that are trying to tear down human rights protections, but they also recount inspiring and necessary models of resistance and innovation.

Gary King and Mike Levy Jan 24

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

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

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

Rick Halperin, director of the Human Rights Institute at Dedman College (Southern Methodist University) in Dallas, Texas, talks about his experiences visiting concentration camps and other Holocaust commemoration sites in Europe, which he has regularly visited since the 1980s. These visits have been profound for his students, who he has taken to Poland since 2006. Even though countries that signed on to the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and its subsequent treaties have an obligation to provide human rights education to their people, this has been abysmal in the United States.
Trips to Poland are open to the community. For more information about the trips, email Rick at rhalperi@mail.smu.edu
For more information about the Human Rights Institute at Dedman College, visit: https://www.smu.edu/dedman/academics/undergraduate-minors-and-programs/interdisciplinary-studies/ehrp

Rick Halperin March 28_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

We talk about Trump's executive orders and efforts to change the narrative of who belongs to this country.

Joe Margulies May 23_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/


Refugee and Migrant Rights_4upload

Magnus Fiskesjö talks about Chinese students studying in the United States who continue to be under surveillance of their own home government, punished if they try to speak against it, and sometimes even forced to spy for it.
This is a huge challenge for American and Western universities when they want to protect academic freedom and human rights on their campus -- including for Chinese students, too.

Magnus Fiskesjo on Chinese students_4upload

Diana Zuckerman, who is a Spanish teacher and interpreter, talks about the upcoming Spanish immersion program being offered at the Omega Institute from July 21-25. She reflects on how language enables us to understand other cultures better, to humanize people, and become more empathetic. Diana is also involved in a Migrant Caravan, that is being organized for early August from Long Island to Buffalo, New York. A long-time activist, she coordinates the local Amnesty International chapter in the Mid-Hudson area.

For more information about the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, visit: https://www.eomega.org/

Diana Zuckerman July 4_4upload

This show is a lecture about the development of human rights. After a brief historical overview, I talk about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the major treaties (including the ICCPR and ICESCR)and regional bodies in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation adopted the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in 1990. Some of the regional systems contain a Declaration, Convention or Charter, and a Court, but not all of them do. Internationally there are multiple enforcement mechanisms, among them the International Criminal Court. It is both the responsibility of governments and peoples to protect human rights. At the grassroots level even writing letters and signing petitions can make a difference.

Ute's introduction to human rights

Debora and Ute talk about the expulsions of ethnic Germans from eastern and southeastern Europe at the end of World War II, in particular from the former East Prussia and Yugoslavia. It was the largest forced migration in world history, involving 13-15 million ethnic Germans. Expulsions violate international human rights treaties and are today considered ethnic cleansing. In post-war Germany, displaced people, including refugees (Flüchtlinge), expellees (Vertriebene) and late return settlers (Spätaussiedler) were not made to feel welcome and keenly felt their loss of home without having a public forum to express it. This sense of not quite belonging was often transferred to their children, who were born and raised in Germany. The so-called "Politics of Memory" in Germany continues to make it difficult to talk about German civilians as victims. Ute talks about this process regarding the expulsion of Danube Swabians from Yugoslavia.

Debora Domass July 31

Diogo Lopes de Oliveira, Professor at the Universidade Federal de Campina Grande in Brazil and Visiting Scholar at Cornell University, talks about his work examining the importance of science communication. At a time when so much misinformation, disinformation, falsehoods and conspiracy theories are prevalent, it is all the more important to teach about science and to be an effective communicator. Diogo, who also has background in journalism, reflects on the current situation in Brazil and President Bolsanaro's attacks against the environment and environmental science. Both the Amazon and Pantanal are under serious threat, and science denial is as problematic in Brazil as it is in the United States.

Diogo Lopes de Oliveira Oct 9

Irene Kim talks about her human rights work. Appalled at the ignorance of her fellow students about racism in the criminal justice system, she founded the non-profit Justice Education Project. She is also a Student Area Coordinator at Amnesty International USA and has interned with the Correctional Association of New York. Irene encourages young people to take the initiative and get involved. For more information visit JusticeEducationProject.org.

WRFIhumanrightsshow

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