Students take part in national conference
PHILADELPHIA >> Dozens of Amnesty International members recently gathered at the University of Sciences for the annual Amnesty International Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference.
Members of the Owen J. Roberts High School Amnesty International Chapter also participated in the gathering.
This conference gave students and others who may not do much with Amnesty an opportunity to become more involved in their causes and to learn more.
From writing letters to Assistant Director Debbie Seguin about the proposal to allow children to be held in detention centers indefinitely, to signing up to get information to pass an “I Welcome” resolution in their community or school, which is a non-binding statement saying that their community or school welcomes refugees.
The conference opened with a performance by City Love and a discussion about immigrating families and how policies are affecting them. Afterward, there were workshops that attendees could take part in, such as “Getting Creative About Change: A Workshop in Posters, Branding, and More” run by Amanda Alampi, social media strategist for Amnesty International USA.
“We can use creative means to tell stories all the time,” Alampi said during the workshop. “Amnesty International is globally known as a brand that uses art to promote activism.”
Alampi explained to attendees about Amnesty’s brand and their artwork, and then tasked them with creating posters based on a fictitious scenario that relates to current events.
During the Youth Caucus later in the day, youth and student groups came together and discussed with each other challenges and successes they have had within their individual groups. Toward the end of the Caucus, Margaret Huang, the executive director of Amnesty International USA, stopped in and spoke to the students.
After the Caucuses, Prachi Rao presented the 2018 “Keeper of the Flame” Award and Princess Blanding, sister to Marcus-David Peters and co-leader of Justice and Reformation, spoke to the attendees about her work. She explained the “Marcus Alert” that Justice and Reformation proposed, which would cause mental health professionals to be on-scene in the case of a confirmed or suspected mentally ill person.
After listening to Blanding, attendees were able to go to a second workshop, such as “Don’t Build A Wall — Build A Longer Table: Welcoming Refugees in Your Community.” Here, Meagan Hume and Kit O’Connor explained Amnesty International’s “I Welcome” campaign and Amnesty International USA’s “Longer Table” campaign and what people could do to become a part of it.
The Longer Table initiative consists of three big ideas: events in support of refugees, non-binding resolutions, and community sponsorship. Their goal is to have over 100 events in support of refugees by the end of 2019.
The non-binding resolutions are the “I Welcome” resolutions that are to be passed in communities and schools nationwide, and community sponsorships support refugees through volunteering, fundraising, and advocating.
Afterwards, there was Resolutions, which is where groups and dues-paying members vote on resolutions that will be sent to the Annual General Meeting and debate about them and some create amendments, or changes to the resolutions.
The conference concluded with a candlelight vigil and a reading of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Amnesty International is a nonpartisan human rights organization that advocates for human rights across the globe per their list of human rights which is available on their website. The organization takes part in peaceful protests, letter-writing campaigns, and other forms of peaceful protests.