20th Anniversary | January 2020

Celebrate with us--we've turned 20!

Click on the report above to read the UICHR@20 Retrospective Donate here to sustain our work!

Click on the UICHR@20 Retrospective to explore the past 20 years. Check out the rest of the newsletter to learn about how we're commemorating, and what we have in store for the spring semester. Want to strengthen our vitality for the next 20 years? Click on the donate box to provide a one-time donation, or to establish a monthly recurring gift. Recurring monthly donations of $5, $10, or $15 make a significant impact on the work we do! Easy to follow instructions for setting up a recurring donation can be found  here .

Congratulations to Greg Hamot on his retirement!

At the end of December, Greg Hamot retired from his position as an Associate Director of UICHR. Having been recruited by Burns Weston nearly the moment Greg landed on campus twenty years ago, he has shaped the Center's work and vision in significant and meaningful ways. Greg helped to lead it through some of its most perilous times. Thanks to Greg (and the coalition he helped create), the Center continues its mission to educate about human rights at the local, national, and global level.

December retirement dinner for Greg with UICHR staff, founders, and UI President Bruce Harreld.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Brian Farrell. Brian recently assumed the Center responsibilities previously managed by Professor Greg Hamot. This week, Dr. Farrell is teaching a course on "Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights" at the National University of Ireland, Galway. He will also be giving a talk at the Irish Centre for Human Rights on "Accessing and Improving Rural Access to Justice."

Approaching Student Application Deadlines January 31: Rex Honey internship applications due March 13: Weston Essay Prize submission deadline March 23: Weston Internship Funding applications due Cmiel Internship Funding applications due 

Upcoming Events: Mark your calendars

January 15, 2020 : Kosovo History and National Security; N116 Lindquist Center; 3:00 p.m. (co-sponsor with UI College of Education, Public Policy Center, International Programs, and the Consulate of the Republic of Kosovo)   January 22, 2020: Dr. Brandon Kohrt: Enhancing Mental Health and Psychosocial support for Refugee Families in Iowa training for select participants ; 2189 UI Medical Education Research Facility; 9:00 a.m. (co-sponsor with UI College of Public Health and Departments of Public Health for Linn County and Johnson County) January 22, 2020: Cannon D. Lambert Sr.: We All Owe: Because none of us does it alone ; 225 BLB; 12:40 pm (co-sponsor UI College of Law and the UI Law, UI Law Diversity Committee; and BLSA) January 23, 2020:  Anita Hill: From Social Movement to Social Impact; Iowa Memorial Union, Main Lounge; 7:00 p.m. (co-sponsor with UI Lecture Committee, Multicultural & International Programs, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies, College of Law, and Obermann Center). Professor Hill will receive the UICHR's Courage of Conviction award. February 5, 2020: An Evening with Susan Rice; Englert Theatre, Iowa City; 7:30 p.m. (co-sponsor with UI Lecture Committee, African American Studies, Department of Political Science, and more) February 5, 2020: Adrien Wing, "Black Herstory" address at Liberty High School; 3:30 pm   February 12, 2020: Human Rights Night; networking event for faculty and students interested in human rights academics; Cortado Café, Iowa City; 6-7 p.m. February 19, 2020: Dean Emerita and professor Cyndi Nance, An Injury to One is an Injury to All; BLB; 12:40 pm February 26, 2020: Kristy Dahl Rogers, Esq., An Irresistible Attraction: Rethinking Jealousy as a Basis for Sex Discrimination Claims; 285 BLB; 11:00 am   March 26, 2020: Alexandra Oprea, Esq., Human Rights of the Roma ; BLB; 2:00 pm April 4, 2020: Iowa Human Rights Research Conference; Drake University, Des Moines (co-sponsor with Iowa Network of Human Rights Academics)   April 8, 2020: 20 th Anniversary Celebration & Reception at UI President Bruce Harreld’s House April 20, 2020: Kristy-Marie Shipley, Esq., The Racialization of the Law Student and the Legal Workplace Candidate ; 285 BLB; 11:00 am Please check the UICHR website for more details an all upcoming events: https://uichr.uiowa.edu/ .

Have you read a good book lately? We need your help to choose the 2020 One Community, One Book! Selection criteria: Fosters exploration and discussion of pressing human rights issue(s) Inclusive and reflective of a diverse readership Accessible to adults and high school students Lends itself to opportunities for meaningful local action Available in paperback and preferably also unabridged audio, e-book, and large print Published within the last five years Strong preference is given to books in which the author is available and accessible to visit the Iowa City area for in-person readings and discussions.  Nominate a book by February 5 at this link Learn about the OCOB program goals and history.

April 4th Human Rights Research Conference

2018 Student Conference Participants The call for proposals is open until February 10. Learn specific proposal details  here .

The University of Iowa Center for Human Rights and the Iowa Network of Human Rights Academics are excited to announce the sixth annual Iowa Human Rights Research Conference which will be held on April 4, 2020 at Drake University Law School in Des Moines. The event features presentations by undergraduate and graduate students from across the region. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow students and faculty members in the field, learn about human rights issues, and polish your presentation skills! The Iowa Network of Human Rights Academics welcomes proposals on human rights topics (broadly defined) and from students at any Iowa college.

Select highlights: 2019 fall events

The UICHR hosted a series of One Community, One Book events centered on The Faraway Brothers and featuring author Lauren Markham. Between September 19 and the 21, the Center helped to coordinate five community book discussions. Thanks to area libraries for helping to coordinate these events  OCOB events also included a film screening of El Norte followed by a discussion, both at Film Scene. Markham visited Liberty High and had an engaged, well-attended conversation with students--despite the fact that it was an in-service day! The capstone event was a lecture and book signing by Lauren Markham on Oct. 4 UICHR student interns coordinated several events.   November 7: Careers for Change event for students, featuring the work of Dr. Brian Farrell November 9: Sudanese Revolution: Art as a Tool for Resistance + Diasporic Activism at the IMU December 7: Food Drive at First Avenue HyVee to benefit IC Compassion December 3: Movie Night—screening of 2017 film Trafficked at the IMU, followed by discussion with Monsoon

Several of these events served to educate the campus and local community about global issues. These events included: September 11: UICHR 20th Anniversary launch event--Dean Ahmed Gaba of Bauchi State University, “Religious Conflict in Nigeria,” College of Law October 22: “Intro to Islam;” College of Law October 25: Dr. Soon Chul Huh, Professor of Law at Kyungnam University, South Korea and SJD Students at Iowa, “What the South Korean Court Decisions Concerning the Collision between Free Speech and Personal Privacy and Dignity Tell Us about the Strength of Democracy in South Korea,” UI College of Law October 29:“Intro to Iranian Law;” UI College of Law UICHR co-sponsored 15 area events. Some of the highlights were: November 1: Brian Farrell, presented on “Racial Disparities in Iowa’s Criminal Justice System” to the Iowa Interfaith Alliance, Cedar Rapids, Iowa November 11: Hosted Major Danny Sjursen and Coleen Rowley, Perpetual War, 18 years & counting at the Old Capitol Senate Chamber (cosponsored with Iowa City Chapter of Vets for Peace, Honors, UI Lecture Committee) November 12: International Day Conference on the Human Right to Rest and Leisure for area junior high students at the Marriott in Coralville

Human Rights and the UICHR@20 Greg Hamot moderated a panel discussion with Amy Weismann, Jennifer Sherer, and Maureen McCue about three of the UICHR's most significant campaigns over the last 20 years. Panelists and attendees engaged in conversations about the successes, opportunities, and persistent challenges regarding immigration, child labor, and climate change.

December 2019 Advisory Board Meeting The UICHR advisory board met on December 5th to discuss programming, fundraising, and the budget. Thanks to all of the board members for dedicating their time and energy to furthering the UICHR mission.

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Education is at the center of UICHR's mission

UICHR Director, Adrien Wing was awarded the 2019 National Black Prelaw Legal Education Access & Diversity Champion Award. In December, Greg Hamot hosted the Global Education Human Rights Institute for Teachers Assistant Director, Amy Weismann taught a course on Human Rights, Immigration, and Refugees and one on Human Rights Advocacy for UI undergraduates. This past fall, in collaboration with the UI LABB program, Professors Todd Pettys (Constitutional law), June Tai (Contracts), Lois Cox (Family Law), John Whiston (Employment), and Anya Prince (Health Law) taught an "Intro to Law" course at the Oakdale Medical and Classification Center. This spring, clinical law Professors Daris Fisher Page and Alison Guernsey will teach a Trial Advocacy course at Oakdale.

UICHR Certificate and staff UI spring 2020 course offerings include: Sex-Based Discrimination (Adrien Wing) Seminar in Human Rights Praxis (Amy Weismann and Jo Butterfield) Introduction to Human Rights (Brian Farrell) History of Human Rights (Jo Butterfield, UI History Dept.) Philosophy and Human Rights (Jovana Davidovic, UI Philosophy Dept.)

Grant and Faculty Working Groups Update

Analyzing Workplace Laws through an International Human Rights Lens The College of Law’s continued support for the UI Labor Center, resolved this spring, has renewed the capacity of the working group to proceed with an analysis of university policies and their relationship to human rights standards, continue research on state statutes, and undertake additional public worker rights workshops.  Well-Being in Refugee and Immigrant Communities Collaboration Led by Rima Afifi (College of Public Health), the collaboration now has members from several different colleges, departments, and programs, and is pursuing collaborative research on data sources about immigrants, and a working group on oral histories, and community responses. The group has now developed a website and is proceeding with communications, resource lists, and data collection for the collaboration.

Brandon Kohrt, MD, PhD, is Charles and Sonia Akman Professor in Global Psychiatry at the  George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dr. Kohrt, who is also a cultural anthropologist is providing the PM+ training for selected participants. Promoting Culturally Appropriate Care for New Iowans The PCACNI project, now in its third year, is a collaboration between the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights, the University of Iowa College of Public Health, and the Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services. The project seeks to enhance capacity of health care professionals in the Iowa City area to address the mental health challenges of individuals who have recently arrived in Iowa through the U.S. refugee resettlement program. The project has explored culturally specific understandings of wellness and illness, trauma, and recovery through consultation and engagement with refugee community leaders. Project staff, which includes members of impacted refugee communities, conducted a community needs assessment. Staff also surveyed health care practitioners about their experiences and attitudes. In this current phase, the project is providing training to health providers and refugee community members utilizing a new World Health Organization program "Problem Management +". This program explores the challenges inherent to the provision of mental health care in resource poor environments and the need to engage impacted community assets to create sustainable health promotion. If successful, the Iowa program could become a model for communities around the country.

Read all about it!