Human Rights Board
Introduction
The Human Rights Board (HRB) is active on a variety of fronts as part of members’ efforts to educate the public about the range of human rights issues locally, nationally, and internationally. The larger aim is to encourage people to take action themselves to address these issues.
Human Rights Week
During Winter Quarter HRB planned and hosted Human Rights Week, a week of activities and actions that drew attention to a variety of human rights issues ranging from the local to the international.
HRB hosted their own events and organized the entire Human Rights Week. They contact all the organizations involved, booked rooms for them, and funded food and supplies for many of the events. HRB hosted and co-hosted three events: Action Through Art, Nothing Like Chocolate, and an Activist Walking Tour. In Action Through Art they spray-painted stenciled artwork with political or human rights messages on shirts and posters. They screened the documentary Nothing Like Chocolate and had the filmmaker UCSB Professor Kum-Kum Bhavnani speak about her film. The Activist Walking Tour was led by A.S. President Sophia Armen and HRB’s advisor Living History Project Coordinator Mahader Tesfai. They took a group of students around campus to places where student activists in the past have demonstrated and to the places on campus that students and the campus community have gained because of student work, like the Multicultural Center, that celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and the Student Resource Building.
The entire week included a wide range of events and actions. The program looked like this:
 |
Human Rights Board, a coalition of social justice and human rights students organizations at UCSB, presents….HUMAN RIGHTS WEEK – CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
All events **Free**, organized by Students, and here to Educate. Activate. Empower!******************************************************* MondayThroughout the week look out for Womyn’s Comm as they express activism through art. Everyone is welcome to participate and express their creativity. They will be located in the Arbor, SRB Lawn and in front of the UCEN throughout the Week.12pm – 2 Same Love
Help the students of BSU make Valentine’s Day cards that are LGBTQQIAA-friendly, that will be distributed to group or foster care facilities that cater to LGBTQQIAA youth/teens who have been displaced from their homes. The kids can either keep the Valentine’s for themselves, or give them to someone special- regardless of gender or sex. Outside the Arbor and inside the MERC, SRB2pm – 4pm “Grindr Prejudice” Come out and discuss prejudice within the Grindr craze and the gay community. Discussion will be facilitated by Taco. Sponsored by Black Quare. Refreshments will be provided. Multicultural Center Meeting Room7 – 10 “Offside – Women in Iran”
Get an inside look into the experiences of women in Iran excluded from entering stadiums games, as they resort to cross dressing to get into soccer games. Tea Baklava will be served. Sponsored by Persian Student Group and Project Nur Multicultural Center Theater*******************************************************Tuesday3-5 Caste Your Luck
Join the students of South Asian Student Association as they facilitate a game of LIFE. Delve into an informative discussion about the Caste System in South Asia. Sponsored by South Asian Student Association. Food will be provided. Santa Rosa Formal Lounge2 – 4 “Reinstate the Grace Period” Rally along with Student Lobby in front of Storke Plaza and express your concern about the end of the “grace period” on student loans. Sponsored by Student Lobby Meet outside Storke Plaza5 – 6 “Last Train Home” Join United Students against Sweatshops for a kick off meeting and film screening of Last Train Home take a look at the effects of neoliberalism in China. Refreshments will be provided Mission Room, UCEN6 -7 “Student Perspectives: Guns in Our Community”
Come have discussions with fellow UCSB students on what we can do as a campus about the rising presence of guns at schools and in our politics. Refreshments will be provided. Hosted by EVPSA and EVPLA meet in the Harbor Room, UCEN7 – 10 “Revival of Music – Afghanistan” Examine recent issues in Afghanistan as we watch Dr Sarmast’s Music School – a film on how Afghanistan’s Institute of Music helps revitalize a culture and gives children a chance to transform their lives. Food will be provided following the film. Hosted by Project Nur HSSB 1175******************************************************* Wednesday12- 2 “Human Rights Wheel Of Fortune – Middle East Edition”
Test your knowledge on human rights issues in the Middle East, as Arab Student Group puts on Human Rights Wheel Of Fortune. Win some free prizes. Sponsored by Arab Student Group Outside the Arbor12 – 3 “Action Through Art” Artivism – express your creativity with stenciling and spray painting with a message. Sponsored by Human Rights Board Outside on the SRB Lawn3:30-4:30 “Environmental Justice: Where Human Rights and the Environment Meet” Come talk with Greeks Gone Green about how intertwined environmental problems and social justice issues are. Discuss current environmental problems disportionately burdening low income and underrepresented communities and what can be done here at UCSB and globally about these problems. Sponsored by Greeks Gone Green Student Conference Room, SRB 1st floor5-7:30 “Womyn Unite, Take Back the Night” A.S. Take Back the Night, End Fake Clinics and A.S. Office of the President are hosting an open mic night. Come speak out against global violence through prepared or unprepared speech, dance, visual art and media, singing, slam poetry, spoken word, etc. Food will provided. Donations will also be accepted (but not mandated) and the proceeds given to a local non-profit community agency in SB called Domestic Violence Solutions. Sponsored by Take Back the Night in collaboration with End Fake Clinics and the A.S. Office of the President Multipurpose room in the SRB6 -7 “How Did We Get Here?”
Interested in discussing the Prison Industrial Complex – come to a discussion on the prison system in America. Come get educated and enjoy some refreshments. Sponsored by Campus Democrats Meet inside the American Indian Cultural Resource Room in the SRB6:00 – 8:00 “Effects of the Arab Uprisings” Come join Muslim Student Association, Project Nur, and Arab Student Group to uncover the results of the wave of uprisings in the MENA region. Refreshments will be served prior to discussion Meet in the Multicultural Center Meeting Room6:30 – 7:30 “Narratives of Undocumented Student” Join IDEAS in an intimate discussion on the struggles of undocumented students, followed by a film screening. Listen to narratives of undocumented students and learn about the rights and resources for the undocumented community. Meet in El Centro7:00 -8:00 “Let’s Talk About Sex” Voices of Planned Parenthood screens film – Let’s Talk about Sex. Followed by an open discussion and snacks. Womyn’s Center Conference Room******************************************************* Thursday 12-2 (In the Arbor) How much love is in your chocolate?
Valentine’s Day is when over a billion boxes of chocolate are sold but is there truly love that goes into the boxes that are given to our loved ones? Come learn about the differences of Fair and Free Trade Chocolate and the secrets about what truly goes into your favorite Valentine’s Day treat. Make sure that you are getting the perfect chocolate that’s sweet in all the right ways! Tabling event sponsored by Student Food Collective and Environmental Affairs Board12 – 3 Voices for Planned Parenthood
Stop by VOX tabling in the Arbor discussing the advantages of Planned Parenthood. All are welcome to come out, ask questions and get free condoms.2 -3 “Boxed In?”
Join the office of the External Vice President of Statewide Affairs, as they delve into a solution to the check box problem on applications. Come participate in the discussion and call for change. Meet in the Multicultural Center Meeting Room5 – 7:30 “Nothing Like Chocolate” World renowned film screening of Nothing Like Chocolate follows the implication of chocolate on a macro and micro level followed by a discussion with director Professor Kum Kum. Multicultural Center Theater5-:630 “Breaking Up with the Tar Sands”
The Environmental Affairs Board (EAB) presents keynote speaker Professor John Foran to educate students on the controversy of the Keystone XL. EAB will highlight the intersection between social injustices and environmental impacts that occurs with the extraction of Tar Sands. After learning about the Keystone Pipeline, we will look to you to discuss the importance of our activism for human rights and against the construction of the Keystone Pipeline. Hosted by Environmental Affairs Board SRB MPR8:30 – 11:00 “Palestinian Culture Night” Often overlooked, come join the students of Students for Justice in Palestine as they present a night of Palestinian food, music, and art. Sponsored by Students for Justice in Palestine Multipurpose room in the SRB*******************************************************Friday12:00 – 1:00 “How to party responsibly” – Want to learn which beverage companies support human rights violations? Come join our discussion about what companies you should and should not support in order to party in a (socially) responsible way. Sponsored by Human Rights Board MPR 1:00 – 2:00 3-5pm 5-5:30pm Throughout the week look out for Womyn’s Comm as they express activism through art. Everyone is welcome to participate and express their creativity. They will be located in the Arbor, SRB Lawn and in front of the UCEN throughout the Week. Don’t forget to look out for these upcoming events Facing Race will be held February 23rd beginning at 10:30am in the SRB. Facing Race is an annual conference at UCSB that seeks to confront some of the most critical issues facing people of color and other underrepresented communities today. This year our theme is “Against the Gun: Deconstructing Narratives of Violence in Communities of Color.” Big thanks to all the organizations that help put this together: Muslim Student Association |
Student Input, Day of Action
The AS Office of the President created a space for those in charge of the University to hear directly from students. This meant collaborating with several campus groups, including the Human Rights Board, to hold a Town Hall on Diversity in Corwin Pavilion during Spring Quarter, where students voiced their experiences and grievances about the University’s commitment to diversity directly to the UCSB Administration, since those who make policy and can make change.
Students had the rare opportunity to address marginalization and diversity at UCSB. They raised their voices on issues facing students including representation, resources, sexual violence and violence at large, and retention and recruitment.
The meeting featured two panels, one made up of students and one of upper level Student Affairs and other University officials, including Vice Chancellor Michael Young. The student panel included Anisha Ahuja, Yoel Haile, Gloria Campos, Melba Martinez, and Katlen Abuata. In addition to Dr. Young, the administration panel included, Educational Opportunity Program Academic Director Lupe Navarro-Garcia, Senior Associate Dean of Enrollment Services Mary Jacob, Associate Dean of Student Life and Activities Katya Armistead, Senior Associate Dean of Student Life Debbie Fleming, Acting Associate Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity and Academic Policy Anna Everett and Executive Assistant to the Chancellor Kevin McCauley.
Students were encouraged to ask questions of the panelists. According to the Daily Nexus, Dr. Young emphasized the significant funding cuts to Student Affairs of about $11 million over the 23 year’s that he’s been Vice Chancellor. At the same time, although he sympathized with student’s concerns and supports their efforts, he also stressed the need to work together, rather than approaching the real challenges we all face in an adversarial manner with students on one side and Students Affairs seen as the enemy.
The event was co-hosted by: Student Commission on Racial Equality (SCORE), Student Lobby, UCSB I.D.E.A.S., Muslim Student Association, Students for Justice in Palestine, Pacific Asian Coalition, Office of Student Advocate General, South Asian Students Association, MCC Council, BPRO, Black Student Union, Human Rights Board, Arab Student Group.
Artivism Events
HRB hosted a number of art activism Artivism events this year culminating in a screening of Robert Kenner’s documentary, Food Inc. as part of the last HRB event of Spring Quarter.
There were plenty of art materials for participants to express their positions and ideas on the food industry and other food-related issues. There was also food from the Isla Vista Food Co Op, so everyone could feel good about what they were eating!