The Dorothy Cotton Institute Building Global Community for Human Rights Leadership Dorothy Cotton Institute 2010

Our Vision: The full realization of a just and peaceful beloved community in which all people understand, respect, protect, and exercise full human rights.

Our Mission To develop, nurture and train leaders for a global human rights movement. To build a network and community of civil and human rights leadership To explore, share, and promote practices that transform individuals and communities, opening new pathways to peace, justice, and healing. To develop, nurture and train leaders for a global human rights movement. To build a network and community of civil and human rights leadership To explore, share, and promote practices that transform individuals and communities, opening new pathways to peace, justice, and healing.

Why focus on human rights? Beyond the on-going struggle to exercise constitutionally guaranteed Civil Rights in the US, people are currently struggling for their full human rights, both in the US and around the globe. While there are over 2 million organizations working world-wide and a tremendous amount of activity in the area of human rights, there is no “center” and no universally recognized sense of a national or global “movement”. DCI wants to bring visibility, interconnection and strength to local, national and international work for human rights. Beyond the on-going struggle to exercise constitutionally guaranteed Civil Rights in the US, people are currently struggling for their full human rights, both in the US and around the globe. While there are over 2 million organizations working world-wide and a tremendous amount of activity in the area of human rights, there is no “center” and no universally recognized sense of a national or global “movement”. DCI wants to bring visibility, interconnection and strength to local, national and international work for human rights.

Human rights are: The basic standards without which people cannot live in dignity. Generally accepted principles of fairness and justice. those freedoms and entitlements a person is due simply because he or she is a human being. The basic standards without which people cannot live in dignity. Generally accepted principles of fairness and justice. those freedoms and entitlements a person is due simply because he or she is a human being.

Some Categories of Human Rights Civil Rights Political Rights Economic Rights Survival Rights Social Rights Cultural Rights Personal & Collective Struggles for Justice

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR-1948) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1969) Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (1981) The Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Forms of Treatment or Punishment (1987) Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007) The Declaration of Human Duties and Responsibilities (1998) Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR-1948) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1969) Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (1981) The Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Forms of Treatment or Punishment (1987) Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007) The Declaration of Human Duties and Responsibilities (1998) Key Elements of the International Human Rights Framework

Environmental Rights There are conventions on climate change and environmental rights that are now being crafted by the United Nations. Some people are discussing drafting a declaration on the rights of the earth. There are conventions on climate change and environmental rights that are now being crafted by the United Nations. Some people are discussing drafting a declaration on the rights of the earth.

Human Rights Education is: A comprehensive lifelong process by which people at all levels of development and in all societies learn respect for the dignity of others and the means and methods of ensuring that respect in all societies. All learning that develops the knowledge, skills, and values required to fully exercise and protect human rights. A comprehensive lifelong process by which people at all levels of development and in all societies learn respect for the dignity of others and the means and methods of ensuring that respect in all societies. All learning that develops the knowledge, skills, and values required to fully exercise and protect human rights.

Key DCI Components Education, & Leadership Developme nt Education, & Leadership Developme nt Annual Gathering Education & Visitors’ Story Center Youth Development Youth Development Fellowships & Think Tank Fellowships & Think Tank Beloved Community Beloved Community Website

The Citizenship Education Program (CEP) “The Best Kept Secret” of the Civil Rights Movement A critical, but often overlooked, component of the Civil Rights Movement’s overall organizing strategy. CEP played a foundational role helping disenfranchised people recognize their own capacity, intelligence and power, and transform themselves from a stance of “victims” to full “citizens.” : Citizenship Schools began on Johns Islands, South Carolina and grew from there, supported by the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee : CEP sponsorship moves to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and spreads throughout the South. Led by Dorothy Cotton, Andrew Young, Septima Clark, Bernice Robinson, and others. A critical, but often overlooked, component of the Civil Rights Movement’s overall organizing strategy. CEP played a foundational role helping disenfranchised people recognize their own capacity, intelligence and power, and transform themselves from a stance of “victims” to full “citizens.” : Citizenship Schools began on Johns Islands, South Carolina and grew from there, supported by the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee : CEP sponsorship moves to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and spreads throughout the South. Led by Dorothy Cotton, Andrew Young, Septima Clark, Bernice Robinson, and others. Dorothy Cotton Institute 2010

recognition that human rights are being denied learning that our rights are codified in treaties and laws connection with others who care about justice sharing "how things are" & "how things ought to be " healing from oppression, regaining self-esteem & personal power inspired to action to secure rights for self and others Share Stories & Aspirations for Transformation Our Theory of Change Learn about Civil & Human Rights Join a Learning Community of Peers Share Strategies & Mutual Support Dorothy Cotton Institute 2010 Build Beloved Community Share Stories & Aspirations for Transformation Take Action, Leadership, & Inspire Others

Levels of Transformation PERSONAL Move from the role of “victim” to “agency” in one’s life INTERPERSONAL Practice non-violence to build a Beloved Community, where all are treated with love, compassion and respect, and our humanity and dignity are affirmed. COMMUNITY Build our community’s capacity to work for social justice. INSTITUTIONAL Take collective action to transform institutions, policies and laws. Dorothy Cotton Institute 2010

CEP Core Principles  Affirming human dignity and strengths  Learning in and through collective action  Living democracy in classrooms and programs  Affirming human dignity and strengths  Learning in and through collective action  Living democracy in classrooms and programs Dorothy Cotton Institute 2010

Core Principles: Living Democracy in Classrooms & Programs Use interactive, participatory, inclusive methods. Minimize the hierarchical distance between teacher & students. Use question- posing to support dialogue & critical thinking. Ask learners what they want to learn. Help students see themselves as collective “experts”. Use interactive, participatory, inclusive methods. Minimize the hierarchical distance between teacher & students. Use question- posing to support dialogue & critical thinking. Ask learners what they want to learn. Help students see themselves as collective “experts”. Use student- directed, participatory action research. Offer experiences for self-discovery & building relationships. Encourage sharing students’ multiple cultural perspectives. Foster peer learning and teaching; process learning in groups. Use student- directed, participatory action research. Offer experiences for self-discovery & building relationships. Encourage sharing students’ multiple cultural perspectives. Foster peer learning and teaching; process learning in groups.

Citizenship Education Program Outline Building community and the moral case for change Seeing how the status quo is maintained Understanding that we have rights Building community and the moral case for change Seeing how the status quo is maintained Understanding that we have rights Creating a vision for change Preparing for leadership & effective action Ongoing support and movement building Creating a vision for change Preparing for leadership & effective action Ongoing support and movement building Dorothy Cotton Institute 2010

Ongoing Support & Movement Building Share what we’re learning— information & strategiesShare what we’re learning— information & strategies Build a knowledge base about what’s workingBuild a knowledge base about what’s working Share struggle—bring attention to problems & initiatives, here & elsewhereShare struggle—bring attention to problems & initiatives, here & elsewhere Share resources—support one anotherShare resources—support one another Share networks—connect people to each otherShare networks—connect people to each other Build LeadershipBuild Leadership Build a Global Movement: Sustainable Justice, Sustainable ChangeBuild a Global Movement: Sustainable Justice, Sustainable Change Share what we’re learning— information & strategiesShare what we’re learning— information & strategies Build a knowledge base about what’s workingBuild a knowledge base about what’s working Share struggle—bring attention to problems & initiatives, here & elsewhereShare struggle—bring attention to problems & initiatives, here & elsewhere Share resources—support one anotherShare resources—support one another Share networks—connect people to each otherShare networks—connect people to each other Build LeadershipBuild Leadership Build a Global Movement: Sustainable Justice, Sustainable ChangeBuild a Global Movement: Sustainable Justice, Sustainable Change Dorothy Cotton Institute 2010

Helping to meet future learning needs Developing and supporting leaders Supporting school— community teams –Sharing what people are learning together & from each other –Trouble-shooting Generating Ideas for –Building democratic classrooms & programs –Innovative school – community partnerships Helping to meet future learning needs Developing and supporting leaders Supporting school— community teams –Sharing what people are learning together & from each other –Trouble-shooting Generating Ideas for –Building democratic classrooms & programs –Innovative school – community partnerships Strategies to get others involved Movement building Documentation –What impact is HR Education having on students? on teaching staff? –How is the community benefitting? –What is working best? Build the knowledge base. Strategies to get others involved Movement building Documentation –What impact is HR Education having on students? on teaching staff? –How is the community benefitting? –What is working best? Build the knowledge base. Dorothy Cotton Institute 2010