Next steps after first PAD Working Group National Call

Aug 28, 2019

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On August 20, 2019, USHRN coordinated the first People of African Descent Working Group National Call. We had over thirty participants from around the country - thank you for participating!

In case you missed the call, here is the recording link.

The next PAD Working Group call will take place on September 17. Please register here.

If you haven’t already, please be reminded to complete our important survey for PAD leaders, here. As we work to reactivate the PAD Working Group, the Network created this survey in order to better understand what issues our members are working on, and what your priorities are. PAD work is a top priority for the Network, as articulated by USHRN Executive Director Dr. Rosalee Gonzalez on last week’s call. Scroll down to read her statement, or read it on our website.

The US Human Rights Network looks forward to working together to uplift your issues and support your advocacy work using a human rights framework. There are several key opportunities to engage internationally in 2019/2020 including the Universal Periodic Review of the United States, the 64th Commission on the Status of Women, and Beijing +25, in addition to advocating for a PAD Permanent Forum and Declaration.

Please be reminded that the Global Summit and Roundtable on the International Decade for People of African Descent will take place on Monday, September 30, in New York City, in partnership with the Canada Mission to the United Nations. The US Human Rights Network will be attending the Global Summit and other PAD events taking place that week; we will keep you informed with more details in the next few weeks. Please find more information on the current schedule of events here.

In addition, we are launching our IDPAD website next week -- watch this space for the link, coming soon. You’ll find information about the Decade, advocacy, upcoming events, and downloadable information from the PAD National Calls.

If you have any questions regarding PAD work, please contact Deputy Director Salimah Hankins, shankins@ushrnetwork.org.

We look forward to joining you again on September 17.

In solidarity,

The US Human Rights Network Coordinating Center

 

Statement from USHRN Executive Director, Dr. Rosalee Gonzalez, as delivered on last week's PAD Working Group National Call, August 20, 2019.

My name is Dr. Rosalee Gonzalez, I am the new Executive Director for the US Human Rights Network. I want to start by welcoming each and every one of you to this very important call this morning. 

Although I’m not a leader from the black community in the US, as the Executive Director of the Network and as a leader in the global Indigenous Peoples movement, I want to inform you that the issues and the rights of People of African Descent in the US are a priority for our Network. 

I stand proudly in solidarity with you, and hope to ensure that the Network is prepared to support the effective engagement of PAD leaders from across this country including women, LGBTQ people, and others, in the upcoming international forums that we’ll be discussing today.

As a Network, we want to ensure that US advocacy around certain key areas are uplifted including H.R.40 and the International Decade for People of African Descent. We want to ensure engagement in the current UPR process, as well as other events like Beijing+25.

With that, I welcome you and thank you for joining our call.