Our Voices
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The Evolution and Impact of the John Lewis Young Leaders Program
Tags Share The Young Leaders program at RFK Human Rights has been a dynamic force for change since its inception, and its story is one of continuous growth, adaptation, and commitment to justice. The program’s trajectory from its early beginnings as RFK Young Leaders to its current form as the John Lewis Young Leaders fellowship…
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Common Dreams: Corruption in Plain Sight: AOC Warns Laken Riley Act a Boon to Private Prison Industry
Tags Share “That would likely mean tens of billions in taxpayer funds sent to private prison companies. They are salivating.” In an article revealing the private prison industry’s profit-driven interest in the Laken Riley Act, Common Dreams highlights a piece by our VP of U.S. Advocacy, Anthony Enriquez, exposing how private prisons stand to gain…
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NPR Atlanta: Laken Riley Act
Tags Share Speaking with Atlanta NPR, our VP of U.S. Advocacy & Litigation, Anthony Enriquez discusses the potential impacts of the Laken Riley Act and the significant federal funding it would require—far exceeding the resources allocated to other essential federal programs. Further, Enriquez addresses the widespread human rights violations in detention centers. Continue listening here.
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San Francisco Chronicle: In the U.S. there is no standard for police use of lethal force. SCOTUS can change that
Tags Share Nearly a decade after the tragic death of 24-year-old Ashtian Barnes, the Supreme Court is set to hear Barnes v. Felix, a civil rights case brought by Barnes’s mother to seek accountability for his unnecessary loss. In a contribution to an article published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Medha Raman, Dale and James…
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Amplifying Advocacy: A Conversation with Jonathan Lam on the Safeguard Act, the UN Summit, and Youth Empowerment
Tags Share A Personal Passion for Disarmament and Human Rights Jonathan’s drive for advocacy stems from his upbringing as the child of Vietnamese refugees. His parents’ harrowing experiences during the Vietnam War, including surviving bombings and displacement, shaped his understanding of the human cost of conflict. “My parents were Vietnamese refugees. Both of my parents…
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Empowering Change: Connor Marrott’s Mission to Improve Reentry Opportunities
Tags Share A Capstone Project to Inspire Change Connor’s passion for reentry work began during his internship at Dismas House, a reentry home in northern Indiana. There, he helped returning citizens secure jobs and navigate the barriers to reintegration. Inspired by this experience, he designed an innovative in-person simulation game that immerses participants in the…
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Supporting Community During Trump 2.0: Advocacy and Emergency Litigation on Behalf of Community Members Who are Subject to Check-Ins with ICE
Interested in advocacy and emergency litigation? Subscribe to the Justice Roundup newsletter to get more of the latest on human rights advocacy and litigation, delivered straight to your inbox. Tags Share On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Justice for Migrant Families and Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York hosted a webinar…
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Axios: MLK’s daughter urges Americans to “stay woke” ahead of Trump’s return
Tags Share On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, during a celebration honoring her father’s legacy, Bernice A. King delivered a speech urging advocates to “remain woke” in response to civil rights rollbacks and the new Trump administration’s agenda. In light of her remarks, Axios reported on a public letter signed by eight civil rights and…
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Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy Trumps Hatred and Ill-Will
Tags Share (Washington, DC) – Building from a first term riddled with policies that violated human rights, the incoming Trump administration has proposed a dangerous path for the future. Some of the policies championed by President Trump and his surrogates during the campaign could also give new purchase to white supremacy in the United States,…
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The Hill: The Laken Riley Act is a sweetheart deal for the private prison industry
Tags Share This week, the Senate began debating the Laken Riley Act, which seeks to expand mandatory immigration detention after its passage in the House. In The Hill, Anthony Enriquez, VP of U.S. Advocacy at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, criticized the inefficiency of mandatory detention and highlighted how it primarily benefits the private prison…
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Rolling Stone: Will Biden Pardon This Human Rights Lawyer Who Beat Big Oil in Court?
Tags Share With Biden’s presidency winding down, Steven Donziger and a global coalition of advocates are calling for his pardon. After securing a $9.5 billion judgment against Chevron for Amazon pollution, Donziger faced a corporate-driven legal battle. A Rolling Stone article highlighted an open letter from human rights activist and RFK Human Rights President Kerry…
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This Week’s Spotlight on Human Rights
Tags Share Forced prison labor in the “Land of the Free” From fighting wildfires to toiling in the kitchens of some of the country’s most popular food franchises, incarcerated workers perform vital functions across the United States and produce billions of dollars in value for the public and private sectors. Yet they are paid very little (between…
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