HRAD Archive

The Advocates for Human Rights envisions a world in which every person lives with dignity, freedom, justice, equality, and peace. Every financial contribution you make, every volunteer hour you serve, and every conversation you have with your friends and family brings us closer to that more just and compassionate world.

This year, we honored the following individuals with our awards ceremony.

Khaleem Ali is a passionate advocate for human rights, social justice, and the representation of minority and other interest groups. He has been at the forefront of initiatives to advance human rights and promote equity, including chairing the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty's Working Group on Women and Gender. As a volunteer, Khaleem works closely with The Advocates, providing insight on human rights issues in the Caribbean and co-authoring reports to UN human rights bodies on both death penalty and on LGBTIQ+ issues.

Nathnael Berhanu first came to The Advocates as a client. Since then, he's been motivated to use his journey to help others in similar positions. Nathanael has collaborated closely with The Advocates on our international advocacy, sharing his lived experiences in several country condition reports, including one on the status of LGBTIQ+ people in Ethiopia. Nathnael has also provided invaluable testimony to several United Nations human rights bodies.

With more than 10 years of experience in humanitarian work, Kendra Hughbanks began volunteering with The Advocates as an intern in the Women's Rights Program and quickly became a dedicated long-term volunteer. Her contributions span a wide range of vital projects, including reporting to the UN on gender-based violence and discrimination, researching sex trafficking prevention, and advancing stakeholder engagement in The Advocates' efforts to counter the far-right/anti-rights movement.

Ella Panchot started volunteering for The Advocates at our front desk, welcoming clients to our office. From there, she began to volunteer with our WATCH program, where she observed court hearings in Hennepin County involving women and gender-expansive defendants, recording data and reflections from their cases. She also assisted with research, memorandum drafting, and data analysis related to cases that WATCH volunteers observed in court. Ella is always willing to lend a hand in everything from data review, to assisting with trainings, to mentoring new volunteers.

Terese Pritschet first volunteered at the Sankhu-Palubari Community School (SPCS) in Nepal in 2010 and has returned four times to work with students and teachers, focusing on English language skills, teacher training, human rights education, and early childhood education. One memorable project was teaching every student and teacher to make friendship bracelets. Terese has shared her love of SPCS with her community, garnering support from friends, family, and her long-time yoga students to purchase 10 new computers so that SPCS students can develop computer literacy skills and deepen their education.

In 2021, Kent Richey retired from Faegre Drinker as a finance and business lawyer working with Native Americans. Since then, Kent has traveled twice to the United Nations in Geneva as a volunteer, representing The Advocates by delivering oral statements on the floor of the Human Rights Council, lobbying Council delegates, and presenting at The Advocates' side event on gender and the death penalty. He has also written reports to UN human rights bodies and briefed the UN Human Rights Committee on LGBTIQ+ rights in Guyana.

The Advocates also gave special recognition to Anita White. Courtroom sketch artist Anita White brings her dynamic process of creating visual art to document what happens at immigration court. Anita's work expresses the emotional toll of the U.S. immigration system on those who come before it. As a volunteer with the Immigration Court Observation Project, Anita captures the power of bearing witness to and documenting the impact of the immigration enforcement system.

At our Human Rights Awards Dinner, we are honored to welcome four incredible women to share their hopes, dreams, expectations, and frustrations 30 years after the Beijing conference:

In 1995, the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women was held in Beijing, China. It built on decades of efforts to secure equality for women and was a landmark moment for women's rights. More than 30,000 individuals from around the world, including Minnesota, traveled to Beijing to participate in this groundbreaking event. It resulted in major advancements in the women's human rights movement. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action outlined twelve critical areas of concern for women, including women and health, violence against women, and women in power and decision-making. As one women's rights activist who attended remarked, "I believe that if a woman is in a leadership position, she can make the changes. That was the important part of the meeting. [In] Beijing, I learned you have to be in the decision[making] position, so we have to empower women."

At the Beijing conference, Hillary Clinton called for the world to recognize women's rights as human rights. The Advocates and like-minded organizations working on women's human rights issues were ready to turn rhetoric into reality. Today, The Advocates work on women's human rights is stronger than ever. We work with local and global partners to defend hard-won gains and end violence against women.

• Charlotte Bunch, Founding Director and Senior Scholar of the Center for Women's Global Leadership, Rutgers University
• Barbara Frey, Co-Founder and former Executive Director of The Advocates for Human Rights and Director Emeritus of the Human Rights Program, University of Minnesota
• Rosa Logar, Founding Member of Women against Violence Europe (WAVE) and Co-founder of WILPF Austria
• Ponny White, Liberian refugee, reproductive justice advocate, and storyteller

The panel was moderated by Nina Moini, host of Minnesota Now on MPR.

Together, we transformed the world 30 years ago. Together, we can continue the fight for human rights today.