Every year, a different human rights clinic in the U.S. organizes the conference, attended by clinical faculty from around the country. “This year, we’ve seen an expansion of membership and were excited to be joined by human rights clinicians from Canada, Ecuador, Georgia, and India, “ said Caroline Bettinger- López, the Human Rights Clinic’s founding director, now on leave and serving as the senior adviser on Gender and Equality with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Close to 70 people attended the hybrid event, with more than half 40 in person. “This convening was particularly special since the group had not met in two years due to COVID-19, and for many, it was their first in-person convening since the pandemic,” said Tamar Ezer, clinic’s acting director. “It provided the opportunity to restore community, spark new collaborations, and share learning to strengthen our teaching and advocacy.”
Topics covered art and human rights, community-centric clinics, cross-country collaborations, academic freedom and human rights advocacy, outside-the-box advocacy, environmental justice, Indigenous rights, and addressing mental health concerns. “The sessions were a unique space for new and experienced human rights clinicians to share strategies on how to navigate the complexities of supporting communities while caring for ourselves and our students,” said the Human Rights Clinic’s Acting Associate Director, Denisse Córdova Montes.
The University of Miami Lowe Art Museum hosted the opening session, which examined the intersection of art and human rights, and a reception, where participants reconnected while enjoying the gallery’s art.
Participants shared their gratitude for this reconnection with the Human Rights Clinic. “It was truly invigorating to meet in person and connect in ways that we had all missed. The event was really phenomenal and a true testament to all the effort that you all put into it. Thank you for giving us an opportunity to come together as a community,” said Sarah Dávila-A., director of the International Human Rights Clinic at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
