A group of Ocean Lakes students recently started their own chapter of Amnesty International, a global volunteer organization committed to stopping human rights violations around the world.
Amnesty International is a global human rights movement that originally started with respect to political dissidents. Amnesty was launched by Austin Stegerwald in efforts to bring awareness to human rights issues in the POD.
“One thing I like about Amnesty International is that it’s focused on education,” government teacher Lisa Gibson said. “There’s a place for everyone in it to examine issues through the lens of human rights.”
Previously, Amnesty participated in banned books week from Sept. 22 to 28, 2024. The club partnered with the library to publicize information about authors who have been under attack for their work.
“Just by being a part of it, I hope to be at least a small part of the change going on in our world,” sophomore club member Grace Kavanaugh said.
Amnesty is currently working on creating profiles of the candidates who are running for national office to provide voters with a better understanding of where the candidates stand.
“Amnesty is a very open club for all types of thinking and people,” sophomore and club member Malia Lazarus said. “Students are allowed to speak for the oppressed so they finally have a voice through those who can freely speak.”
The club is in the process of setting up a conference in the cafeteria to inform students on these topics, and possibly, handing out flyers.
“The core belief about human beings’ inherent dignity and the way that they should be treated by other humans is the heart of the club,” Gibson said.
