2013peopleschoice_extendedDo you have a Human Rights Hero you want to tell the world about?  Well, then you’re in the right place.

Introducing the 2013 Human Rights People’s Choice Award Contest, where people just like you nominate and vote for their Human Rights Hero.

To take part, just log on to our Human Rights Awards website to nominate and vote for your Human Rights Hero/Heroine.

Share the story of a person or organization working for human rights, whether they’re building a movement to end the Mexico drug war, empowering women, promoting local farming — tell us who inspires YOU!

You can nominate as many individuals and organizations as you like, but of course you can only vote for each nominee once.  After you’ve nominated, make sure to spread the word to your networks to increase your honoree’s odds of winning.

The last day to nominate and vote is March 22, 2013.

UPDATE: The last day to nominate and vote has been extended to March 26, 2013.

Your nominations and votes help determine who will win the People’s Choice Award and take home $1,000 to support their work.

Past People’s Choice honorees include Bradley Manning, Mexican Poet/Activist Javier Sicilia and Cambodian human rights activist Mu Sochua.

Daniel Ellsberg accepting the 2012 People's Choice Award on behalf of Bradley Manning

Daniel Ellsberg accepting the 2012 People’s Choice Award on behalf of Bradley Manning

The power to choose this year’s People’s Choice Award winner is in your hands.  Help us celebrate everyday human rights heroes and heroines.

Take-ActionTAKE ACTION!

  • Nominate and Vote: What are you waiting for? It’s easy and free! Log on to www.humanrightsaward.org to get started.
  • Attend the Human Rights Awards: Join us at the Human Rights Awards Gala on May 9, 2013 in San Francisco. And don’t forget to participate in our exciting online auction.  Visit www.humanrightsaward.org for more details.
  • Follow along on Twitter: Use Twitter hashtag HRA13 to keep up to date on the 2013 People’s Choice Contest & Human Rights Awards.

With over 2,900 votes, the people have chosen PFC Bradley Manning as the 2012 People’s Choice Award winner.  Global Exchange is proud to honor Bradley Manning, and we hope you’ll take a moment to read more about this year’s winner.

It takes great courage to stand for what you know is right.  Bradley Manning, a 24-year-old Army intelligence analyst, joined the army at age 19.  Before deploying to Iraq, when a friend asked that he “stay safe,” Bradley replied, “I’m more concerned about making sure that everyone: soldiers, marines, contractors, even the local nationals, get home to their families.”

Bradley is accused of leaking a video showing the killing of civilians, including two Reuters journalists, by a US Apache helicopter crew in Iraq.  He is also charged with sharing the documents known as the Afghan War Diary, the Iraq War Logs, and embarrassing U.S. diplomatic cables, with the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks.  The video and documents have exposed the true number and cause of civilian casualties in Iraq, human rights abuses by U.S. funded contractors and foreign militaries, and the influence that corporate interests have on U.S. foreign policy.  Journalists have credited the release of these documents with helping to motivate the democratic revolution in Tunisia as well as the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

In chat logs attributed to Bradley by the FBI, he explains what motivated him to act:

“I can’t separate myself from others…I feel connected to everybody…like they were distant family…I…care?  I prefer a painful truth over any blissful fantasy.  I think I’ve been traumatized too much by reality, to care about consequences of shattering the fantasy…God knows what happens now.  Hopefully worldwide discussions, debates, and reforms…I want people to see the truth…regardless of who they are…because without information, you cannot make informed decisions as a public.”

Although Bradley has not yet been tried, he was held in solitary confinement for the first 10 months of his incarceration.  During this time he was denied meaningful exercise, social interaction, sunlight, and was occasionally kept completely naked.  In one week in April 2011, over a half million people signed a petition to end his illegal treatment, as those conditions serve as “a chilling deterrent to other potential whistleblowers committed to public integrity.”  His supporters include famous whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, over 300 top legal scholars, veterans, and civilians around the world.

If the military continues refusing to acknowledge Bradley as a whistleblower, he may become the first person in U.S. history to be convicted of “Aiding the enemy through indirect means,” a crime punishable by life in prison or the death penalty, for telling the public the truth.

To learn more about how to support Bradley Manning, please visit the website of the Bradley Manning Support Committee: bradleymanning.org

Join us on Thursday, May 10, 2012 as we honor  Human Rights Award Honorees Bradley Manning and Annie Leonard at the Tenth Annual Human Rights Awards in San Francisco.  (Note that Bradley’s award will be accepted by a representative)

For more information about the Human Rights Awards, and to purchase tickets, please visit humanrightsaward.org.

“The greatness of humanity is not in being human, but in being humane.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

Take part in the Human Rights Award People’s Choice Contest, and help us honor the human rights heroes who are making a difference – whether they’re in your neighborhood or halfway around the world! Join us in shining a spotlight on those unsung heroes working for peace, justice, and sustainability. 

It’s easy. Just log on to Global Exchange’s Human Rights Awards website, and nominate and vote for YOUR Human Rights Hero/Heroine. The last day to nominate and vote is March 19, 2012.

Your nominations and votes help determine who will win Global Exchange’s People’s Choice Award and take home $1,000 to use towards their important work.

Javier Sicilia (left) delivering speech at 2011 Global Exchange Human Rights Awards

Last year’s People’s Choice winner is Javier Sicilia, who was recently named one of TIME magazine’s People of the Year!

You nominate. You vote. You decide.

This award means a great deal to the winners, and this honor is an important way to strengthen the efforts of their work. Past People’s Choice honorees include Mexican Poet/Activist Javier Sicilia and Cambodian human rights activist Mu Sochua. Help us choose the 2012 Honoree.

What are you waiting for? It’s easy and free! Log on to www.HumanRightsAward.org.

The power to choose this year’s People’s Choice Award winner is in your hands. Help us celebrate everyday human rights hero(s) and heroine(s).

The message was originally sent to our various e-mail lists. Be the first to get updates from Global Exchange and sign up for our list-serv.

“Not everyone can be famous. But everyone can be great.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

There are a lot of unsung heroes out there-hardworking people who struggle to make the world a better place. With just a few clicks of the mouse, you can give them the recognition and support they deserve.

It’s easy. Just log on to Global Exchange’s Human Rights Awards website, and nominate and vote for YOUR Human Rights Hero. The last day to nominate and vote is April 19, 2011.

Your nominations and votes help determine who will win Global Exchange’s People’s Choice Award and $1,000 towards their important work.

For close to a decade, we’ve been celebrating the individuals and organizations working for peace, justice and sustainability through our Annual Human Rights Awards. By participating in the selection of the People’s Choice Honoree, you can take part in the exciting effort to recognize the hardworking people who uphold the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. You nominate. You vote. You decide.

And for those who win, your support means everything:

“Receiving Global Exchange’s People’s Choice Award in today’s political environment of Islamophobia was a true testament of my fellow Americans’ fairness, open mind and love for social justice and peace. It renewed my spirit and my commitment to building a beloved community.” — Samina Faheem Sundas, winner of the 2009 People’s Choice Award for Peace

What are you waiting for? It’s easy and free! Log on to http://humanrightsaward.strutta.com.

The power to choose this year’s People’s Choice Award winner is in your hands. Help us celebrate everyday greatness.

P.S. Join us on June 1st, 2011 in San Francisco for the Ninth Annual Human Rights Awards Gala-a night of dining, dancing, and fun! For more information please visit our event website at  http://humanrightsaward.org.

P.P.S. Global Exchange is hiring! Join the Global Exchange family.