Ben Cohen, Tex Dworkin, Kevin Danaher, Jerry Greenfield Photo Credit: Natalie Mottley

The Ninth Annual Human Rights Awards was a great success!  The sold out event included inspirational speeches by three incredible honorees, witty banter by event emcees Ben & Jerry (in tuxedos!), and the participation of the entire Global Exchange staff, board, and community.

Since 2001, the Human Rights Awards Gala has brought together activists, supporters, and friends to recognize the efforts of exceptional individuals and organizations working for human rights from around the country and around the world.

Guests in attendance this year included folks from Ben & Jerry’s, CODE PINK, Dr. Bronner’s, Drug Policy Alliance, Fair Trade USA, Harrington Investments, Sungevity, The Pachamama Alliance, Thanksgiving Coffee, and a whole lot more!

Fair Trade models Jocelyn Boreta, Rae Abileah, Zarah Patriana

Fair Trade models donned Fair Trade outfits & accessories with “Ask Me About My Outfit” sashes or swatches. They strutted their stuff on the big stage to showcase some of the Fair Trade goodies being auctioned off during the silent auction, while guests enjoyed Fair Trade Certified Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream.

Thank you to everyone who joined us June 1, 2011, as we honored the work of:

  • Gulf Coast Activist Wilma Subra (Domestic Honoree).  Wilma  is an accomplished environmental scientist who has been on the frontlines fighting for the rights of local communities in Louisiana following the Gulf Spill. Watch her speech at the HRA here.
  • U.N. Ambassador for Bolivia Pablo Solón (International Honoree), a strong proponent of climate justice and the Rights of Nature.View his speech at the HRA here.
  • Javier Sicilia (People’s Choice Honoree) , a poet building a movement to free Mexico from the spiraling violence of the ‘war on drugs.’ Watch his speech here.

Photographer Natalie Mottley

All in all, the 9th annual Human Rights Award Gala was a great time. If you weren’t able to make it, we hope to see you there next year!

The event was photographed and filmed by pros, and we’ll be sharing some of those clips n pics down the road a bit.

In the meantime, I brought my camera along to snap a few pics on my own during the event. Below are a few of them, plus one from photographer Natalie Mottley. Hope you enjoy!

2011 Human Rights Awards Gala Photos

Liza Gonzales and Medea Benjamin

Jason Mark, Antonia Juhasz, and Wilma Subra

Beth Rogers-Witte Garriott and Ashley Cline

Wanda Whitaker checking out the silent auction

Walter Turner and Pierre Labossiere

Kylie Nicole-Nealis and Cheryl Meeker

Mary & Mike Murphy and Kevin Danaher

Kevin Danaher and Jeff Furman

Javier Sicilia and Ted Lewis Photo Credit: Natalie Mottley

Pablo Solón and Carleen Pickard

It’s springtime in the Bay Area, and we’re ramping up for our ninth annual Human Rights Awards Gala happening on June 1st at the historic Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco.

Ben & Jerry’s Co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield graced us with their presence at the gala last year, but this is the first year they will actually emcee the event, so those who attend are in for an extra sweet treat!

Since 2001, the Human Rights Awards Gala has brought together activists, supporters, and friends to recognize the efforts of exceptional individuals and organizations working for human rights from around the country and around the world.

This year on June 1, 2011, we honor the work of Gulf Coast Activist Wilma Subra (Domestic Honoree), International Honoree U.N. Ambassador for Bolivia Pablo Solón, and People’s Choice Honoree Javier Sicilia, a poet building a movement to free Mexico from the spiraling violence of the ‘war on drugs.’

Ben Cohen and Yours Truly at our 2010 Human Rights Awards Gala

As you can probably tell from this picture on the left here, our awards gala was a great time last year, so if you’re in the Bay Area on June 1st, I hope you join us as we hear inspiring stories, dine, dance and celebrate along with Ben and Jerry, our Honorees, and your fellow social justice advocates.

ATTEND THE GALA

To purchase tickets: Order online here (early bird rate ends on May 13th)

General event info: Visit the event website at  www.humanrightsaward.org

Its been a whirlwind of activity since we launched the book The Rights of Nature: The Case for a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, during Earth Day week with our partners at the Council of Canadians and Fundacion Pachamama, in time for the first ever United Nations dialog including Rights of Nature. The emerging conversation around nature’s rights was elevated to a whole new level.

Pablo Solón at the UN

Introducing the UN all-day dialog was Bolivian Ambassador to the UN, Pablo Solon, who we are so proud to announce is our 2011 Human Rights Award International Honoree. He along with Domestic Honoree Wilma Subra and People’s Choice Honoree Javier Sicilia will be honored June 1 at our awards gala in San Francisco.

To catch up on the book launch, and the historic events at the UN (including Amb. Solon’s inspiring speech), check out this blog post. The book launch event in New York was attended by 450 people, and in San Francisco, although much smaller, was covered by 5 separate media outlets. The book, with contributions from Vandana Shiva, Desmond Tutu, Maude Barlow and our own Shannon Biggs, among many others has sparked a whole new conversation.

In the book, Ambassador Solon writes:

We are facing a debate in the United Nations among those who believe we need to strengthen the capitalist logic as it relates to Nature, and others that suggest we should recognize Rights of Nature. … The future of humans and Nature depends on the path humanity chooses.

For more information about our 2011 Human Rights Awards Gala and the honorees, and to purchase tickets to the Gala, please visit the Human Rights Awards website.

Don’t miss out on receiving your own copy of The Rights of Nature: The Case for a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth! To order your copy and make a much-appreciated donation to Global Exchange, please visit our online action center or contact Kylie Nealis.

Global Exchange is pleased to announce the winner of our 2011 Human Rights Awards People’s Choice Contest, Javier Sicilia, as chosen by THE PEOPLE, supporters of Global Exchange and human rights around the world.

Mr. Sicilia is a poet building a movement to free Mexico from the spiraling violence of the ‘war on drugs.’ He will be honored at our annual Human Rights Awards Gala happening on June 1 at historic Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco.

Find out more about this exciting event.

Pablo Solón, Bolivian Ambassador to the UN

Wilma Subra, Gulf Coast activist

Mr. Sicilia joins our other 2011 Human Rights Awards recipients, Pablo Solón, Bolivian Ambassador to the UN, and Wilma Subra, Gulf Coast activist. You can learn more about all of our human rights honorees past and present here.

Javier Sicilia is a Mexican father, poet, and citizen who lost his son in a drug war massacre on March 28, 2011. Juan Francisco Sicilia Ortega was murdered along with six friends in an act of violence that Morelos state authorities immediately dismissed as “a settling of accounts.” Juan Francisco and his friends’ murders took place in the context of more than 38,000 mostly nameless victims of this cruel and unnecessary war.

Rather than retreat to the shadows of shock or fear, Sicilia has turned the pain of his searing loss into a tool for peace by convening marches and building a movement to free Mexico from the dogmas, dark alliances, impunity, and political expediency that fuel this tragic war.

I could go on and on about what an awesome, courageous, inspiring man Javier Sicilia is, but instead just watch this video:

More than 1200 people elected Javier Sicilia to be the Global Exchange “People’s Choice” human rights award winner. As the People’s Choice honoree, he will receive $1,000 in honor of his work and will be recognized during the Human Rights Awards gala celebration.

MARCH IN SOLIDARITY

Join Mexico’s growing peace movement that has called for a massive civic mobilization this Sunday, May 8th. The main event will take place in Mexico’s Zocalo and will be echoed by marches and vigils in many countries. More info here.

COME TO THE GALA!

If you’ll be in the Bay Area on June 1st, I hope to see you at our Human Rights Awards gala for a night of inspiration, celebration and fun! For event info click here and to buy tickets for the event click here (by May 13th if you want to score the Early Bird discount!)

P.S. Two of my personal heroes Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield (founders of Ben & Jerry’s) are emceeing the event. How awesome is that?!