NATIONAL TRAINING OF TRAINERS (TOT) FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION
Paul Aladin comes from Haiti. He has been here in the United States for
8 years. Since that time he has been working with many organizations.
Paul is currently a technician and a welder. He tries his very best everyday
to work with different ethnic groups and help them to have a better life.
Jason Christenson was born and raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He
received his degree from Moorhead State University and worked for seven
years as a high school english teacher in Saint Paul. He recently retruned
to Thomson, North Dakota where he lives with his partner, his daughter
and his partner’s daughter. Jason is the HIV Prevention Coordinator
for the State of North Dakota, which is a new position created to improve
prevention efforts for the spread of HIV infection.
Amy Fastenau is a freelance graphic designer and media artist who lives
in Minneapolis. She has been self-employed for approximately 12 years
and has worked with a variety of clients in such areas as print promotion,
collateral, identity & branding, packaging, retail signing, and presentation
work. She is currently wishing to make a career shift and has been working
in schools as an artist-in-residence. She is still trying to find her
niche, but feels as though she is heading in the right direction. She
is originally from Nebraska, where she was raised on a family farm. She
attended college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and then fled the
country for a year. When she returned, she moved to Minneapolis where
she has resided for 13 years. She lives in south Minneapolis with her
partner, Mike Michel, and their two pets, Gary and 2-Tone.
Walter Fisher has over 25 years of experience in community-based programming,
and has been a diversity trainer for nine years. Walter’s diversity
training experience originated through involvement with the Anti-Defamation
League’s A World of Difference program in 1994. Since then, he has
conducted diversity training programs for both public and private organizations,
including corporations, school districts, colleges and universities, law
enforcement agencies, and the United States Armed Forces.
For the past four years, he has been part of the International Network
on Education for Democracy, Human Rights, and Tolerance—a consortium
of academics, non-governmental organizations, teachers, and trainers,
who examine issues of diversity and human rights from international perspectives.
The “Network” meets periodically and engages in collaborative
research and program development. Each year a conference is held in Europe
to showcase the work of our organization. At last years conference in
Hamburg the workgroup in which Walter participated showcased a training
format and manual entitled “The Power of Language.”
Nancy is now a consultant for human rights education after a quarter century
as a high school teacher and administrator. She has worked to develop
Amnesty International USA's education program and is a co-founder of Human
Rights USA. As a consultant to UN agencies, governments, and NGOs, she
has helped establish national and international networks of educators,
develop materials, and train activists, professionals, and military and
police personnel in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
She is the author of articles and books on human rights education, most
recently Local Action/ Global Change: Learning about the Human Rights
of Women and Girls (UNIFEM, 1999) and The Human Rights Education Handbook
(Univ. of Minnesota Human Rights Resource Center, 2000) She edits the
University of Minnesota Human Rights Resource Center's Human Rights Education
Series.
Nancy lives near San Francisco, where she is an avid gardener, yoga practitioner,
and beekeeper.
Marion Helland email marionhelland@comcast.net
Marion Helland has taught junior high school students in Bode, Iowa, and
has taught fifth grade students in Davenport, Iowa and Robinsdale, Minnesota.
She has also worked as a teacher for Gifted and Talented students 6-6
in the Robinsdale Area schools in Minnesota. She currently teaches Offensive
Behavior Corrective Classes in the Robinsdale Area Schools. Marion is
also an adjunct faculty member at Hamline University and an instructor
in Critical Thinking, SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity)
and Hands Across the Campus.
Phoenix is absolutely committed to the liberation of low-income women
of color. She has demonstrated this commitment through her tireless struggle
to promote opportunities for women to get off dependency systems –
such as welfare, and build their capacity to work towards their dreams
– without having their dreams turned into nightmares by the complex
dynamics of systemic oppression. She has demonstrated a clearly evolved
capacity as a respectful, facilitative, and passionate leader with the
righteous anger of a committed activist. Phoenix has fourteen years of
business and Human Resource management experience. She has proven community
organizing, outreach and recruitment, interviewing, evaluating and organizational
skills. She is an articulate communicator and effective trainer who motivates
colleagues and assistants to work at their best. Phoenix has recently
started a one-person consulting firm, Bennu Enterprises, Inc. As a Community-Based
Consultant she designs, facilitates and hosts seminars focused on building
the power of low-income woman of color and grassroots organizational development.
In addition she provides consulting services to small – medium sized
minority-owned organizations in the area of Small Business Management,
Human Resources, Bookkeeping and Office Organization. She is a graduate
of St. Paul Technical College and is presently attending Metropolitan
State University studying Human Resources Management with an emphasis
in Training and Development.
Stacy Janisch email
stacyjanisch@hotmail.com
Stacy Janisch is currently pursuing a master’s degree in social
justice in intercultural relations form the School for International Training
(SIT). She has worked as an Intercultural Educator for the past five years.
Her work experience includes being a Cultural Diversity Trainer with Chicanos
Latinos Unidos en Servicio and the Coordinator of Adult and Community
Education for the Resource Center of the Americas. While at SIT, she worked
with a group of students on campus to create workshops to dismantle racism.
She is fluent in Spanish and has traveled extensively throughout Latin
America.
Rebecca Janke email peace@umn.edu
Rebecca is the co-founder and co-director of the non-profit organization
Growing Communities for Peace. She is a peace education consultant for
pre K-college educators and a peacemaker artist in resident for pre K-elementary
school children. She is the co-author of The Compassionate Rebel: Energized
by Anger, Motivated by Love, which contains stories, questions and resources
regarding social action. The book Peacemaker’s ABC’s for Young
Children, which she co-authored with Julie Penshorn is now being used
in 6, 000 locations worldwide. Her current focus is developing an on-line
peace and human rights bookstore in partnership with the Human Rights
Resource Center.
Tamirlan is from Russia. He graduated from The State Dagestan University
Law School in 1999 in Makhachkala, Russia. Then he entered the Diplomatic
Academy Post Graduate Studies in Moscow. In 2002 he was admitted to University
of Minnesota Law School to pursue legal studies. He is a 2003 LL.M. graduate
from the U of M. Currently he is an intern at the Human Rights Center.
He hopes that upon his return back to Russia he will work for an international
human rights organization applying all theoretical and hands-on experience
he acquired in the USA.
Bill Means is one of the founders of the International Indian Treaty Council
and is a current board member. For nine years, he served as its executive
director. He is one of the Co-Founders of the United Nations Working Group
on Indigenous Populations, and is an expert on United States and Indian
Treaty Relations. Bill has over ten years of experience in the development
of American Indian Education programs. He has extensive teaching experience
at Oglala Lakota College, the University of Minnesota and Augsburg College.
He has served on the boards of the World Archeological Congress, Agricultural
Mission of the National Council of Churches, the Legal Rights Center,
Little Earth Housing and the Human Rights Commission of the National Congress
of American Indians. Finally, for the past seven years, Mr. Means has
worked in the field of sustainable development, delivering technical assistance
and education to small Indigenous communities throughout the Americas
through the Indigenous Trading Company.
Melvin Monette is the director of the United Tribes Community Educators
Program at the University of North Dakota under the American Indian Student
Services. He is as a gay, Native American, divorced, legally single/domestically
partnered, full time biological step father to four 11-14 year olds. Melvin
is openly gay and has worked to advocate for the equal rights of minority
status students at UND. Additionally, Melvin speaks on campus about his
life as a whole person vs. compartmentalizing all of his diverse statuses.
With his forthcoming Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and
a planned doctorate in Social Justice Education, Melvin wants to reach
the masses of American children through teacher education.
Gwen McCrea is committed to social change through education and creative
expression. She grew up in Iowa, came to Minnesota to attend Macalester
College (where she was involved with dismantling racism work and the peace
and justice movement) and has lived in Minnesota for the past 11 years.
After having worked for the Haisla Nation Rediscovery Program in British
Columbia, Canada and having studied sustainable development in Bolivia
with the School for International Training, Gwen has focused her work
and studies on the struggles for self-determination of Indigenous Peoples
in the Americas. She recently completed her Master’s degree in Geography
at the University of Minnesota and is currently pursuing her Doctorate
in Geography with a focus on anti-colonial scholarship and the politics
of land rights. She is also currently interning at the Minnesota Human
Rights Center on the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Project. Gwen lives
in Minneapolis with her partner and their 6-year-old son.
Raul Ramos is a Community Outreach and Recruitment Specialist for Minnesota
State Colleges and Universities. He works in outreach to communities of
color and in the recruitment and retention of faculty, staff and students
from under-represented groups for the MnSCU system. A graduate of Minneapolis
Community and Technical College and a life long learner, Raul has a deep
commitment to education and a passion for bringing that commitment to
the populations he serves. He also serves as a trainer for Minnesota Collaborative
Anti-Racism Initiative, offering a training process that deals with systemic
and institutional change as a way of combating racism. He is the chairperson
for the education committees of the African-American Male Project and
the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Minnesota. At work he is an open and
honest person who offers assistance to all. His efforts are directed towards
making Minnesota and MnSCU an inclusive place where all people are valued
and respected.
Leon is the new associate dean for diversity and community at Bethel College.
He brings a rich background and understanding of diversity to his work.
Raised in South Africa during the apartheid era, he graduated from the
University of Western Cape (in South Africa) and became a social worker.
Leon taught in the university's Department of Social Work, and then went
to the University of Minnesota to complete his graduate work. He served
as an assistant professor in multicultural education and youth development
for the U of M for the past three years. Outside of the college education
system, he has been involved in a number of community organizations devoted
to creating social justice and eliminating racism.
Leon oversees activities for students of various ethnic and racial backgrounds
and conducts programs to encourage diversity at Bethel. He teaches diversity
related courses and helps multicultural and international students develop
a sense of belonging in Bethel's community. His vision for Bethel includes
expanding existing efforts to develop an inclusive environment for students
of color and building diversity within the campus community.
Frank Sage is very dedicated to his cultural responsibilities and obligation
to the human race. He is pretty flexible regarding ideas, situation, and
time. When Frank advocates for something he remains loyal for what he
feels is right. The reason for such loyalty to his personal beliefs is
due greatly to family support. His parents are Andy T. Sage and Alice
Chiquito Sage, while he has two sisters and three brothers. Frank grew
up in Counselor, New Mexico, though he left home when he joined the U.S.
Army during which time he spent 5 years on active duty.
Jody Snow was raised in South Dakota and worked in the medical field before
becoming a high school Spanish teacher and moving west to central Minnesota.
Jody has been teaching about 9 years. She has traveled in Africa, South
America, Europe and Mexico. She is a member of City of Morris Human Rights
Commission and is currently learning the Dakota language.
Ann Streed was born and raised in Ortonville, a small west central Minnesota
community on the South Dakota border. There, her parents raised Ann and
her five siblings as “white” but encouraged the very diverse
extended family relationships of both her mother and her father. Ann’s
mother came from an agrarian culture—the farm, and her father came
from a culture of assimilation—the reservation. Ann moved to Morris
with her three young sons to finish college and start a “new life”
at the end of a interesting 10 year marriage. She has since remarried
(8 years now) and continues to live and work in Morris. She finds fulfillment
in her children, her husband, her family, her job (teaching), human rights,
her friends, politics, and home improvement.
Kate VanSickle is a new mother eager to show her daughter the amazing
world around her. A program advisor at the University of Minnesota, Morris,
Late coordinates the Multicultural Student Leadership Retreat, and is
heavily involved with the campus diversity initiatives. She has presented
diversity sessions and workshops at numerous l;ocal, regional, and national
educational conferences. Kate lives in rural Minnesota on the prarie,
dreams of taking her daughter to Brazil, and enjoys an occasional trip
back to Minneapolis where she grew up.
Ann Walter is of German descent, and was raised on a small farm by New
Prague, MN with 10 other siblings. She attended college at the University
of Minnesota and was employed in the Extension Service in Iowa and Minnesota
for 17 years in 4-H Youth Development. She received her M.Ed in Youth
Development Leadership at the University of Minnesota in 1998 and has
been training youth workers for the past year. HE is married and has an
18 year old daughter and a 15-year old son.
Tammie Yak is a recent graduate from Minnesota State University
Moorhead with a Bachelor of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in Gerontology.
Recently completed an internship with the Moorhead Human Rights Commission
and was hired on as part-time staff. She also serves as a board
member for PEPP (People Escaping Poverty Project).
