Students start UCF chapter of global human rights org.

UCF is taking a step forward for human rights by introducing  a new activism campaign on campus.

Garrett Grainger, a senior studying sociology and political science, and several other students are starting an Amnesty International chapter on campus. They said they wanted to start the club to spread the word on human rights.

Amnesty International, a nongovernmental organization, was founded in London in 1961 to advocate for the rights of nonviolent prisoners, according to its Web site. Now it is an organization that works against human rights abuses that occur around the world. It has tackled issues such as health care, violence against women, torture and free speech.

Grainger, who is the former president of the UCF chapter, said he was inspired to start it after reading about the issues that the organization addresses.

"I had a personal investment in founding the club," Grainger said. "I'm gay. I was raised in a homophobic community. I understand what it's like to not have your rights respected. Everyone has inherent human rights that haven't necessarily been recognized."

Alicia Koutsoulieris, the group's current president, has a bachelor's degree in political science and is working toward a second one in history. She said that UCF is a good place to have an Amnesty International chapter because the school is so diverse.

She said they hope that other UCF students can find an issue within Amnesty International that appeals to them ideologically.

Stephanie Parenti, a junior studying international relations, is the group's secretary. She said the organization focuses on issues worldwide.

"It doesn't matter if you're a republican or a democrat," Parenti said. "Plus, kids should be learning about this anyway, especially in college."

The organization is not financially, politically, ethnically or religiously motivated, Koutsoulieris said.

Grainger said that the fact that Amnesty International addresses the entire continuum of human rights issues demonstrates its nonpartisan approach. He said that human rights are indivisible.

"In other words, we cannot speak of political and civil rights without discussing economic and social rights," Grainger said.

He said that many groups address a single aspect of human rights without recognizing the way they connect with others. He said approaching these important issues with an umbrella organization was an important angle to deliver on campus.

Houman Sadri, an associate professor in the political science department, is the group's adviser. He said some of the founding members had been his students and that he supported them when they expressed interest in starting the chapter.

He said he encourages students to run an organization because it will reinforce their education.

"We teach students concepts, methods, theories of political science," Sadri said. "But teaching students how to coordinate activities, how to run an organization — this is not a skill we teach them in the classroom."

Sadri said that by joining Amnesty International, students have an opportunity to learn more about other cultures because the organization focuses on political rights of people all over the world.

"In western society sometimes we have a tendency to take for granted that we have not only rights, but other responsibilities," Sadri said. "In some other cultures we focus on responsibilities and not rights.

Sadri said that different cultures are interdependent.

"We are living in a shrinking world," Sadri said. "The differences are decreasing. Events in one part of the world impact events in another part."

Sadri stressed that students in any major can join Amnesty International. He said that it is the responsibility of students to use their time at an educational institution to not only learn more about their own major, but also learn to be a better global citizen.

"That type of awareness helps us make decisions," Sadri said.

Grainger said that Amnesty International is a useful resource for information about human rights. Amnesty International posts human rights reports on its Web site, which can help students get an idea of what's going on around the world.

The group plans to participate in several upcoming events, including the International Day of Peace, hosted by the UCF United Nations Association, and the Come Out with Pride parade. The students continuously work on petition and letter-writing campaigns as well.
The students began working in the spring semester. The main obstacle they have faced is obtaining status as a UCF Registered Student Organization. Their constitution is currently in the reviewing process, which is the last step they need to pass before becoming an official RSO.

The UCF chapter of Amnesty International meets every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the gazebo behind Howard Phillips Hall.