Academy for Human Rights (2026)

15/05/2026

📣 Attention WNY high school students 📣 Registration is OPEN for the 19th Annual Summer Symposium Art as Resistance: Mobilizing YOUth to Challenge Injustice!

🎨 This three-day youth conference invites students to explore how art, music, theater, poetry, and media have challenged injustice across history and continue to resist tyranny today. Participants will learn from inspiring artists, activists, and historians through hands-on workshops that empower youth to speak truth to power and take action in their communities, their nation, and the world.

📅 July 7, 8, & 9, 2026 | 9 am - 4 pm
💵 $200 | Scholarships are available
📍 Erie 1 BOCES | West Seneca, NY

👉 More information and registration here: https://www.academyforhumanrights.org/art-as-resistance

11/05/2026

✨ Meet the Board: Rachel Adel ✨

By day, Rachel Adel is a social studies teacher at Orchard Park High School—sparking curiosity, encouraging critical thinking, and inspiring students to engage with the world around them. Beyond the classroom, she wears many hats as the Sign Language Club advisor, co-advisor of the volunteer club, and assistant to the community service award program.

Rachel’s passion for education is deeply personal. As a third-generation Holocaust survivor, she is driven to help students understand the importance of standing up in the face of injustice and using their voices for good.

So why AHR? 💭
“Having had the opportunity to participate in teacher conferences and trainings, I know firsthand the benefits AHR provides to educators across the area, which in turn directly influence our students. Serving on the board has been a way to give back to an organization that has given me so much.”

We’re so grateful to have Rachel’s dedication, perspective, and heart on our board! 💙

04/05/2026

✨ Meet Katelyn “Katie” Kerker (she/her) ✨

Katelyn Kerker is the Communications Director of the Academy for Human Rights—and her journey with AHR began as a student in its founding year back in 2008! 🌍

Katie holds an M.A. in International Development with a focus on conflict resolution and post-conflict peacebuilding from the University of Denver, and a B.A. in Global & International Studies from SUNY Oswego. Her passion for human rights has taken her around the world—from studying human trafficking in Kolkata, India, to exploring peacebuilding efforts in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

An AmeriCorps VISTA alum, Katie is deeply committed to service and community impact. When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her browsing her local library for a new read 📚 or hiking with her dog, Clutch 🐾

We’re so lucky to have Katie helping share and amplify the mission of AHR! 💛

28/04/2026

✨ Meet Jon Connors ✨

“What motivates me as a board member is seeing students grow into confident advocates who challenge the status quo and stand up for others. Being part of the Academy for Human Rights is my way of giving back to the Buffalo community by helping create opportunities for students to understand global issues and take action locally. The Academy gives them the tools—and as treasurer, I am helping ensure those tools are available and accessible to all.” 💛🌍

We’re grateful for leaders who are committed to empowering the next generation!

23/04/2026

📣 Registration is OPEN for the 19th Annual Summer Symposium: Art as Resistance!

🎨 Open to incoming 9th graders through graduating seniors, this three-day youth conference invites students to explore how art, music, theater, poetry, and media literacy have challenged injustice across history and continue to resist tyranny today. Participants will learn from inspiring artists, activists, and historians through hands-on workshops that empower youth to speak truth to power and take action in their communities, their nation, and the world.

📅 July 7, 8, & 9, 2026 | 9 am - 4 pm
💵 $200 | Scholarships are available
📍 Erie 1 BOCES | West Seneca, NY

👉 More information and registration here: https://www.academyforhumanrights.org/events/event-four-3g765-h2ygf-wkrw7-ka7dz

20/04/2026

✨ Meet Lori Raybold (she/her) ✨

Co-founder of the Academy for Human Rights and an English teacher at Hamburg High School, Lori is dedicated to empowering students through education and advocacy 📚🌍

She holds Bachelor’s degrees in English and Education from Penn State and a Master’s in English from SUNY Fredonia. Lori has expanded her work through experiences like the Yale Conference on Genocide and the Belfer National Conference for Educators.

In 2009, she traveled to Rwanda with humanitarian Carl Wilkens—an experience that continues to influence her commitment to human rights education. Through her work with the Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo, Lori has also coordinated educator trips to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and other organizations in Washington, D.C.

We’re proud to have Lori as part of our team! 💛

13/04/2026

🌟 Meet Tara DeVay 🌟

Tara DeVay (she/her) is the Program Manager of the Academy for Human Rights and Assistant Principal at Albion High School. With over 20 years as a social studies educator, she has dedicated her career to advancing human rights education and empowering students to become compassionate, informed up standers.

In the classroom, Tara developed a genocide studies elective and founded Do Gooders, a student-led humanitarian club driving real impact at local, national, and global levels. She’s also a Teacher Fellow with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and a founding member of the Holocaust Educator Network, helping expand access to high-quality Holocaust education for educators across her region.

Beyond her work, Tara enjoys traveling, running, and spending time with her family. 💙

09/04/2026

📣 Meet the Speaker: Evan Vahratian

Evan serves as the coordinator of the Family Support Center for the Clarence Central School District - a role he has proudly assumed since 2021. He is a 3rd generation survivor of the Armenian Genocide, with his childhood spent in the frequent and close company of his paternal grandparents, both ethnic Armenians whose families fled Turkey during the Genocide, eventually settling in Detroit.

Over the last twenty years, including the last 16 years in school districts across Maryland, Michigan, and New York, Evan has focused his career on working with youth and families who are often part of marginalized or underserved populations.

Evan holds a M.Ed. in Physical Education from the University of Arkansas, and a B.S. in Special Education - Emotional Impairments and Health Education from Eastern Michigan University.

👉 Register for AHR's afternoon educator conference, Generations After Genocide: Celebrating the History and Resilience of the Armenian People to hear from Evan and leave with classroom-ready materials on the Genocide and genocide denial: https://www.academyforhumanrights.org/events/generations-after-genocide

📅 Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | 4 pm - 8 pm
💵 $50 | Includes light meal
📍 Erie 1 BOCES | West Seneca, NY

06/04/2026

🌟 Meet Abigail Cordaro 🌟

Abigail is AHR's Board of Directors President and the Program Director at NASP HQ in Washington, DC, where she leads the planning and ex*****on of programming—from educational forums and conferences to partnerships, communications, and financial literacy initiatives—expanding access and opportunity in the financial services industry nationwide and beyond.

💬 “Growing up in the AHR family instilled in me a deep commitment to building a more equitable, just, and informed society. The Academy shaped my academic and professional path, and I carry its mission with me in all the work I do.” - Abby

01/04/2026

Registration is open for the annual Alison Des Forges Symposium: Peace and Justice in the Taiwan Strait. The symposium will explore the complex cultural, historical, and political interactions among the Republic of China, People's Republic of China, and the United States with a view to maintaining de facto peace and defending human rights on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

📅 Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
📍In-person at University at Buffalo, North Campus | Online via Zoom

👉 For more information and to register visit: https://www.alisondesforges.org/upcoming-events/2026/2/13/how-to-maintain-peace-and-secure-justice-in-the-strait-of-taiwan

Please note: The Academy for Human Rights is not a co-sponsor of this event. All questions should be directed to the Alison L. Des Forges Memorial Committee.

30/03/2026

🌟 Meet Drew 🌟

Drew (he/him) is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Academy and an 8th grade Social Studies teacher at Springville Middle School. He also co-founded the Educators’ Institute for Human Rights, bringing Holocaust-based human rights training to educators around the world.

Drew has collaborated with organizations like the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Lowell Milken Center, and the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, and helped create educational resources on Syria and North Korea. Over the past 15 years, he has inspired thousands of educators globally on the power of education to heal the world.

In 2021, he was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. 👏

Academy for Human Rights

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