In addition to providing insight on global human rights, the Global Teacher Seminar aims to connect these themes to the local level and demonstrate how local organizations work to uphold, protect and promote the rights of all people.
1. Community Refugee and Immigration Services
Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) is an independent non-profit organization that serves the growing refugee and immigrant populations in Central Ohio. We have over 60 staff members that hail from more than 15 countries with many languages represented. Many of our staff persons have been refugees themselves and are integral members of the communities we serve.
A representative from CRIS will attend the institute to discuss refugee resettlement in Columbus.
2. Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force
The Governor’s Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force was formed to marshal the resources of the State of Ohio to coordinate efforts to identify and rescue victims, create a coordinated law enforcement system to investigate and prosecute human trafficking crimes, and to provide the services and treatment necessary for victims to regain control of their lives.
A representative from the task force will present information on human trafficking in Ohio.
3. Freedom Ala Cart
Freedom Ala Cart is a catering company that empowers survivors of human trafficking to build a new life of freedom and self-sufficiency. Through offering supportive services, practical life skills, dignified jobs and workforce training, Freedom a la Cart is a place where survivors can heal, learn and grow as they prepare for full-time employment opportunities in the community.
Freedom Ala Cart will cater lunch on Friday, June 9.
4. The Council on American Islamic Relations
CAIR-Columbus is a Chapter of CAIR – The Council on American-Islamic Relations. CAIR is a non-profit, grassroots civil rights organization that was established in 1994 in Washington, D.C. CAIR has grown to be the largest Muslim civil liberties organization with over 35 Chapters nationwide. CAIR works to protect the civil rights of Muslim Americans, to educate the public on issues that impact Muslim communities, and provide provide sensitivity and diversity training workshops to employers, educators and organizations.
5. Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign represents a force of more than 1.5 million members and supporters nationwide. As the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization, HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.
6. Kaleidoscope Youth Center
Kaleidoscope Youth Center is the only organization in Ohio solely dedicated to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth and their allies. The mission of Kaleidoscope Youth Center is to work in partnership with young people in Central Ohio to create safe and empowering environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and ally youth through advocacy, education, support, and community engagement.
7. US Together
US Together Inc., was founded in 2003 in response to the growing needs of refugees and immigrants in central Ohio. UST is a mutual assistance agency, which means it was started and is still run by former refugees. The agency’s founders have worked with immigrant and refugee populations since 1988. UST provides employment services, interpreters, citizenship and integration services, health access, ESL classes and more to refugees in Columbus.
8. SomaliCAN
SomaliCAN provides many services to New American communities in Central Ohio, includign: mental health services, media outreach, community preparedness, health literacy, language services, and consultations.
9. Somali Community Association of Ohio
The leading voice of Somalis in Ohio. Their mission is to advocate and promote self-sufficiency to the whole family through employment, education, cultural and social support for economic empowerment for immigrants.
10. Bhutanese Nepali Community of Columbus
The Bhutanese Nepali Community of Columbus is a community-based non-profit organization founded in 2009 to help new Bhutanese living in Columbus to achieve a better quality of life and assist them to navigate through daily complexities.
11. Ohio Innocence Project
The Ohio Innocence Project aims to exonerate individuals who were wrongly convicted of crimes. Innocence Projects across the country have freed more than 250 wrongfully convicted inmates to date. The Ohio Innocence Project to date has helped 23 individuals obtain their long-sought freedom.
12. Ohio Justice and Policy Center
The Ohio Justice & Policy Center works to navigate through a complex and tangled criminal justice system to create pathways to restoration for people, their families, and their communities. OJPC’s mission is to create fair, intelligent, redemptive criminal-justice systems through zealous client-centered advocacy, innovative policy reform, and cross-sector community education.
13. Hot Chicken Takeover
Hot Chicken Takeover provides supportive jobs to men and women who need a fair chance at work. Be it homelessness, previous incarceration, or another barrier to employment, HCT employees are wildly ambitious and have set their sights on what’s next. Once hired, they support their financial stability, personal growth, and professional development with an array of benefits.
14. Ohio Humanities
Ohio Humanities is the state-based partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Through grants and public humanities programs they help Ohioans interpret the past, imagine the future, and define individual values.
15. Ohio History Connection
The Ohio Historical Center works to preserve the state’s history from Native American history, to settlement and statehood and beyond. They are currently hosting a photo exhibit on the Bhutanese-Nepali community in Columbus.