2019 Year in Review – Tennessee United for Human Rights

2019 saw the expansion of Tennessee United for Human Rights, carrying out the work of the international organization United for Human Rights in the Southeast United States.

Tennessee United for Human Rights (TnUHR) was formed as a non-profit public benefit corporation in 2015 to educate Tennesseans on the basic principles and foundations of human rights. In 2019, the organization has taken great strides to provide help to people of all ages so they may understand their basic human rights.

Volunteers began the year by participating at the annual convocation for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Tennessee State University Gentry Center. They distributed the What are Human Rights? Booklets, spoke to community and religious leaders about the human rights education curriculum and how to help people with this knowledge.

Next, the group held an event to educate the community on human rights for International Mandela Day and announced the winners of the youth for human rights summer arts contest: Anna B. (5), Harper P. (5), Jazzelyn L. (11) and Norah H (11). Each of them received a prize for their human rights

artwork.

In September, the chapter organized a large event for International Day of Peace centered on the theme of religious freedom. The theme was “Speak Your Peace,” and featured a multicultural, multi-faith community of people who spoke to peace on a universal level.

Next month the group had a special service on International Religious Freedom Day where students were educated on their human rights, with a special focus on freedom of thought. Then, to close out the year, TnUHR was a co-organizer for the annual Tennessee Celebration of International Human Rights Day, a spectacular event which showcased human rights leaders for their work and uplifted others.

TnUHR is planning to begin 2020 with several events to continue promoting human rights. “The time for true human rights education is now,” says Julie Brinker, spokesperson for Tennessee United for Human Rights, “we’ve come far over the past few years but there is still more work to be done so that each and every person has a voice and human rights can be a reality for all.”

TnUHR is the local chapter of United for Human Rights (UHR), an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its membership is comprised of individuals, educators and groups throughout the world who are actively forwarding the knowledge and protection of human rights by and for all Mankind. United for Human Rights was founded on the Declaration’s 60th anniversary, in the face of continued worldwide abuses which violate the spirit, intent and Articles of this charter of all human rights, the first such document ever ratified by the community of nations. For more information about United for Human Rights, go to humanrights.com. For more information on the Tennessee chapter, visit tnuhr.org.

2019 Year in Review: Drug-Free Tennessee

2019 saw the expansion of Drug-Free Tennessee, carrying out the work of the international organization, the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, in the Southeast United States.

To start off the year, Drug-Free Tennessee (DFT) participated in events to distribute the Truth About Drugs booklets. The group held special events for World Health Day in April and International Day Against Drug Abuse in June.  World Health Day saw many health related organizations join together in the Church of Scientology community hall to network, learn and discuss ways to improve Nashville’s health for all. A keynote speaker from the Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services spoke about ways the community can come together to make a difference.

For International Day Against Drug Abuse, DFT called together several leaders for “How to Keep Our Youth Off Drugs” — a breakfast forum. Volunteers also traveled to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., for the National Association of School Resource Officers Convention to help provide tools to school resource officers, so they can in turn  educate students they interact with on the dangerous effects of drugs.

Next, DFT volunteers participated at National Night Out Against Crime, getting the booklets out to everyone who attended the Night Out celebration for the 11th year in a row.

October is a busy month for the drug prevention group with the final week “Red Ribbon Week,” being a nationally recognized time for drug prevention and education. DFT worked with groups to distribute Truth About Drugs booklets and held an event called “Learn Your Vitals” which offered free information along with health screenings, generously provided by nursing staff from Metro General Hospital.

Julie Brinker, Drug-Free Tennessee spokesperson, said, “We have had a good year, but drugs are still a problem in this state. We have big plans for 2020 and are ready to help anyone in the state who is trying to address this issue.”

Drug-Free Tennessee distributes the Truth About Drugs booklet, which cover all basic side effects of drugs, common street names, and how to recognize when you are being persuaded by a dealer. To learn more or to order booklets, visit drugfreesouth.org.

2019 Year in Review – Citizens Commission on Human Rights, Nashville Chapter

2019 saw the expansion of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, Nashville Chapter, carrying out the work of the international organization in the Southeast United States.

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Nashville Chapter began the year with a special event held in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day where chapter members held a workshop on overcoming past trauma. Community members were invited to learn ways to deal with past trauma, and how to overcome this through natural health tips and exercises.

CCHR Nashville then took its message of human rights for those being abused in the field of mental illness to a community event in the Edgehill neighborhood and to events for parents and educators including a Social and Emotional Learning Conference. Volunteers distributed fliers and spoke to people who have been victims of abuse in psychiatric hands.

In the Fall, CCHR premiered the new gripping documentary ECT: Therapy or Torture, in which victims of ECT tell of the irreparable damage of blasting a person’s brain with as much as 640 volts of electricity. One victim can’t remember her name or address, another lost 50 points of IQ, a third, given the treatment for depression after the birth of her baby, says, “they literally raped my soul.”

A Board Member of CCHR Nashville said, “CCHR volunteers are excited about all of the activity in 2019, but there is much more work to be done. People are getting hurt every day at the hands of psychiatrists. They must be brought to account for their actions.” Those who have experienced abuse are encouraged to visit cchrnashville.org and fill out the “report abuse” form.

CCHR is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious mental health industry watchdog whose mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health.  It works to ensure patient and consumer protections are enacted and upheld as there is rampant abuse in the field of mental health.  In this role, CCHR has helped to enact more than 150 laws protecting individuals from abusive or coercive mental health practices since it was formed five decades ago. For more information on CCHR, visit cchrnashville.org.

2019 Year in Review - Religion Communicators Council, Nashville Chapter

The Religion Communicators Council is an interfaith communications organization working to promote peace and fellowship while spreading the good news.

The longest running interfaith communications organization in the United States, the Religion Communicators Council (RCC), has chapters across the country that meet regularly and promote “excellence in the communication of religious faith and values in the public arena and encourage understanding among religious and faith groups,” according to the RCC website.

In Nashville, the RCC Chapter meets every other month to promote its ideals through conversations and learn from their peers about specific communications techniques to help in their professional development.. “People of faith have influence,” says Board Member of the Nashville Chapter, Julie Brinker, who also does community relations with the Church of Scientology, “We all need to step out and speak up because the good news, of which there is an abundance, tends to be overshadowed.”

The chapter had a busy year, hearing from religion reporters to video producers. The first meeting of the year was with Laura Buchanan, Senior Creative Content Specialist at United Methodist Communications, who spoke about what makes an idea stick. In Februray, RCC members heard from Reah Aitkin, the Regional Development Director of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on how to engage volunteers and get participation ...in other words, how to lead when no one listens.

The following month, the chapter heard from Kalinda Fisher who has created a series of community round tables around sometimes difficult conversations which she has dubbed "The Great Reset," and April saw best practices for fully utilizing research and how it impacts planning and future projects with Sheila King & Magda Vaughn. 

The May meeting covered paid advertising strategies with Debbie Hill, CEO of Creative Website Marketing.

Then the next three meetings were tours of various places. In July, it was the new Tennessean offices, in September RCC members toured the Islamic Center of Tennessee and in October, the Sri Ganesha Temple. 

The November RCC meeting was held at Glencliff United Methodist Church where RCC members learned about the church’s tiny homes project for the homeless, and in December, RCC board members met to review the year and set the course for 2020.  

RCC is open to members from all denominations, and the Nashville group includes Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Hindus and more.  For further information about the RCC or their next meeting, visit www.religioncommunicators.org.

United for Human Rights Holds Listening Session on Religious Landscape of Tennessee

Tennessee United for Human Rights brought in a special guest speaker for International Human Rights Day to share the landscape of religious freedom across the state, as part of a new series.

Tennessee United for Human Rights has just launched a new quarterly series: The Landscape of Human Rights in Tennessee. Each quarterly event will see a different focus that is intrinsic to basic human rights. The first, held recently for International Human Rights Day at the Church of Scientology Nashville, focused on religious freedom. A special guest speaker spoke about religious freedom across the state, discussed her upbringing and the formation of a group to help promote religious causes with community members.

“Religious freedom is such a basic human right, the very country we live in was founded on this principle,” says Julie Brinker, spokesperson for Tennessee United for Human Rights.

Human Rights day commemorates the United Nations adoption in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights--the world's premier human rights document. Despite the best intentions of those who crafted the Declaration, 68 years later, the UN points out, "disrespect for basic human rights continues to be widespread in all parts of the globe. Extremist movements subject people to horrific violence. Messages of intolerance and hatred prey on our fears. Humane values are under attack."

United for Human Rights is the world's largest nongovernmental human rights education campaign, active in 192 countries and partnering with 1,500 groups and organizations.  For more information, visit humanrights.com. 

The Way to Happiness Brings Moral Precepts to Neighborhood Association

The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee recently worked with a local neighborhood association to bring them all of the concepts of the common sense moral code.

The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee is always working to bring calm to neighborhoods by distributing copies of the booklet of the same name. Recently, volunteers took things a step further by speaking with community leaders, showing them each of the award winning 30 second public service announcements that illustrate the concepts in the book, and encouraging residents to take on the program themselves for their own neighborhood.

"True joy and happiness are valuable," begins the common sense guide, The Way to Happiness, written by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1980s. Since then, the book has sparked a movement and has been reprinted and passed hand to hand to a wide variety of cultures and peoples. In Tennessee, The Way to Happiness Association works with communities and neighborhoods to spread the booklet to as many people as possible. Organizers say that when the booklet is passed from hand to hand, it is like oil spread upon a raging sea, the calm flows outward and outward.

The Way to Happiness booklet details 21 precepts predicated on the fact that one's survival depends on the survival of others. According to thewaytohappiness.org, "This code of conduct can be followed by anyone, of any race, color or creed and works to restore the bonds that unite humankind." The Way to Happiness aims at giving people back a sense of what is right and wrong in a way that is easy to understand. In the three decades since it was authored, some 80 million copies of the book passed hand to hand.

Prior to showing the public service announcements, the neighborhood association was asked to share problems they face in the community. Many responses were about parenting skills, communication, and taking care of one’s own area, but still there were others who were more concerned with violence in the community. After the videos were played, the room was energized to spread these messages as they give so much hope for handling these troubles. Each resident was asked to take at least 10 booklets to share with their neighbors, and materials were soon being passed hand-to-hand, each person taking up the responsibility to share positivity.

The community plans to come together for a follow up event in March, 2020. For more information on The Way to Happiness, visit twthtn.org.

Human Rights Legends Honored at Annual Celebration in Tennessee

The Tennessee Celebration of International Human Rights Day was held on December 10^th in Nashville, Tennessee at the First Amendment Center.

Tennesseans gathered on December 10^th to celebrate International Human Rights Day. During the event, legends were honored with awards in three categories: Rising Advocate, Outstanding Service and Lifetime Achievement.

Human Rights Rising Advocate Awards went to Frances Anderson who has been working with refugees since 2011 and now has a position with Catholic Charities of Middle Tennessee as the state refugee health coordinator; and Tequila Johnson, co-founder and vice president of The Equity Alliance, a Tennessee-based nonprofit that equips black and brown citizens with tools and strategies to strengthen their communities and make government work better.

The Outstanding Service Award went to Rev. Keith Caldwell, pastor of Key United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro, Co-Founder of the Urban Epicenter, and president of the Nashville branch of the NAACP; and Rashed Fakruddhin, past president of the Islamic Center of Nashville who is involved in numerous multicultural and outreach events and programs throughout the year and also serves on the YWCA board where he is deeply involved with the AMEND initiative.

The Lifetime Achievement Awards went to Nashville attorney Abby Rubenfeld who was instrumental in getting gay marriage before the U.S. Supreme Court, and has been a longtime advocate for equal rights; and Rev. Edwin C. Sanders II, Senior Servant and Founder of Metropolitan Interdenominational Church which attracts a broad cross-section of people with the mission of being “inclusive of all and alienating to none.” The church’s outreach ministries include substance abuse, advocacy for children, sexual violence, and harm reduction, and since 1984 has provided services to persons infected with, and affected by, HIV/AIDS with the First Response Center being founded in 1992.

The theme for Human Rights Day was “Vote on Purpose: The Communal Impact of One Vote,” and focused on the 100 year anniversary of the women’s suffrage movement and how voter’s rights impact all other human rights. A panel incorporating this theme was moderated by David Plazas of the Tennessean and panel members included Aisha Lbhalla with the Muslim Women’s Council, Raul Lopez with Men of Valor, and Omari Booker, a local freedom artist.

The event was opened by singer/songwriter Courtney Ariel Bowden with her original song Burning Bright.

A committee of human rights organizations, nonprofits, and advocates, including the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, Metro Human Relations Commission, United Nations Association, Amnesty International, Scarritt Bennett Center,  Tennessee United for Human Rights, the Church of Scientology, and others, work together each year to plan the event.

“Human Rights Day gives the community a chance to acknowledge advocates and leaders while also learning more about what human rights really mean for all people,” says planning committee chair Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Church of Scientology in Nashville. 

All information regarding the event can be found on the website www.nashvillehumanrights.org.  

Nashville Religion Communicators Council Looks Back on 2019 and Plans for 2020

The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) meets monthly to talk about topics of interest and hear from professionals in religious communications.  

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing and public relations. The Nashville Chapter meets monthly at rotating locations to learn about other faith traditions, learn from fellow communicators and gain professional development opportunities.

The December meeting took place at the Cookery, a local restaurant which in addition to serving coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner and catering to the public, has a greater purpose. According to its website, “in The Cookery kitchen, formerly homeless students are trained and equipped in culinary techniques and food safety in order to prepare them for employment in Nashville’s food industry.” All revenue from The Cookery goes to cover all café expenses and back into Lambscroft Ministries programs to serve Nashville’s homeless.

During the meeting, RCC Board members for the Nashville Chapter reviewed the content of the year’s meetings and created a plan for 2020.

“We are so excited to launch a new series of programs for our members,” says Julie Brinker, Communications Coordinator for the Nashville RCC and Director of Community Affairs for the Church of Scientology Nashville, “We’ll have three different tracks on a rotating schedule so our members will get a lot of new opportunities to learn and grow as communicators.”

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Sikhs, Hindus and more. The RCC, founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, advertising and development.

The RCC provides opportunities for communicators to learn from each other. Together, RCC members promote excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena. The next Nashville Chapter meeting will be January 7^th, 2020. For more information about the Religion Communicators Council, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter.