As a result of renovation work occurring at our University of Richmond meeting location, the January meeting will be held at the Clover Hill Branch of the Chesterfield County Public Library, located at 6701 Deer Run Dr, Midlothian, VA 23112. The date of the meeting will be January 15 and the normal 7:30 pm time.
Anyone with an interest in participating in the work of Amnesty International is invited to attend.
Please visit this site regularly for announcements regarding meeting location, date and time.
Earlier this summer, AI released a report that found the US government violated the rights of unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the US by holding them in prolonged and indefinite detention at the Homestead “temporary influx” facility in Florida, and called on the US Department of Health and Human Services to shut it down (HHS).
Today, AIUSA launched a new action and briefing as part of this campaign to close Homestead, that will target the private contractor operating the facility, Comprehensive Health Services (CHS), a subsidiary of Caliburn International, LLC (Caliburn). By running the center and providing core services, the for-profit company CHS is enabling the government to detain children at Homestead. CHS’s contract with HHS expires on November 30th, 2019.
While all the remaining kids in Homestead were relocated from the facility in August 2019, Homestead is still open for business and can detain children at any time.
Kids seeking safety should be free and reunited with their families, not warehoused and processed in an industrial line. Homestead is no home for children, and no company should see a business opportunity in an abusive system.
AIUSA is demanding CHS to stop its operations at Homestead as soon as possible and to not renew its contract with the US government to operate this facility.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Send an email to Jim Van Dusen, the President and CEO of Caliburn, demanding CHS stop its operations at Homestead and not renew its contract there!
Share on social media a link to the online action with the hashtag #SayNoToHomestead.
Sign a postcardto Van Dusen using AI branded postcards. Contact your FO and refugees@aiusa.org to receive these postcards.
To fill it out, include your city and state in the upper left corner, sign your first name at the bottom along with a personalized note, place all postcards (even if just one) into an envelope, and mail it postcard directly to:
Jim Van Dusen
CEO
Caliburn International, LLC
10701 Parkridge Blvd
Suite 200
Reston, VA 20191
After mailing, make sure to follow up with your FO and refugees@aiusa.org with how many postcards you sent him so we can monitor how many he is receiving from AIUSA activists!
Drop a banner: On November 20, Universal Children’s Day, Amnesty activists in the US and around the world are dropping banners in their communities, in solidarity with children seeking safety. Contact your FO and refugees@aiusa.org if you’re interested in this action, and we’ll send resources and guidelines on how to proceed!
Call (action forthcoming): We are creating a call line to direct you to Caliburn so you can take action over the phone. We will send further details and a call script when available.
Many thanks for all your support on this campaign. Let’s get CHS to #SayNoToHomestead!
It is our sincere pleasure to invite you to this year’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference. Join us on Saturday, November 16th, 2019, as we stand shoulder to shoulder in Richmond to make a lasting human rights impact. The goal of all Regional Conferences is to create a transformative experience focused on human rights education, skills-building, networking, and inspire action.
As activists, we will be challenged to initiate change within our own communities. This will only happen with you – we need you there!
If you (or a member of your group) are 17 years of age or younger, AIUSA requires that this waiver agreement be completed by a legal guardian and that a chaperone accompany you for the entire duration of the conference. AIUSA does not assume responsibility for minors.
AIUSA offers reimbursements for those utilizing childcare services for their children in order to attend a regional conference. You will be given the opportunity on the registration form to indicate that you require childcare. If you select yes, a representative of AIUSA will follow-up via email with further details. Please note that if these requests haven’t been made prior to October 14th, we cannot guarantee these services.
TICKET PRICES:
Early Bird Rates have now ended. Online registration will close at 11:59 pm EST on November 4th.
General – $45
S/E/S/FI – $30
Group Rate – $15
Please Note:
Student/Educator/Senior Citizen/Fixed Income Rate (S/E/S/FI): This discounted rate, available for members and non-members, is for students, educators, senior citizens, and individuals living on a fixed income.
Group Rate: To be eligible for a discounted group rate, you must register a minimum of 5 people for the conference.
Disclaimer: Registration fees are non-refundable and non-transferrable.
Vacations will absorb the month of June for members of Amnesty Richmond, therefore the next regularly scheduled meeting will be on July 17th at 7:30 pm in Ryland Hall on the beautiful University of Richmond Campus.
Selective extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detentions, and deaths and injuries caused by the excessive use of force by Nicolás Maduro’s government as part of a systematic and widespread policy of repression since at least 2017 may constitute crimes against humanity.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 17, 730 pm, on the campus of the University of Richmond. Directions may be found at https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ryland+Hall,+2+Ryland+Circle,+Richmond,+VA+23226/@37.577471,-77.537154,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b11498f6a7c5eb:0x1f0f6886af93dab9!8m2!3d37.5774707!4d-77.5371539?hl=en-US.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 20, 730 pm, on the campus of the University of Richmond. Directions may be found at https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ryland+Hall,+2+Ryland+Circle,+Richmond,+VA+23226/@37.577471,-77.537154,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b11498f6a7c5eb:0x1f0f6886af93dab9!8m2!3d37.5774707!4d-77.5371539?hl=en-US.
We invite anyone in the Richmond area who is interested in learning about and contributing a little towards the advancement of human rights.
Our next meeting is scheduled for MONDAY, January 14, 730 pm, on the campus of the University of Richmond. Directions may be found at https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ryland+Hall,+2+Ryland+Circle,+Richmond,+VA+23226/@37.577471,-77.537154,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b11498f6a7c5eb:0x1f0f6886af93dab9!8m2!3d37.5774707!4d-77.5371539?hl=en-US.
We invite current and prospective members to kick off the new year by attending this meeting.
