LETTER FROMBOARD CHAIR

Dear Human Rights Activists, On behalf of the Board of Directors of Amnesty International USA, I am honored to welcome you to the 2013 AIUSA Regional Conference. The Regionals this year come at an extremely important time, as we welcome our new Executive Director, Steven Hawkins, and embark on exciting new initiatives. Our organization has been through a period of adjustment, and I am pleased that we are on the road towards becoming a more united organization. That’s partly why the theme for this year’s Regional Conferences strikes me as particularly timely. The “Power of Us” signifies the movement as a collective whole. It reinforces the fact that regardless of our backgrounds, it takes all of “Us,” working together to maximize our impact. Throughout the changes, our human rights work has taken and will continue to take priority. For me, the re-launch of the Urgent Action Network resonates with deep personal meaning. When I was imprisoned as a young anti-apartheid activ-ist in South Africa many years ago, the Urgent Action that Amnesty issued on my behalf helped to secure my release. In addition, we recently watched as the United States signed the Arms Trade Treaty, representing the culmination of over 20 years of dedicated work by Amnesty. These are just two examples of great human rights progress of which we as an organization can be extraordinarily proud. This weekend you will have the opportunity to learn more about these and other critical areas of AIUSA’s work as you participate in workshops, seminars, and train-ings. We hope these sessions will plant the seeds for important initiatives, resolu-tions, and approaches for the coming years. They offer an opportunity to engage on a real, concrete level, with lasting impact for years to come. My fellow Board members and I look forward to meeting many of you at the Board sessions, where we will begin a conversation about reviewing AIUSA’s governance. Your input and participation is essential for AIUSA to improve its governance processes, align with AI’s Core Standards and ensure meaningful membership participation. I hope that you will be engaged and excited as you learn more about the incredible work by members throughout the country and the world. Please always remember that together, as a movement, we have extraordinary strength: the Power of Us. I thank you so much for all you do. In solidarity, Ann BurroughsChair, Board of DirectorsAmnesty International USA

Dear Activists, Supporters and Members:

I am in the early weeks of my work as executive director, and I have already witnessed the extraordinary power of this movement to save lives and protect human rights. It is my honor to add my voice to the Power of US and welcome the Power of you, our members, activists and supporters to the 2013 regional conference.

I have been an activist for many years and joined Amnesty determined to strengthen the enduring promise all of U.S. make to people here in the United States and around the world whose rights are under threat – to do the most we can to protect and preserve human rights.

In my first week, I joined with elated colleagues to watch as the U.S. government added its signature to the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, a life-saving effort that Amnesty originated two decades ago and campaigned ceaselessly to see adopted.

Within days of this victory, Herman Wallace was released from a Louisiana prison where he had been held as one of the “Angola 3” under the abusive conditions of solitary con-finement for more than 41 years – longer than any other prisoner in solitary in this country. Though we celebrated his freedom, it was a bittersweet victory, coming only days before his death from cancer.

I know that these and other human rights victories are only achieved through the efforts of Amnesty’s extraordinary activists, supporters and members.

I’m proud to join Amnesty USA as executive director. I have spent years leading the struggle for civil rights in the United States, including work to overturn the ultimate human rights abuse: the death penalty. At heart, I am an organizer and fellow activist and I know that only together as a movement can we bring about meaningful change.

That collective power starts with the action of one person – you. Amnesty’s grassroots membership is our most unique and powerful asset. Every one of you who participates in a rally, signs a petition, lobbies an elected leader, makes a donation, has impact.

Our challenge today, as we see an alarming erosion of human rights worldwide, will be to harness the full power of our grassroots constituency and reach new supporters, espe-cially through digital platforms where we know we can have an even greater impact in terms of sharing our perspective on the world.

Now more than ever, individuals facing dangers and abuses in the United States and around the globe need our voices and our commitment to justice to bring about change.

This is a challenge I know you are eager to take on. The seminars and workshops you will participate in at our weekend regional conferences are designed to give you the tools you will need to maximize your impact and amplify your voices as you continue to call for human rights change.

I could not be more proud to join you in that call right now, when we have such an oppor-tunity to connect people here in the United States in the global fight for human rights.

I look forward to achieving more human rights successes with you. On behalf of everyone at Amnesty, thank you for all that you do.

In Solidarity,

Steven W. HawkinsExecutive Director of Amnesty International USA

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

REGISTRATION

Visit the registration table located in the pre-function area to check-in and pick up your conference packet. On-site registration and AIUSA membership renewal is also available here.

NEW TO AIUSA?

FIND YOUR FO

The Ideas Fair is a forum to learn about and take action on current AIUSA priorities and a space for AIUSA groups to creatively display their ideas and accomplishments. Visit the Ideas Fair in the pre-function area to get ideas for your group and learn about events and actions taking place across the entire Southern Region!

Need help figuring out how to choose workshops? Visit the registration table to talk to staff and volunteers who can help you navigate the conference and make sure you get the most out of your conference experience!

Field Organizers are your key to all the resources Amnesty International has to offer, including the Volunteer Leaders in your state! Find your Field Organizer while you’re at the conference to connect you to leaders in your area and make sure you are well prepared when you head back home.

CONNECT WITH THE SOUTH’S ONLINE COMMUNITYAre you friends with us on Facebook? Are you following us on Twitter? Connect with us online today!

Saturday 8:00am-4:00pm

Saturday 8:30am-4:00pmIDEAS FAIR

If you live in…

www.facebook.com/amnestysouth @AIUSASO

NC, SC, LA, AL, TN, FL: Ebony Brickhouse GA, TX, OK, AR, MS: Lexi Merrick

AGENDAFriday, October 25th

Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm Session: Human Rights Welcome ReceptionLocation: Twain‘s Billiards and Tap 211 E Trinity Pl Decatur, GA 30030

Saturday, October 26thTime: 8:00am – 9:00am Session: BreakfastLocation: Decatur Ballroom BTime: 9:00am – 9:15am Session: Welcome to the Southern Regional Conference!Location: Decatur Ballroom B

Time: 9:15am – 10:30am Session: Plenary: Ending the Death Penalty in Our LifetimeLocation: Decatur Ballroom B

Time: 10:30am – 11:45am Session: The Power of Us: Human Rights ActionLocation: Decatur Ballroom B

Time: 11:45am – 12:15pm Session: Comments by Steven Hawkins, Executive Director of AIUSALocation: Decatur Ballroom B

Time: 12:15pm – 12:45pm Session: Lunch and Networking with AIUSA Volunteer Leaders and StaffLocation: Decatur Ballroom B

Time: 12:45pm – 1:45pm Session: Resolutions Voting PlenaryLocation: Decatur Ballroom B

Time: 1:45pm – 2:00pm Session: BreakTime: 2:00pm – 3:15pm Session: Workshops (Block A) Details on page 9Time: 3:15pm – 4:30pm Session: Workshops (Block B) Details on page 10Time: 4:30pm – 5:30pm Session: Plenary: Career and Involvement PanelLocation: Swanton Amphitheatre

Time: 9:15am – 10:30am Session: State CaucusesLocation: Details on Page 11

Time: 10:30am – 11:30am Session: BrunchLocation: Decatur Ballroom B

Time: 10:30am – 11:30am Session: SAC BrunchLocation: Mary Gray C

Sunday, October 27th

Time: 11:30am – 12:30pm Session: Keynote Speaker: Robert KingLocation: Decatur Ballroom B

Saturday 11:45am -12:15pm

Comments by Steven Hawkins, Executive Director of AIUSA

Decatur Ballroom B

Sunday 11:30am-12:30pm

Keynote Speaker: Robert King

Robert King, Introduced by Jasmine Heiss

Decatur Ballroom B

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Robert King Robert King Wilkerson is a former member of the Black Panther Party. He spent 29 years in solitary confinement in the Louisiana State Prison aka Angola Prison for a crime that prison officials pinned on him in an effort to neutralize his effective organizing abil-ities. They planned to keep him in a 6x9 cell for the rest of his life, but he finally proved his innocence and was released in February of

2001. Since his release, King has worked to free two other former Black Panthers, Al-bert Woodfox and Herman Wallace, who are still incarcerated at Angola. They were also framed and even though extensive proof of their innocence has been established, both still remain in solitary confinement after 34 years! Collectively, they are referred to as the Angola 3. Robert King Wilkerson, who is now Robert King has spoken before Europe-an parliaments in belgium and the parliament in Portugal. He has also spoken in the Netherlands, France, Indonesia, England, Germany, and Venezuela in regard to the A3 and all political prisoners in the U.S. King was received as a guest and dignitary by the African National Congress in South Africa and has spoken with Desmond Tutu. Amnes-ty International has added them to their ‘watch list’ of ‘political prisoners’ / ‘prisoners of conscience’. He is the author of a soon to be released book “A Cry from the Bottom of the Heap”. He continues to lecture across the U.S. besides making a living, wherever he is, as a candy maker. Since being flooded out of his home is New Orleans, he has resided in Austin, Texas with his famously enthusiastic dog Kenya and a crew of friends that he keeps connected.

Time Session Title Speaker RoomSpeaker

Time Session Title Speaker RoomSpeaker

Steven W. Hawkins, Executive Director of AIUSABefore joining Amnesty International USA as its Executive Director, Steven W. Hawkins was the executive vice president and chief program officer of the NAACP. He is a nationally renowned attorney and grassroots advocacy leader at the forefront of social justice issues, including death penalty abolition, criminal justice reform and defending

civil liberties. As an attorney, he brought litigation that led to the release of three teenagers wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death row in Tennessee. He was also a law professor in South Africa during apartheid, teaching black lawyers who faced discriminatory treatment in the courts. Steven obtained his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and New York University.

Steven Hawkins

Alicia Koutsoulieris has been a long time supporter of Amnesty International. She joined the local Chapter 519 in Orlando in 2009, serving in several volunteer leadership positions, and was recently hired by Amnesty International to serve as the Death Penalty Campaigner for the state of Florida. In addition to her work with Amnesty international, Alicia serves on the Board of Directors for the Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FAPD) and is the Vice President of the United Nations Association of Greater Orlan-

do. Alicia has a BA in International and Comparative Politics and a BA in History with minors in Middle East Studies and Religion. She is a long time resident of Orlando and is married with one son, Dimitri.

Alicia Koutsoulieris

Jared Feuer is the Deputy Director of Membership Mobilization for AIUSA. At Amnesty, Jared has been instrumental in the Troy Davis Campaign, implementing the Maze of Injustice Report’s recommendations on the rights of indigenous women in Oklahoma, and Amnesty’s Rebuild the Gulf campaign on the rights of Katrina survivors. He comes to Amnesty from the ACLU where he was the National Online Organizer building their first online programs and as Executive Director of the Suffolk Office of the New York Civil

Liberties Union where he was involved in the first battles over 287g’s. He has an undergraduate degree from Brandeis University, a Masters from Georgetown University in English with a focus on marginalized voices, and is currently obtaining his MBA at Georgia Tech.

Moderator: Jared Feuer

9:15am-10:30am Saturday, October 26th

In the past six years, six states have moved to abolish the death penalty. The movement to end capital punishment is continually growing and gaining power across the United States. During this plenary, we’ll hear from voices across the movement and discuss the current state of death penalty abolition in the South

and across the nation.

Time Date Room

Plenary “Ending the Death Penalty in Our Lifetime”

Decatur Ballroom B

Mark Elliott Mark Elliott is a native Floridian from Tampa, where he now resides. He attended colleges in Colorado and Florida. In 2004 he left a career in medical technology systems and began work to abolish the Death Penalty as State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator for Amnesty International USA. His first assignment was working to pass legislation to end the Juvenile Death Penalty. In 2006 he became Executive Director of FADP – Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Since then, FADP has

become the statewide coalition that represents many of the various and diverse stakeholders in Florida’s struggle to abolish the Death Penalty.

Brian EvansBrian Evans is the Director of AIUSA’s Death Penalty Abolition Campaign, coordinating AIUSA’s participation in state abolition campaigns, the work of state-based volunteer leaders, members, groups and online activists, and engages in in all phases of strategic planning and implementation of AIUSA’s clemency campaigns. He writes regularly for Human Rights Now, AIUSA’s blog: http://blog.amnestyusa.org/author/brian-evans/ Prior to moving to Washington, DC, he was a founding member

of the AI group in Austin, Texas, and of the Texas Moratorium Network. Brian has a Masters degree in Middle East Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. He served for 8 years as Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia Country Specialist for AIUSA, and has been on AIUSA’s Denounce Torture Working Group.

PLENARY SPEAKERS

Herman Lindsey spent more than 3 years on Florida’s notorious Death Row. On July 9, 2009, the Florida Supreme Court ruled unanimously (7–0) that Herman Lindsey be acquitted and released from Death Row. He became the 23rd exonerated Florida Death Row survivor and the 133rd person to be exonerat-ed from U.S. Death Rows since the Death Penalty was reinstated.

Herman Lindsey

Kendrick PerkinsKendrick Perkins is a senior at Stephen F. Austin State University studying art history and Spanish. He is currently in his second term as a Texas SAC and hopes to continue promoting LGBT and women rights both at home and abroad. Joining Amnesty International introduced him to human rights activism and gave him considerable insight into human rights injustices happening across the globe. This knowledge compelled him to do more and be the voice for the voiceless.

Edith GarwoodEdith Garwood co-founded the AIUSA campus group (now Kennesaw State University) in 1984. She served as AIUSA Country Coordinator for Israel and the Occupied Territories during the first Intifada (Uprising), 1987-1993 and currently serves as Country Specialist for Israel/OPT/PA. Edith is a member of the Coordination Groups Steering Committee and a member of AIUSA Group #712 in Charlotte, NC. She lived in Jedda, Saudi Arabia, 1996-1998 and participated in non-violent, direct actions in the

occupied West Bank during second intifada, July 2002. Ms. Garwood has written several opinion pieces concerning the Israel-Palestinian conflict and continues to travel in the region regularly. She studied Hebrew at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1987 and is familiar with Arabic and proficient in French. Edith is the recipient of the 17th Annual Human Rights Award by the Human Rights Coalition of North Carolina.

Zeke JohnsonZeke Johnson is the Director of Amnesty International USA’s Security & Human Rights Program. He advocates for effective US security policies that comply with international law. His areas of expertise include detention, interrogation, lethal force and drones. He has testified before members of Congress about US drone strike policy and serves as an observer of the military commissions at US Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. His analysis has been cited by the Associated Press, CNN, NPR, The New York Times,

The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and other media. He earned a B.A., with high honors, in Philosophy from the University of California at Berkeley.

Ebony BrickhouseEbony Brickhouse is a part of Amnesty International’s Southern Regional team. She is a Field Organizer and covers the states of Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Louisiana. Her background is in the labor movement as a union organizer, and she is honored to have the opportunity to be a part of the ever growing human rights movement.

PLENARY SPEAKERS

Cammie Croft is a nationally renowned digital and technology strategist who was recently made Amnesty International USA’s Chief Digital Officer. For the past 13 years, Croft has been using digital and technology tools to transform the way organizations, political campaigns, companies, and the government engage with the public. She got her start as a community organizer working to protect the environment and prevent the war in Iraq. Her work has been featured in POLITICO, The Atlantic, TechPresident, O’Reilly

Media, The Seattle Times, and others. Most recently, Croft served as senior advisor and director of Digital Strategy and Communications at the U.S. Department of Energy where she established the first Office of Digital Strategy and transformed the department’s online presence into an award-winning program. Prior to joining the Energy Department, she was deputy director for New Media at the White House where she played a pivotal role in creating and shaping the White House’s first New Media department. Croft graduated with distinction from the University of Washington in Seattle. She is also an alumnus of the New Organizing Institute.

Cammie Croft

Time Room

4:30pm-5:30pm Swanton Amphitheatre

Come out to hear from AIUSA Volunteer leaders and staff about how they got to where they are today and what inspires them to work on human rights.

Moderator: Rachel Stanley Rachel Stanley is the Program Coordinator at The Global Village Project, a school for refugee girls in De-catur, Georgia, but has been a member leader in Amnesty International for years. She began her Amnesty career as the coordinator of both her high school and college chapters and eventually became a Student Area Coordinator. She is now the Chair of the Southern Regional Planning Group. She graduated from Elon University in 2013 with a Bachelors of Art in International Studies. She is an Atlanta native.

Saturday, October 26th

Date

Plenary “Career and Involvement Panel”

Saturday, October 26th 2:00pm – 3:15pm

Is this Security? Surveillance, Drones, Guantanamo, Torture & Islamophobia Room: Mary Gray CZeke Johnson, AIUSA Security with Human Rights Program Director and Sahare Wazirali, AIUSA Texas Student Activist CoordinatorWe’ll connect the dots between the US government’s mass surveillance program, drones, Guanta-namo and Islamophobia--and we’ll empower ourselves to end human rights violations in the name of national security. In addition to learning the human rights substance, we’ll focus on a key skill to educate the public and achieve change: media activism. We’ll learn how to write effective, strategic op-eds and letters to the editor and get them placed!

Skill Building through Write for Rights Room: Henry Oliver FJasmine Heiss, AIUSA Individuals and Communities at Risk CampaignerCome learn about this year’s Write for Rights cases and have the opportunity to be trained in campaign strategies and tactics that have local relevance while standing in solidarity with the global human rights movement.

Gender Violence and Women’s Rights in Egypt Room: Swanton Amphitheatre Cristina Finch, AIUSA Women’s Human Rights Program Managing Director and Dr. Laura Bier, Assistant Professor at Georgia Tech University’s School of History, Technol-ogy, and SocietyLearn about gender violence in Egypt during recent protests. Speakers will focus on justice for women protesters who have been beaten and sexually assaulted for exercising their rights while also looking at the larger context of the fight for women’s rights and the creation of a political cul-ture based on respect for all human rights.

#winning: Building Our Movement and Winning Human Rights Victories Room: Mary Gray DEbony Brickhouse, AIUSA Southern Field Organizer and Amanda Armstrong, Southern Region Representative for AIUSA’s National Resolutions Committee and Oklahoma Area CoordinatorBuilding a movement for human rights requires relationships, recruitment and leadership devel-opment. In this workshop, participants will learn the strength of a distributed leadership model of organizing and explore how this model enables human rights victories. Participants can expect an active session where we explore the connections among and between members, groups, member leaders and staff, and share strategies for building a strong team in your group, your state, and your organization.

Why the Core Standards, and Why they Matter Room: Henry Oliver EEmily Hong, AIUSA Board of DirectorsThe 2013 International Council Meeting recently passed a resolution defining Core Standards for the movement. AIUSA, in conjunction with the IS, has committed to a governance review process which will also include aligning ourselves with these standards. Please join us for an initial discussion about the Core Standards, the governance review process, and why both are important.

WORKSHOP BLOCK A

Saturday, October 26th 3:15pm – 4:30pmDelivering the Message: Death Penalty Events that Appeal to Hearts and Minds Room: Henry Oliver FBrian Evans, AIUSA Death Penalty Abolition Campaign DirectorLearn and discuss some basic facts about the death penalty and then hear an emotionally compel-ling story to learn how events can appeal to the heart. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn and practice how to organize to bring such compelling speakers to their events.

The Pen Against Oppression: The Right to Education and Freedom of ExpressionRoom: Henry Oliver EEdith Garwood, AIUSA Country Specialist for Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and the Palestinian AuthorityWe will look at Amnesty International’s current priorities for Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territo-ries, and the Palestinian Authority. The workshop will include a discussion of the campaign to stop blockading Gaza students, as well as a discussion of the case of Nabi Saleh, whose case is featured in the 2013 Write for Rights campaign.

No Right Without a Remedy: Access to Justice for Victims of Corporate Human Rights Abuses Room: Swanton Amphitheatre Theresa Harris, AIUSA Business and Human Rights Coordination Group MemberAccess to judicial remedy is one of the major problems facing corporate accountability advocates. When victims of corporate human rights abuses can’t effectively engage with the legal system to hold corporations accountable or remedy the abuses, it creates an environment of impunity. This session will include a presentation of three AI case studies that highlight the barriers to justice that victims face, and will explore how advocates can act to ensure that impunity is overcome.

We the People: Lobbying to Win Human Rights Victories Room: Mary Gray CMichael O’Reilly, Deputy Executive Director for International Coordination and Member Advocacy at Amnesty International USA Actions by US government officials can influence affairs around the world. That’s why government advocacy is one the key tactics that Amnesty International USA uses to advance its human rights agenda. From our fight to end violence against women to our campaigning for the release of prison-ers of conscience, moving key US authorities to action can be pivotal to success. In this workshop, we’ll highlight key legislative priorities for the coming year, and we’ll provide you with skills and techniques to help you recruit your Members of Congress to be defenders of human rights. Join us for this fun, interactive session that will include hands-on practice for your own visit with a Member of Congress.

Telling Your Story: Public Narrative Room: Mary Gray DSungmin Sohn, AIUSA North Carolina Student Activist Coordinator and Lexi Merrick, AIUSA Interim Southern Field Organizer Why do you fight for human rights? As a leader in the Amnesty International movement, your voice and your story matters, and when you tell your story you can motivate others to take action. Come learn about the many reasons your fellow activists are called to be a part of something bigger than themselves, craft your own story, and develop your ability to recruit new leaders who can help our movement grow stronger than ever.

WORKSHOP BLOCK B

North Carolina and Alabama Mary Gray C

South Carolina and Louisiana Mary Gray D

Texas and Oklahoma Henry Oliver F

Decatur Ballroom B

Arkansas and Mississippi Henry Oliver E

STATE CAUCUSES9:15am – 10:30am Sunday, October 27th

Join together with activists from your state to plan for the remainder of 2013 and

the upcoming year!

States

Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee

Room

USRESOLUTIONS

Amnesty International is a grassroots organization. Any individual member or group of members has an opportunity to impact the mission, method, policy, organization, or allocation of resources. Resolutions are a means by which members can influence policy on a regional, national, or international level. The purpose of a resolutions is to direct a change in policy, in the method for instituting policy, or in Amnesty Interna-tional’s organizational structure.

At the AIUSA Regional Conferences, resolutions may be voted on by individual vot-ing members who have paid dues to AIUSA or submitted a valid dues waiver; and by one designated delegate from each AIUSA Student or Local Group.

Votes will be taken Voting Card during the Resolutions Voting Plenary. To verify eligi-bility, come by the Registration Table.

Those eligible to receive a Voting Card are:

· Individual Voters: a current, dues-paying or dues-waived national member of AIUSA. · Group Voters: Designate a group representative (one vote per AIUSA Student or Local Group) and submit a Group Voting Authorization Form, signed by the group coordinator, to the personnel distributing Voting Cards at the Registration Table.

SESSION

DATE & TIME

ROOM

MODERATOR/FACILITATOR

Resolutions Voting Plenary

SAT 10/26 – 1:15-2:15 pm

Decatur Ballroom B

Ms. Amanda Armstrong

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThank you! This conference would not have been possible without the tireless work, dedication, and enthusiasm of Amnesty International USA volunteer leaders and ac-tivists. With your help, the South was able to once again host a dynamic, engaging, and empowering event that will advance human rights in the region.

The Southern Region would like to give a special thanks to the following:Guest Speakers and Moderators: Mark Elliott, Herman Lindsey, Sahare Wazirali, Amanda Armstrong, Edie Garwood, Theresa Harris, Sungmin Sohn, Kendrick Perkins, and Robert King Regional Conference Planning Committee: Rachel Stanley, Roberto Gutierrez, Shohbit Keswani, Shunda Carlisle, Michael Andrews, Brendan Lyman, Amanda Armstrong, and Kendrick PerkinsAIUSA Interns: Melissa Cruz,Taylor Randleman, Hansel Enriquez, Natasha Lemmens, and Angela CheslerAIUSA Board of Directors: Emily Hong AIUSAStaff: Brian Evans, Alicia Koutsoulieris, Steven Hawkins, Zeke Johnson, Jasmine Heiss, Cristina Finch, Michael O’Reilly, and Cammie Croft.And all of the staff at the Courtyard Marriott Decatur for serving our meeting needs.

FLOORPLAN

CONFERENCE CENTER

HOTEL

www.amnestyusa.org