Welcome to jhr @ McGill!

To find out more about the individual portfolios, please look at the Advocacy, Events, Newspaper, Radio, and TV pages. Check out the Opportunities page for info on international internships and calls for submissions to national publications, and learn more about us on the About and jhr Exec pages.

Email us any time at jhrmcgill@gmail.com and stay in touch with the goings on by joining our Facebook group.

For the latest news and announcements, scroll down!

Published by the SSMU, a student society of McGill University

Welcome to winter semester with jhr!

Activities Night

Activities Night will be held in SSMU on Thursday, January 19. Stop by to be part of a jhr workshop, or simply to say hello and learn more about the club. Looking forward to seeing you there!

General Meeting

Stay tuned for the date and time of our bi-annual general meeting. Everyone (new members, old members, anyone who thinks they might be interested in jhr) is welcome to come out to this event. Exec will discussing their portfolios and plans for the semester, and there will be an opportunity to talk to the exec and join their teams. We always welcome new members!

Rights in Black and White

Come out to jhr’s biggest fundraiser of the year, Friday, January 20th at Muzique nightclub! This is a formal event – come dressed to impress in your best black and white! Tickets are 7$ and can be purchased in advance by calling/texting Inna at 514-594-2449 or stay tuned for tabling locations next week. Join the facebook event here. Ladies get free drinks before midnight!

Highlights from last semester

A big shout out to everyone who was involved in any way with jhr last semester. We had a hugely successful term. For just a few examples of the work we accomplished, visit the Newspaper page to read two new issues of Speak, or the Advocacy page to see a video produced for Hollerday. Also stay tuned for our very own TV team’s documentary, coming soon!

jhr McGill needs you to “holler” and drink. Y’dig?

HOLLER
On Nov 1st and 2nd (Tue and Wed), we will be set up in the SSMU kiosk from 11 am to 5 pm with information on sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its effect on lives/communities. We will have a video camera to record your “holler” for a short video. Come speak your mind on the use of sexual violence in warfare, who needs to be held accountable, the importance of the media in regards to human rights, etc. Anyone can come learn and give their input! When you participate, you will get discounted admission to…

DRINK
Come grab some drinks on Thursday, November 3rd at Brutopia (1215 Crescent St, 10 pm, come to the second floor). For just $5 (and only $2 if you come “holler” at SSMU!), you can enjoy some fantastic live music from Pat Lesyk and HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS ALL NIGHT! You’ll have an awesome time and all of your friends are going. See you there!

——
All funds raised on HollerDay will go towards Journalists for Human Rights’ efforts to pressure local authorities in the Congo to protect women, men and children from being raped. jhr has been working with local media in the DRC for the past three years. As a result, there has been greater media exposure and demands for accountability.

jhr 2011-2012 Executive Elections: Call for Candidates

Submissions of Candidacy DUE: Sunday March 27th, 5pm
Elections: Wednesday March 30th, 5:30pm in the Break Out Room (2nd floor of SSMU)

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=142873015778791

We’ve had an amazing year at jhr McGill, and it’s time to elect next year’s executive. Any SSMU student is eligible to run  and to vote as long as you are on our listserv and/or one of our media or events teams.

To celebrate one of our accomplishments this year, we’ll be kicking off elections event by showcasing our TV team’s short documentary on tuition hikes.

The positions are:
President
VP Internal
VP Advocacy
VP Events
VP Newspaper
VP Layout
VP Radio
VP TV
VP Communications

The descriptions of the positions from our constitution are below. You can also check out http://jhrmcgill.wordpress.com/meet-the-exec/ to see profiles of the current exec members. If you have any questions about any of the portfolios, please feel welcome to email them to jhrmcgill@gmail.com.

To submit your candidacy, please send a short blurb (under 200 words) of why you would like to run and why you think you would do a good job tojhrmcgill@gmail.com by Sunday, March 27th at 5pm with the subject line “Candidate: Position” (e.g. “Candidate: VP Layout”). We will email out these statements in advance of the elections. Voting will take place in person on March 30th after 5:30pm in the Break Out Room (2nd floor of SSMU).

Elected candidates will be expected to attend a transition meeting in April (don’t worry, we’ll try to schedule it around everyone’s exams…).

From the jhr McGill Constitution:

5.1 The role of the Chapter President is to:
• Represent JHR and act as a liaison between the Chapter and the Head Office
• Act as chairperson for all general meetings and executive meetings
• Co-sign financial transactions with the treasurer
• Coordinate the overall activities of the club
• Maintain the accessibility of the club to all members

5.2 The role of the VP Communications is to:

Get your vocal cords ready for HollerDay!

How can one student, one school, your school, help bring peace to the lives of women in the Congo?

The answer is simple, HOLLER.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has been called the Rape Capital of the World, thousands upon thousands of women are victims of sexual violence every year.

This HollerDay, March 4th, make as much noise and raise as much money as possible to make real, sustainable change in the DRC. Every dollar you raise will go directly to supporting women’s rights in the Congo.

Every dollar donated will go directly to jhr (Journalists for Human Rights) programs fighting widespread rape and other forms of sexual abuse in the DRC.

jhr is Canada’s largest international media development organization. jhr’s goal – to make everyone in the world fully aware of their rights – is as unique as it is powerful. Creating rights awareness is the first and most necessary step to ending rights abuses. By mobilizing the media to spread human rights awareness, jhr informs people about human rights, empowering marginalized communities to stand up, speak out and protect themselves.

Go to hollerday.ca to raise your voice.

New issue of Speak!

Check out the last Speak! issue of 2010.

Education issue coming soon…  SPEAK! issue 7.2

Events and opportunities coming your way…

Rights in Review: Call for Submissions!

Posted on jhr.ca by justineabigail on December 13, 2010

Rights in Review is jhr’s bi-annual peer-reviewed academic journal. Through scholarship addressing human rights awareness and improving peace and security, jhr looks to provide a forum to exchange ideas from a variety of perspectives regarding the pressing human rights and social justice issues of our day.  This volume of Rights in Review aims to address themes around media and development and how the Communication Age and its many tools are aiding in the advancement of human rights.

We are now accepting submissions for our 3rd volume of Rights in Review until January 30th, 2011.  For a full list of guidelines please click here.

All submitted articles will be subject to an impartial, peer-review process, in addition to an anti-plagiarism program.

For more information, please contact our Youth Engagement Coordinator Ken Zolotar at ken@jhr.ca

Want to work a human rights documentary film festival?

We are looking for:

Media Coordinator

He/she will be responsible for the coordination and follow through of local press releases, community news, McGill out reach, etc. The coordinator will be working with the JHR head office for major media outlet distribution as well. The coordinator will also be responsible for creating and maintaining a social media presence. We’re looking for someone organized with promotional experience and communication skills. Bilingualism is an asset.

Sponsorship Coordinator

He/she will be responsible for the recruitment of sponsors, but mainly establishing working relationships with sponsors. We’re looking for someone personable with strong communication skills. Bilingualism is an asset.

Community Partnership Recruiter

He/she will be the link between JHR and other organizations partnering with us on DOCFEST. The recruiter will be networking with like-minded organizations and will be responsible for cross-organizational promotion and cooperation. He/she will work in tandem with the Media Coordinator. Again, the recruiter should preferably have strong communication and organizational skills. Bilingualism is an asset.

Graphic Computer Designer

We need the designer to help aestheticize the website, and design for the promotional activities of DOCFEST. We’re open to different skill sets.

Treasurer

He/she should be comfortable with overseeing all inflows and outflows of cash – must be highly organized, and readily available as finances concern all parts of the organization of DOCFEST.

Please submit a CV and letter of intent to mtldocfest@gmail.com by January 31^th if interested. Please indicate the position(s) you are applying for in the e-mail subject. The film festival is scheduled for sometime in early April, so please only apply if you will be available for the majority of the winter semester.

THANKS!

JHRDOCFEST

Journalists for Human Rights Concordia: Official call-out for submissions

Journalists for Human Rights, Concordia will be hosting a spoken word/ poetry reading/ word artists‘ Night4Rights on February 12, 9-11:30 pm at Shaika Cafe in NDG.
The goal is to raise awareness on human rights, using our ability with words in any form, so that everyone can enjoy living with dignity.

We are currently looking for submissions on any human rights-related topic, such as, but not limited to:
~~ local – international – war – peace – poverty – environment – rant- water – pollution – food – trade – labour – politics – health – sanitation – academic – financial – law- professional – age – race – gender ~~

Write something new, or submit something that has stood the test of time.
Music is also welcome.
There are no guidelines – please be creative.
Have your say.
Multiple submissions are welcome from everyone.

The deadline for submissions is 7 pm on February 10
Submit to jhr.concordia@gmail.com

General Meeting coming soon…!

Hi everyone!  And a big welcome to all of our new members!

jhr McGill would like to remind you about the upcoming General Meeting on Monday, Jan. 24^th, at 6pm in the Lev Bukhman room of SSMU.

Execs from every portfolio (newspaper, radio, TV, advocacy, and events) will be there to discuss plans for the upcoming semester.  Bring your ideas and get involved!

During the meeting, we will also be electing a new VP Events and VP Newspaper to take take over the positions this semester.  Please read over the candidate’s pen sketches below and come vote!

See you on Monday!

Candidates for VP Newspaper…

Speak Silence pledges now online!

For everyone who is excited to be involved in Speak Silence (or who is supportive but can’t imagine keeping quiet for more than 10 minutes), you can now collect pledges (or sponsor your friends!) online here!

If you haven’t signed up for Speak Silence yet, you can here!

 

Amy Miller and Derek MacCuish talk social justice media at Student Journalism Week

Journalists for Human Rights McGill is proud to collaborate with The McGill Daily’s Student Journalism Week to present a discussion of social justice journalism.

SOCIAL JUSTICE JOURNALISM: Amy Miller & Derek MacCuish
Friday, November 5th, 7pm
Leacock 219, McGill University

Amy Miller is a media maker and social justice organizer based in Montréal. She directed the documentaries ‘Myths for Profit: Canada’s Role In Industries of War and Peace’ and ‘Outside of EUrope’ which were produced by Wide Open Exposure the company she co-runs. She has worked extensively with The Dominion and The Media Co-op and other independent media projects across North America.

Derek MacCuish has been with the Social Justice Committee of Montreal (SJC) since the early 1990s, editing the Upstream Journal and coordinating programs on economic policy and international institutional reform. He was formerly adjunct professor at Concordia University (2000-2007), teaching seminars on global governance. He has guided the development of the Upstream Journal from a newsletter for SJC donors to a nationally distributed commercial magazine. He oversees the work of volunteers and interns who prepare the journal’s content while receiving training in journalism.

National Publication Opportunity: Journalists for Human Rights’ Speak! Magazine

Each year, university chapters of Journalists for Human Rights across Canada collaborate to create a national publication. This year’s theme is the Millennium Development Goals, and we’re looking for articles and photography relating to the topic. Please direct short one-page pitches and any questions you might have to speak.jhrryerson@gmail.com, cc’ing jhrmcgill@gmail.com. First drafts will be due November 17.