Amnesty's Write for Rights Campaign at Friday Forum

Andy Swinkunas, Priya Vaikuntapathi, and Ashley Williams (left to right), who are members of Amnesty International UIUC,  ask Y staff, Emily Cross and Kasey Umland, to add their voice to the #Write4Rights Campaign. Featured Y Student Program News: Amnesty International UIUC Chapter Writes For Rights Last semester, Amnesty International UIUC, a student program of the Y, asked the campus community to turn their pens into weapons as part of the Amnesty International USA's Write For Rights Campaign. The way this process works is by sending letters to officials with the ability to free wrongfully imprisoned people. They receive letters from concerned citizens from all over the country requesting that cases be reopened or demanding that people be released. With enough letters for a duration of time, this puts the pressure of our attention upon them. The campaign has been very successful. Amnesty International USA's Write for Rights campaign is an example of grassroots efforts creating tangible change in the lives of people who have been wrongfully imprisoned. If you're looking for a way to use your voice, consider dropping by their website at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-involved/write-for-rights/ In light of the recent executive order on the refugee ban, Amnesty International UIUC is hosting a Write for Rights campaign this Friday, February 3 between 11:15am-1:15pm at the University YMCA.  If you are coming to this week's Friday Forum, which is about the state of incarceration in Illinois, be sure to visit Amnesty's table and add your voice to a letter or write your own. Learn more about Amnesty International UIUC and other University YMCA student programs at universityymca.org/student_programs/.