Article 19

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

facebook.com/amnestywest • twitter.com/amnestywest August 2010

What’s Inside
Activist Spotlight: New Payson, AZ Local Group Organizing Toolbox: Online Activism
Women‟s Rights: Keep up the IVAWA pressure ! FAQ: What is the impact of letter writing and petitions?
Campaign Focus: Protest for Shi Tao‟s 42nd Birthday New Faces in Amnesty West
Amnesty West Calendar Open Leadership Positions

Activist Spotlight: New Payson, AZ Local Group

Penny Navis-Schmidt recently founded Amnesty International’s
Payson Chapter, and she’s very excited about all the new endeavors
she and the group members are taking on.

Why did you start a local group?

I have been interested in human rights all my life, mostly civil rights and women's rights, but I became more
aware about political prisoners. I became really enraged by the way the prisoners in Guantanamo are
treated on American soil. And so many people are not aware of what you can achieve by writing letters.

How did you get started?

It was the right time in my life now that I am working a little less, and the situation in the world is too bad. I
got in contact with Kezia, who has this youthful optimism, while I have a certain wisdom. Together we have
this energy and bring people together who can't sit around either. We put an ad in the local paper and 10
people suddenly came out of the woodwork, wanting to take up a pretty
active role. Surely the help from Amnesty International is huge: there's a
wonderful Field Organizer, there are interns who can make you a poster, “Real passion
there's a bin of materials they can provide. They make it really easy.
shows through”
What challenges are you faced with?
We're in a small rural and conservative community like you find a lot in America. The people are set in their
conservative ways, so they feel uncomfortable when they have to take a look at their prejudices. Our
challenge is to overcome the fear of stepping on people's toes and to get people's mind to open. But real
passion shows through. You have to trust your passion and beliefs and speak out in public.

What are you hoping to work on?

We are working on Demand Dignity, because everyone has a passion about health care. People are
mortified with maternal mortality rates. It‟s a campaign that unifies people. We‟ll also be working on the 3
American hikers in Iran. We‟ll be having a hike for humanity with the hiker clubs in Payson, by means of
awareness and fund raising. It is an issue that shows we could all be prisoners of conscience.

((( Which activists should we interview for the next Activist )))
((( Spotlights? E-mail your suggestions to [email protected]! )))

Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
 Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

facebook.com/amnestywest • twitter.com/amnestywest August 2010

Women’s Rights: Keep up the IVAWA pressure!

Exciting news! The International Violence Against Women Act
(IVAWA) is making progress in the U.S. Congress and it has a
real chance of passing this year, but it is critical that you keep
up the pressure.

There's a crowded political agenda and members of Congress need to hear that their constituents
care about ending violence against women around the world. The International Violence Against
Women Act will support services and justice for survivors of violence, prevent violence against
women whose lives are already devastated by conflicts or natural disasters and improve existing
violence prevention programs to make them more efficient. Many of you have asked your
member of Congress to support IVAWA before, but they need to hear from you again! We
are hopeful that the bill will move to the floor of the House and the Senate very soon and members
of Congress will have the opportunity to vote. Secure your member of Congress's vote for IVAWA,
urge them to cosponsor IVAWA and support the bill when it comes to the floor of the House or the
Senate. An activist push is needed, particularly in September !
((( Find template letters, media resources and call scripts in the )))
((( IVAWA Action toolkit, Fall 2010 at www.amnestyusa.org/ivawa )))

Campaign Focus: Protest to Commemorate Shi Tao’s Birthday

On July 27th, the Amnesty USA Western Regional Office, with the support of San Francisco Group 30 and
students from the Civil Education Project, organized a silent protest in front of the Chinese Consulate calling
for the immediate release of imprisoned journalist, poet and blogger Shi Tao. Over 30 activists held a stoic
vigil with black duct tape across their mouths symbolizing their solidarity with Shi Tao and Prisoners of
Conscience all over the world that have been silenced by their governments.
Shi Tao is the Western Region‟s Special Focus Case and under the charges
of “illegally providing state secrets to foreign entities,” the Chinese government
sentenced him to 10 years in prison in 2005. The Chinese journalist had used
his Yahoo! email account to send a U.S. pro-democracy website a summary of
a government order directing media organizations in China to downplay the
15th anniversary of the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy activists.

Field Organizer William Butkus spoke to the media and the diverse crowd
of supporters and after a moment of silence, each activist laid a red
carnation in front of a large birthday card dedicated to Shi Tao, which
was placed on the steps of the Chinese Consulate. Click here to see a
news clip from the protest. Take action for Shi Tao at 2
www.amnestyusa.org/shitao!
 Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

facebook.com/amnestywest • twitter.com/amnestywest August 2010

Around the Region Organizing Toolbox: Online Activism

Sep 22: Screening of The Response with Online Activism is an ideal platform to communicate with
panel discussion, Portland OR members, and your group‟s presence online can create
opportunities to take action for many members who might
Oct 9: New Mexico Student Activist not be able to attend meetings.
Training, Albuquerque NM
Join Facebook and Twitter
Nov 5-7: Western Regional Conference, Create a profile page for your group on Facebook and
San Francisco CA. provide important contact information. Create a Twitter
Dec 10: Human Rights Day account and update your group activities regularly.

Mar 17-20: Annual General Meeting, San Spread the word

Francisco CA. Create an event on Facebook and send invites to all the
people who you think will be interested. Before the event,
follow up with each person who said they were coming
and make sure they will do so.
New Faces
Crowd sourcing
The Western Regional Office welcomes our Crowd sourcing is a way to gather innovative ideas and
new intern Xanna Ward-Dixon! Xanna joins expertise on issues by opening up the problem or task to
us from London and has recently graduated people within and outside your network. If your group
from Edinburgh University with a Masters wants to organize a fundraiser and is out of ideas, post it
degree in Religious Studies. online and see what ideas come your way.
We are also very excited to introduce Glen “Friend” Amnesty West
Nielsen as the new Area Coordinator for Add „Amnesty West‟ as your friend on Facebook and
Northern California! Glen will work closely follow us on Twitter. Don‟t be afraid to ask for help in
with the WRO to serve as an advisor to local navigating online activism tools – we can provide trainings
groups in Northern California. and tips for your group. Contact your Field Organizer!

FAQ: What is the impact of letter writing? Signing petitions?

AI was founded when one man wrote one letter. One letter sparked a thousand, and a thousand letters
sparked even more. Today, letter writing and petitions remain an integral part of AI and of how AI works in
solidarity with prisoners of conscience and other campaigns. Over the last 50 years, more than 44,000
prisoners of conscience and political prisoners have been released from prison, in large part due to letter
writing and petitions.
One example is the successful release of Roxana Saberi, an American-Iranian journalist arrested by Iranian
authorities for allegedly spying. 26,000 messages were sent by Amnesty activists to the Iranian government
demanding her release, and on May 11, 2009 she was set free. It was the combination of everyday action,
such as letter writing, and international diplomacy that worked to release her.
Dominga Vasquez was threatened and harassed when she opposed the expansion of mining in her
community. After AI released an Urgent Action for letters on her behalf, the threats stopped. She wrote
“Sometimes we felt almost alone, but I realize now that we did have support. Please thank your members
very much, and ask them to keep writing letters for everyone in situations like ours.”
 Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

facebook.com/amnestywest • twitter.com/amnestywest August 2010

Open Leadership Positions

Want to take your activism to the next level?
Interested in building your skills as a leader?
Consider becoming a statewide volunteer leader!
We are recruiting for the following positions –
contact your Field Organizer for more info and
to get involved!

Area Coordinator The Western Regional Office

Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming
Top Row Left to Right: Rocio, Will, Maryam, Angela, Sara, Amanda,
Student Activist Coordinator Isabel, Tejeswi, Cindy, Kalaya’an, Karla, Nikki, Cameron, Rini

Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana,

Rini Chakraborty Kalaya’an Mendoza
Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming New! Regional Director Field Organizer for Southern
[email protected] CA, WY, ID, CO
[email protected]
Legislative Coordinator Rocio Avalos
Colorado, Nevada, Southern California, Utah Office Administrator Sara Schmidt
[email protected] Field Organizer for AZ, NM, OR,
UT, WA
State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator Will Butkus [email protected]
Montana, Utah, Washington Field Organizer for
Nor CA, NV, AK, HI, MT Isabel, Amanda, Angela,
[email protected] Karla, Tejeswi, Maryam, Nikki,
Organizing Cities Activist Network Xanna, Interns
Positions available in Seattle, Los Angeles Area
and San Francisco Bay Area 350 Sansome Street, Ste 210 • San Francisco, CA 94101
Office (415) 288-1800 • Fax (415) 391-3228

(Detach here)

JOIN AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA

I WANT TO JOIN AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. Enroll me as (check one): _________________________________________________________________
 INDIVIDUAL (suggested $25 or more) NAME
 COUPLE (suggested $40 or more)
 SENIOR (suggested $15 or more) _________________________________________________________________
 STUDENT (suggested $15 or more) ADDRESS
 OTHER: $ __________
_________________________________________________________________
I WANT TO MAKE AN ADDITIONAL DONATION
 $25  $50  $100  OTHER $ __________
_________________________________________________________________
PLEASE KEEP ME INFORMED CITY STATE ZIP
 EMAIL  MAIL
_________________________________________________________________
PAYMENT OPTIONS EMAIL ADDRESS
 CASH or CHECK (payable to Amnesty International USA) enclosed
 CREDIT CARD Please charge the amount of $ __________ to my: _________________________________________________________________
American Express  Discover  Mastercard  Visa CELL PHONE HOME PHONE
______________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
CREDIT CARD # Check here if you do not want your postal information exchanged with other
______________________________________________ organizations.
EXPIRATION DATE
______________________________________________ RETURN COMPLETED FORM AND PAYMENT TO:
SIGNATURE DATE Amnesty International, 350 Sansome Street Suite 210, San Francisco CA 94104