Community Activism
Getting started
Participate in the Amnesty group in your community.
There are Amnesty action groups and informal circles of Amnesty supporters in communities throughout Canada. There could be one in your community.>> Click here.
Start your own Amnesty project or action circle.
Start an informal Amnesty action group in your neighbourhood, senior’s residence, or place of worship. Or introduce Amnesty appeals to your book club or workplace. Tell us how you’d like to be involved, and we’ll help you get started.
National support
Contact Lily Mah-Sen at 1-800-Amnesty or 613-744-7667 or email: activism@amnesty.ca.
Community activism in Greater Toronto
Phone Elena Dumitru at 416-363-9933 (Ext. 33) or email: activism-gta@amnesty.ca.
Community activism in the Lower Mainland and B.C.
Phone Don Wright at 604- 294-5160 or email: activism-bc@amnesty.ca.
Youth and student activists
Contact us at youth@amnesty.ca or click here to learn more about our Youth and Student Program.
Take action where you live
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You can help individuals and communities around the world live in safety and dignity. It starts by taking action right where you live.
- Keep it simple. Put up an Amnesty poster in your workplace lunchroom or local library. Provide easy-to-use Amnesty postcard appeals in your place of worship.
>> Check out the Activist Toolkit for ideas and resources.
- Give friends an opportunity to take action or learn more about human rights. Invite an Amnesty speaker to your service club. Show an Amnesty video at your reading or discussion group. Distribute Amnesty bookmarks through your favorite bookstores, restaurants and clubs.
- Take action with a circle of interested friends. Create your own short-term activity in support of one of Amnesty’s current campaigns - like the Amnesty supporters who made “solidarity quilts” for human rights defenders in Colombia, or the social issues discussion group that “adopted” Amnesty’s campaign to stop torture for a year.
>> Check out the Activist Toolkit for ideas and resources. - Join the Amnesty group in your community. Members of Amnesty groups enjoy coming together to hear a special speaker, hold a fundraising potluck or musical evening, write letter appeals, and organize creative publicity events aimed at involving other members of their community in defending human rights.
- Form your own circle of Amnesty activists. Gather a few people together wherever there is interest - in your neighbourhood, in a seniors’ residence, in your workplace, or in your place of worship. Focus on what really interests you. You can send appeals and create publicity for Amnesty’s upcoming campaign on the human rights of women. Or get involved in a more long-term project such as helping to protect human rights defenders. Or organize occasional “benefit” events in support of Amnesty’s human rights work.
- Community activism comes in many shapes and sizes. Take advantage of your special interests. Look for action opportunities near at hand. Choose the time commitment that works best for you. Turn your concern into action.
- Tell us how you want to be involved, and we’ll help you get started.
Email us at: info@amnesty.ca
In many communities, Amnesty supporters come together to write appeal letters, hear special speakers, or discuss a current human rights video.
Many activists also go public - enabling others in their community to take action. Amnesty members set up action displays in markets, sponsor theatre or music benefit evenings, and organize vigils, street theatre and symbolic events.
Amnesty members often take the lead in strengthening the public’s awareness and understanding of human rights. Members...
- Provide speakers to other community organizations.
- Bring visiting speakers into their community.
- Work with the local media by issuing press statements, arranging interviews, and encouraging more media attention to human rights concerns.
- Donate resources - such as Amnesty videos and reports - to local libraries and resource centres.
Amnesty activists are also an important part of a broader community of people concerned with human rights and social justice. You will find Amnesty members participating in many shared events focused on common concerns. We are proud to contribute our voices to the global movement for human justice, dignity and rights.
>> Check out the Activist Toolkit for action ideas and resources.
Community activism: it’s energizing - and inspiring!
What’s so special about working with others in your community in support of human rights? Find out by asking an Amnesty member. Here’s what they say:
- I’ve developed new friendships with people who share a concern for human rights.
- I get energized and inspired by working together with other people who are committed to protecting human rights.
- I’m meeting wonderful people with diverse personal life-stories who have come together around a common cause. And I’m better connected to the social justice community where I live.
- I’ve seen how involvement opens up opportunities for personal development and for using our individual talents - all in support of human rights. Examples include public speaking, working with the media, organizing a theatre or music event, or creating display materials.
- It’s a great opportunity to learn more about my world, human rights, and about taking action for change.
- I like being part of Amnesty’s presence in my community.
- Working with others, my voice has a greater chance of being listened to. I have more power to bring about real change.