Maine Human Rights Summit Schedule of Events

Session 1: Maine’s Housing Dilemma in the Age of Opportunity

In recent years, housing has become a hot-button issue in Maine. As gentrification, rising rents, and an ongoing crisis of houselessness begin to seep into public discourse, how can we make sense of these changes in real-time? Join panelists as they discuss their roles advocating for the rights of residents and offer their insights to shape the future of Maine’s housing landscape.

Panel Speakers:

Lauren Bustard, Maine State Housing

Frank D'Alessandro, Maine Equal Justice

Fatuma Hussein, Immigrant Resource Center of Maine

Cullen Ryan, Community Housing of Maine

Moderator:

Regina Phillips

Session 2: Reflections on Community Care

What is mutual aid and how is community care a space for human rights advocacy? Building a human rights ecosystem requires creating infrastructure to address expressed needs and improve the quality of life for all community members. There is much to learn from the grassroots and system-impacted individuals as groups organize themselves to provide resources and support services to those vulnerable to the effects of converging crises. In this session, you will hear from a number of individuals and coalitions who seek to improve the livelihoods of their fellow Mainers in radical ways.

Panel Speakers:

Victoria Pelletier (Portland D2 City Councilmember-elect)

Cait Vaughn, Full Spectrum Reproductive Advocate

Crystal Con, Founder of PRESENTE! Maine

Session 3: Truth & Reconciliation

In order to create a society that supports all who live in to thrive, it is of the utmost importance that we learn from our country’s past so that the future does not recreate similar conditions of harm. Unfortunately, the impact of harmful social policies and structural violence remains alive and well within communities that have been forced into marginality. Truth and reconciliation is a system-level restorative justice approach to piece together the collective experience of individuals who have experienced violence and harm imposed by the state and its actors in order to make changes to policies and practices that allowed such harm to occur. Maine has seen one such process occur, with the 2012 TRC conducted by the Wabanaki Alliance. The Permanent Commission on Status of Racial, Indigenous and Maine Tribal Populations will begin a Truth and Reconciliation process to address the conditions under which historically Black Mainers have lived. In this panel, hear from organizers, historians, and politicians that will lend their voices to the creation of this historic effort and why it is a necessary part of shaping Maine’s future.

Panel Speakers:

Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross, Assistant Majority Leader, Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Maine Tribal Populations

Eduardo Gonzalez, Transitional Justice Advocate and Expert

Facilitator:

Laura Ligouri

Old Meets New: Black Community Leader Roundtable discussion

Shifts in socio-political strategy and ideology amongst younger and older generations are beginning to create seismic waves in local and national elections throughout the United States. Within the Democratic Party, a new generation of young elected leaders of color, most especially women, is the latest reflection of these changes. We can locate the nuance of these national conversations amongst leaders in Maine’s Black community, where positions on racial justice, equity, community development, public safety, and reparations are diverse and ever-evolving. Join us in hearing a conversation amongst 6 Black community leaders of different generations to capture the ways in which human rights are central to the struggle for liberation they are all part of.

Facilitator: Arabella Perez

Discussants:

Ekhlas Ahmad, Chance to Advance

Mufalo Chitam, Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition

Pam Cummings, Abyssinian Meeting House

Dustin Ward, It Is Time/Mindbridge

Tim Wilson, Seeds of Peace

Self Care in the Age of Covid -

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape of our lives have changed dramatically. While being tasked with practicing community care through mask wearing, social distancing and vaccination campaigns, there has been little public conversation on how to care for ourselves. Many of us have contended with the daily realities of pervasive stressors from living and working almost perpetually from home, facing the daunting challenge of working on the frontlines, to navigating the illness and death of ourselves and loved ones.

Now more than ever, there is a need to examine what is in our self care toolkits. Join Lori Whittemore to sense into what is presently alive in our bodies and practice tools and strategies of self care.

We will discuss next steps for 2022 and announce the Maine Human Rights Summit Fellowship Award recipients.