Michael Lazzara
Professor Human Rights Studies and Spanish and Portuguese
Global Human Rights Big Idea
My passion for this Big Idea
“We have all heard the saying, “Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it.” That sentiment is never truer than when it is about genocide and mass atrocities.
“The Global Human Rights Big Idea will help prepare the next generation of human rights leaders and teachers. ”
I am passionate about empowering the next generation to confront the legacies of genocide and atrocity, from the Holocaust and the Armenian genocide to oppressive dictatorships such as those in Latin America. We must empower students and educators alike to fight for truth, advocate for justice and democratic stability, and stand with communities of survivors in California and beyond.
The Global Human Rights Big Idea will help prepare the next generation of human rights leaders and teachers. It will provide unparalleled experiential learning opportunities for students, such as internships with major human rights organizations around the world, as well as tools for educators to teach more effectively about human rights, atrocity, and memory.”