Speak Truth to Power

Inspired by Kerry Kennedy’s book and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Speak Truth to Power is a human rights education program that combines storytelling and interactive learning to provide the next generation with the concrete knowledge they will need to create change and advance human rights.

Our Approach: Speak Truth to Power Theory of Change

At the heart of our methodology are the stories of defenders from around the world — providing students with a unique entry point into understanding human rights issues. Speak Truth to Power’s ultimate goal is to help create a world where human rights education is the norm and where all young people identify as human rights defenders.

In order to achieve this goal, Speak Truth to Power engages in three distinct ways:

• Building Educator Capacity: Teacher trainings and resource development for educators all over the world.
• Embedding Social-Emotional Learning: Strategically integrated into the entire framework of human rights education and all STTP resources and trainings.
• Taking Mindful Action: Community organizing and advocacy trainings and workshops, all aligned to uphold the UDHR and achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Project: Speak Truth to Power

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights’ Speak Truth To Power (STTP) program evolved from Kerry Kennedy’s book, Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders Who Are Changing Our World, first printed in English in 2000, and has since been printed in seven languages.

Featuring interviews with more than 50 human rights defenders, including Nobel Peace Prize winners Wangari Maathai, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Elie Wiesel, and Muhammad Yunus, the book is a remarkable tribute to the indomitable human spirit. Nelson Mandela endorsed the book, stating:

“The lives of common women and men, in this book, heroes every one, inspire all who believe in liberty and justice.”

The Speak Truth to Power human rights education curriculum, comprised of over 50 lesson plans, has been taught to millions of students in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. As an educational tool for students at every grade level, the curriculum shows students that they, too, can make a difference in the global struggle for justice.

By using the stories of courageous heroes from around the world, the program empowers students to become defenders themselves. As students begin to self-identify as human rights defenders, they learn to take active roles in creating a more just and peaceful world. What sets Speak Truth to Power apart is its ability to inspire action. By allowing students to see themselves as human rights defenders, they begin to act as such in their daily lives.