Young Advocates
Founded in January, 1997 by Kristin Olson-McKissick and Li Lu (a student leader at Tianamen Square in 1989), the Los Angeles based Young Advocates is a group of about 150 students, young professionals and "young at heart" members advocating for the improvement of human rights conditions locally and around the world. During the past 5 years, the YAs have campaigned to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, monitored conditions at a local INS detention center, petitioned for the creation of an International Criminal Court, and advocated for an end to discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender students in US public schools. The YA's have also worked to educate themselves and others about human rights issues through their popular Living Room series of human rights related talks. These events have focused on a variety of topics and featured speakers like Terree Bowers, a former prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, Mike Farrell, President of Death Penalty Focus, and Jane Olson, chair of the board of the Landmine Survivors Network. In addition, the YAs have conducted research for HRW reports and written op-ed pieces on human rights issues for publication in national newspapers. Because the YAs are such a large group, they also organize cocktail parties and outings to bars and clubs to give members the opportunity to meet and get to know each other.
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