In honor of HRAP’s 35th anniversary, ISHR has asked Columbia University alumni to share their recollections of the program. The third alumnus to be featured is Nicholas Anthony Perez who earned a master’s degree in human rights and humanitarian policy from the School of International and Public Affairs in 2018. He is the Program Manager of Free Expression and Education at PEN America.
Imagine applying to “work study” positions expecting an ordinary office job, and then discovering the most catalytic opportunity ever. What other “work study” job allows a grad student in human rights policy to work alongside grassroots advocates from around the world by helping them navigate and network with over 100 global human rights organizations? The Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) bolstered by Stephanie Grepo’s inspired leadership radiates such progressive magic despite such challenging times, and I can confidently say that my time there between 2018 and 2019 supercharged my career in ways I would have never envisioned possible.
During my time working with Stephanie and HRAP, my main responsibilities included facilitating strategic networking coordination between the resident advocates and human rights agencies across New York City and Washington, DC. Every day I would oversee communications with dozens of organizations that the advocates had demonstrated interest in connecting with, including United Nations agencies, nonprofit advocacy groups, and donor foundations. I would schedule networking meetings for the advocates to visit these organizations in person, and then I would have the opportunity to visit the sites alongside the cohort to observe real-world human rights advocacy and dialogue taking place. As a student in Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs, it was one thing to study human rights issues and principles in class, and another thing entirely to actually visit the agencies themselves alongside real changemakers who were there to have serious conversations of impact and consequences. Immersing myself in this real-world advocacy enabled me to grasp the nuances and intricacies of the field firsthand, making my academic studies feel all the more tangible.
Beyond the highly practical networking skills I learned during my time with HRAP, Stephanie also encouraged me to enjoy the work by exploring and integrating my passions for graphic design, photography, videography, and copyediting. One of my favorite projects was drafting a Networking Coordination Manual for future work-study students to advise on best practices when coordinating and maintaining outreach to human rights organizations. I designed the entire doc on Canva using explanatory screenshots, photos, and brightly colored clip art that continues to provide useful advice even to this day. Additionally, Stephanie also asked me to create the 30th Annual Alumni Survey Report which I also designed on Canva in order to embed ample photos and add colorful survey result charts and graphics that could hopefully do justice to the immense energy and impact brought to the program through the various advocates that have participated over the years. Seeing that I had an eye for design, Stephanie also invited me to be the advocates’ official photographer, which led to all of us having way too much fun taking prom-style group photos in front of Low Library, and individual power shots in front of Butler Library that still adorn many of the advocates’ LinkedIn profiles today. Lastly, I was also able to return to HRAP after graduating to interview a new cohort of advocates on video and then provide edited sequences for YouTube that the advocates and Program could use. That project was also such a joy to create, as I was able to meet and converse with the advocates directly, molding their responses into captivating videos that would be used to amplify their inspiring stories and missions.
The experiences and skills gained during my time working with Stephanie and the advocates remain invaluable in my current role as the Program Manager for Free Expression and Education at PEN America. At PEN America, I spearhead human rights advocacy education programs, focusing on freedom of expression, for high school and college students. I have invited many HRAP alumni to come and speak to our students including Solomon Collins Nkulinga, Daniel Alejandro Pinilla, Bakary Tandia and others. My networking skills also now come in handy tremendously as I build and promote courses and summer programs for students, making me always reflect on my time reaching out to organizations for HRAP. Furthermore, I always try to have fun with my work as I did while supporting HRAP, embracing my passions for design, content creation, and relationship-building. I'm deeply grateful to Stephanie and the Institute for the Study of Human Rights for jump-starting my career in human rights advocacy, and I eagerly anticipate meeting new advocates and witnessing the continued growth and impact of the program!
