The mission of the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights is to “promote respect for human dignity and diversity through education and to foster individual responsibility to work for justice and peace.” The Center achieves this mission by providing educational programs for teachers and students, engaging in community leadership, partnering with business and industry, and advocating for human rights. As the home and builder of the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights is often reminded of Robert F. Kennedy’s words that are etched into the stone, “Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, they send forth a tiny ripple of hope … These ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
That is the very core of the Human Dignity Project – recognizing the needs of the others in our community – and standing-up and stepping-in to confront injustice. Injustice often begins with language – words that are used to target or diminish the other in our community. When our speech pits us versus them, when our words become weapons used to diminish another’s life experience and dignity, doing or saying nothing sends a message that injustice is acceptable. It isn’t. The Human Dignity Project challenges each of us – in the classroom, in the community, and in the company, to be an upstander. Take a look at this center on line. PFW has provided a small grant to help install yet another sculpture in this remarkable place outside of their welcome mat.
