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Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders Who Are Changing Our World
Speak Truth to Power presents an inspiring rainbow of heroes from more than thirty-five countries and five continents. In searing and uplifting interviews, veteran human rights defender Kerry Kennedy Cuomo examines the quality of courage with women and men who are dramatically changing the course of events in their communities and countries.
Imprisoned, tortured, and threatened with death, they speak with compelling eloquence on subjects to which they have devoted their lives and for which they have been willing to sacrifice -- from free expression to the rule of law, from women's rights to religious liberty, from environmental defense to eradicating slavery, from access to capitol to the right to due process.
Accompanying the interviews are a powerful series of portraits by world-renowned photographer Eddie Adams. This is his first book, representing two years of crisscrossing the globe to make these deeply felt and insightful images of courageous individuals, including the internationally celebrated, such as Vaclav Havel, Baltasar Garzón, Helen Prejean, Marian Wright Edelman, and Nobel Prize Laureates the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Elie Wiesel, Oscar Arias Sánchez, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, José Ramos-Horta, and Bobby Muller. But the vast majority of the defenders are unknown and (as yet) unsung beyond their national boundaries, such as former sex slave and leading abolitionist Juliana Dogbadzi of Ghana, domestic violence activist Marina Pisklakova of Russia, mental disability rights advocate Gabor Gombos of Hungary, and more than thirty others.
Speak Truth to Power is accompanied by a major exhibition opening at The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., then traveling nationally, beginning in January 2001 at the Newseum, New York. The authors also plan a fully integrated Web Site as well as an education and advocacy campaign by Amnesty International.
In addition, a theatrical presentation, written by Ariel Dorfman, based on the stories featured in the book, will be performed by internationally known actors, including Glenn Close, Edward James Olmos, Sigourney Weaver, Alfre Woodard, and others, opening at the J. F. Kennedy Center, September 19, 2000.
Imprisoned, tortured, and threatened with death, they speak with compelling eloquence on subjects to which they have devoted their lives and for which they have been willing to sacrifice -- from free expression to the rule of law, from women's rights to religious liberty, from environmental defense to eradicating slavery, from access to capitol to the right to due process.
Accompanying the interviews are a powerful series of portraits by world-renowned photographer Eddie Adams. This is his first book, representing two years of crisscrossing the globe to make these deeply felt and insightful images of courageous individuals, including the internationally celebrated, such as Vaclav Havel, Baltasar Garzón, Helen Prejean, Marian Wright Edelman, and Nobel Prize Laureates the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Elie Wiesel, Oscar Arias Sánchez, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, José Ramos-Horta, and Bobby Muller. But the vast majority of the defenders are unknown and (as yet) unsung beyond their national boundaries, such as former sex slave and leading abolitionist Juliana Dogbadzi of Ghana, domestic violence activist Marina Pisklakova of Russia, mental disability rights advocate Gabor Gombos of Hungary, and more than thirty others.
Speak Truth to Power is accompanied by a major exhibition opening at The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., then traveling nationally, beginning in January 2001 at the Newseum, New York. The authors also plan a fully integrated Web Site as well as an education and advocacy campaign by Amnesty International.
In addition, a theatrical presentation, written by Ariel Dorfman, based on the stories featured in the book, will be performed by internationally known actors, including Glenn Close, Edward James Olmos, Sigourney Weaver, Alfre Woodard, and others, opening at the J. F. Kennedy Center, September 19, 2000.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
2 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Kerry Kennedy
13 books21 followersMary Kerry Kennedy is an American human rights activist and writer. She is the seventh child and third daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel. She is the president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, a nonprofit charitable human rights advocacy organization.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 13, 2015
SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER doesn’t carry a publication date; and as I’m reading it in 2015, it appears really dated. All of the profiles appear to date from no later than 1999. This is unfortunate in a number of ways, but particularly because reading this book now is really depressing: almost without exception the situations described in the 51 interviews have gotten worse. Nevertheless, inspiration can be found.
“One works for justice not for big victories, but simply because engaging in the struggle is itself worth doing.” Oscar Arias Sanchez
“We don’t have a right to lose hope.” Jaime Prieto Mendez
“I simply believe that human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are not luxuries.” Raji Sourani
“…you have no right to say: ‘Since I cannot do anything, I shouldn’t do anything.’ “ Elie Wiesel
“…courage signifies the determination to act according to your values.” Jose Zalaquett
“Law has become an instrument of repression, rather than an instrument for change.” Hina Jilani
“One works for justice not for big victories, but simply because engaging in the struggle is itself worth doing.” Oscar Arias Sanchez
“We don’t have a right to lose hope.” Jaime Prieto Mendez
“I simply believe that human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are not luxuries.” Raji Sourani
“…you have no right to say: ‘Since I cannot do anything, I shouldn’t do anything.’ “ Elie Wiesel
“…courage signifies the determination to act according to your values.” Jose Zalaquett
“Law has become an instrument of repression, rather than an instrument for change.” Hina Jilani
January 31, 2021
5 stars are not enough
September 18, 2011
I tagged this book "spirituality" and gave it five stars but it is not fun and I doubt the editors would call it spiritual. It was nevertheless a text that changed my life forever.
There is one story in particular that I used to read repeated about Diana Ortiz.
There are violent images such as film then there is the horror of more difficult and complex torture, deprivation, and degradation. A must read for those who like to weep.
There is one story in particular that I used to read repeated about Diana Ortiz.
There are violent images such as film then there is the horror of more difficult and complex torture, deprivation, and degradation. A must read for those who like to weep.
May 24, 2010
Speak Truth to Power gives us an insight into the power of the human spirit. It tells us why and how men and women all over the world struggle against oppression, injustice, and cruelty. There is horror but there is also immense hope in this world where dedicated people translate their commitment to human rights into action.
-- Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Prize Laureate
-- Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Prize Laureate
September 28, 2007
Inspirational and motivational. Ariel Dorfman's play is so extremely powerful on paper, I can't imagine how it would be on stage. I think I need to buy the complete-version book and read about more activists and their issues.
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February 2, 2007I won this book at a bar trivia night, where it was described as "the most depressing coffee table book in the world." That pretty much says it all.
May 7, 2007
The most inspirational book I've ever come across.
August 22, 2007
This book is a collection of essays about people who have seen injustice and changed the world. It's very inspiring. Modern day heroes!
July 16, 2008
Powerful book, more powerful live.
July 26, 2012
Van Jones? Really? Wish I had not wasted my time or money.
August 1, 2021
Ich habe die Schweizer Schulbuchversion basierend auf diesem Buch, angereichert durch Portaits der jeweils Interviewten zu ihren Aktivismusfeldern. Die allermeisten sind inspirierend, die Repräsentation scheint mir wohl gewählt, nur hier und da ist zu häufig jemand aus der Schweiz die Hauptfigur oder die Sprecher*in des Struggles.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews