I don’t know who needs to hear Jesse Jackson leading the kids on Sesame Street in this beautiful call-and-response reminding them that every child is somebody, but here it is
Local civil society orgs are the front line in not only combatting human rights violations, but exposing them for the world to see. I wrote about how that looks with surveillance and the #digitalsilkroad. www.csis.org/analysis/how...
Great piece by @dwj88.bsky.social about the need for greater solidarity and cross learning between those working for stronger democracy and human rights in the U.S. and abroad. Siloes and egos help no one. democracywithoutexception.substack.com/p/us-activis...
More than 100,000 civilians have been killed in wars over the past 18 months. Brutal, genocidal war is returning to the world. Turns out the liberal world order wasn't so terrible.
Lots of this happening across the city.
After deep setbacks to #HumanRights, #democracy and #governance in 2025, including in related funding, defending against challenges in 2026 and beyond will require creativity and broad coalition-building.
From @andrewbfriedman.bsky.social and @kimbrodyhart.bsky.social:
It's not “about esoteric issues of international law...It is about real people, real stories and a real group of human beings – the Rohingya of Myanmar. They have been targeted for destruction." Great scene setter for today's Myanmar genocide arguments at the ICJ. theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
@netblocks.org is an invaluable resource for understanding moments of government repression through internet shutdowns or throttling.
In a new report, @csishumanrights.bsky.social director Andrew Friedman explores potential means for utilizing America's procurement capacity and creating greater space for human rights protections within federal government procurement.
Read the full report: www.csis.org/analysis/imp...
What Rose Mutiso does here is so important. Not only celebrate a major AI-for-Development success, but also discuss the particular, non-technological, traditional development, long-term, conditions that allow for its success. rosemutiso.substack.com/p/why-one-of...
On the 75th International Human Rights Day, @csishumanrights.bsky.social experts @andrewbfriedman.bsky.social and Anne Frederick share the history of the day, why we observe it, and the state of human rights in the world today.
Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gweW...
Great piece by @cfr.org's Michelle Gavin on Rwanda/DRC, the US, and the importance of following up on historic opportunities. "The United States’ hunger for a peace deal needs to evolve into hunger for actual peace." www.cfr.org/blog/ceremon...
You know we all marvel that like, dolphins can sleep with half their brain at a time, and wow that's so weird.
But we rely fully on being STRAIGHT UP COMPLETELY UNCONSCIOUS FOR A THIRD OF OUR LIVES (if we are lucky enough to get that sleep). Defenseless!
WHICH of us is the weirdo!?
NEW: The CSIS Global Development Department examines the dramatic changes in priorities, policies, and organizational structures to the development landscape since the second Trump administration took office.
🧵Learn more: features.csis.org/new-developm...
This is a really fascinating looks at what bitcoin can do to counter financial repression in service of human rights defenders and others fighting for a better world.
"The recent USAID closure and drawback of ODA have injected new urgency into a conversation around the inefficiencies of the previous model from both Western & Global South countries," @csishumanrights.bsky.social experts write.
What's the future of U.S. foreign aid? www.csis.org/analysis/shi...
Important piece going beyond the speeches on how the U.S. is pulling back its support for the U.N.
Best week of the year. I’m rolling with 602. He does a happy dance.
Now this is a story, all about how…my favorite poll in a long, long time.
This is important, both in its framework and its reminder that these deals create an opportunity, but they're far from an end. A lot of work is necessary to take advantage of those opportunities.
With the Trump Administration's focus on commercial diplomacy and centering assistance locally, I wrote with Amb Derek Mitchel suggesting a new tool to complement traditional foreign assistance in improving investment conditions, an Ambassadors Fund for Good Governance. www.csis.org/analysis/loc...
This is incredible. Art is often all that can demonstrate the absurdity of authoritarianism and mass surveillance. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/02/b...
Great report by my colleague @lauratmurphy.bsky.social on the importance of what UFLPA has done, what can reasonably be asked of it, and how it might be repeated elsewhere.
The single most important thing to understand about digital futurism is this:
When the digital future that Sam Altman ( or Elon, or Andreessen, etc) predicts fails to materialize, he doesn’t have to give the money back.
Word is it’s #internationaldogday, so here’s Amber in various states of dufus. If you’re like me, you need random dog pics all the time these days.
I'm late on this, but a fantastic rundown of what corruption means to ordinary people by my former colleague @abigailbellows.bsky.social. It's easy to think of these issues as abstract and removed, but they're not. A dollar stolen is a dollar not at a hospital. www.justsecurity.org/118796/human...
Colored-pencil card drawing of Ray Caldwell
On this date in 1919, Cleveland Indians pitcher Ray Caldwell was struck by lightning in the 9th inning vs the Philadelphia Athletics. He was knocked unconscious for a few minutes but continued pitching, winning the game 2-1. He threw a no-hitter a few weeks later.
Bama’s description here of the human rights reports as a reflection of who we want to be and the world we want to live in is spot on. bamaathreya.medium.com/the-closing-...
WUSA-TV - DC restaurants saw a more than 25% drop in diners in the days following President Trump’s takeover of the city’s police department. www.wusa9.com/article/news...
