Last Updated on April 10, 2025
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Doudou Diène, is currently in the United States gathering information on racism and racial discrimination.
According to a recent release by the ACLU, Diene, who was invited by the U.S. Government.
[…] will be visiting “Washington, New York, Chicago, Omaha, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico over the next three weeks [May 18 to June 6] where he will study incidents of contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the governmental measures in place to address them.
Diène is scheduled to meet with federal and local government officials as well as members of diverse communities across the United States and representatives of several non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
“The special rapporteur’s visit presents a unique opportunity to give voice to those combating racism in the U.S. and will bring our concerns to the U.N. and its enforcement mechanisms,” said Aubrey McCutcheon, Director of Programs at Global Rights. “I am confident Mr. Diène’s visit will heighten our efforts towards eliminating racism and its vestiges.”
I’m not too sure about “enforcement mechanisms,” but at least people will have a chance to share their stories.
To that end, courtesy of Brenda Norrell, here is the Special Rapporteur’s Schedule.
Wednesday May 21-22, New York, NY
–Urban Justice Center Ejim Dike edike@urbanjustice.org
–International Asso. Against Torture Roger Wareham Roger.wareham@gmail.com
Friday May 23-24, Chicago, IL
–People’s Programme, Edward Palmer bpalmer@uic.edu
–Coalition to Protect Public Housing J.R. Flemming iamhiphopchicago@gmail.com
Sunday May 25-26 Omaha, NE
–Peoples’ Programme, David Campt theracedoctor@yahoo.com
Tuesday May 27-29 Los Angeles, CA
–ACLU of SoCal, Catherine Lhamon clhamon@aclu-sc.org
–CADRE Director, Maisie Chin maisie@cadre-la.org
Friday May 30-31 New Orleans, LA
–NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Damon Hewitt dhewitt@naacpdf.org
–US Human Rights Network, Tonya Williams twilliams@ushrnetwork.org
Sunday June 1-2, Miami, FL
–ACLU of Florida, Muslima Lewis mlewis@aclufl.org
Tuesday June 3-4 San Juan, PR
ACLU of Puerto Rico, William Ramirez aclupr@prtc.net
–Thursday June 5-6 Washington, DC
Brenda adds that “the Rapporteur would like to meet with American Indians while in Miama. To host the Rapporteur please contact immediately: Alberto Saldamando (alberto@treatycouncil.org) at the International Indian Treaty Council
For more information about the UN Rapporteur, visit http://www.ushrnetwork.org/special_rep
You may also want to look at the International Indian Treaty Council’s Consolidated Indigenous Shadow Report, which was submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, last January. The report shows numerous examples of institutionalized racism (towards indigenous Peoples) in America.
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