Katie Kim

This week’s Field Notes helped me see student advocacy as a process, not just an act of speaking up. It begins with speaking, having the confidence and opportunity to raise an issue. But a voice matters more when it leads to action, as student-led campaigns have shown by turning personal experiences into public demands. Action also requires listening. The strongest advocacy does not assume what others need. It starts by asking, gathering evidence, and understanding the people most...

In 2026, an OHCHR training program brought together 146 young human-rights defenders from 14 Arab countries. The program focused on using international human-rights mechanisms, documenting violations, writing reports, and developing advocacy campaigns. The skills may sound technical, but that is exactly what makes this example useful. Caring about an issue can start a movement. It cannot replace evidence, strategy, or understanding how institutions work. That is something I am...

Amnesty International’s Digital Disruptors project shows young activists building campaigns from problems they know personally. In Kenya, five activists created Linda Data after first surveying hundreds of young people about digital-rights concerns. Unauthorized access to personal data emerged as a major issue, leading to campus visits, community discussions, and online advocacy around privacy and digital safety. I find the order important: they did not begin with a campaign and then...