2026 Kirby Edmonds Summer Fellowships: The Future is Now

Join Us in Supporting the Kirby Edmonds Fellowship Campaign!

We are proud to launch the Kirby Edmonds Fellowship Campaign, one of our most important fundraisers of the year. Centered around the theme “The Future is Now: Shaping the Next Generation of Human Rights Leaders,” this campaign reflects our belief that investing in young leaders today is essential to building a more just and equitable tomorrow.

The campaign supports the Kirby Edmonds Summer Fellowships, created to honor the remarkable legacy of Kirby Edmonds, a founding member of Human Rights Educators USA and a lifelong advocate for social justice. These fellowships offer young change-makers invaluable mentorship, hands-on experience, and leadership development. By supporting them, we empower the next generation of human rights education leaders to carry forward Kirby’s vision and deepen the impact of his work.

Honoring Kirby Edmonds

In August of 2020, Human Rights Educators USA lost one of its foundational leaders and enduring source of inspiration: Kirby Edmonds.  Kirby played a crucial role from the very beginning of HRE USA in 2011. Drawing on years of community organizing, he was central to forming what he lovingly described as “this impossibly audacious mission.” Kirby directly shaped HRE USA’s mission, organizational structure, values framework, and consensus-based decision-making policies. He served as Co-Chair of HRE USA for nearly a decade.

Kirby’s impact extended far beyond HRE USA. His obituary in the Ithaca Journal beautifully encapsulates his influence: “Kirby was a mighty river that flowed through our community and far beyond, watering the positive seeds of possibility.” He served as Program Coordinator and Senior Fellow with the Dorothy Cotton Institute and the Cradle to Career Initiative. Yet the scope of his work reached well beyond these roles. As his obituary described:

“Everywhere that people of goodwill united to tackle problems or cultivate opportunities, Kirby was quickly pulled into the center. He took on many roles—contributor, connector, or designated leader, but always encouraged folks to plan actions that would get more power and resources into the people’s hands. Soft-spoken and kind, Kirby was skilled in the art of posing incisive questions, ever asking folks to consider who else should be at the table. He had a keen understanding of power and the courage never to shy away from issues of violence, racism, poverty, hunger, and intergroup conflict.”

In honor of his legacy, HRE USA proudly established the Kirby Edmonds Fellowship to continue his lifelong mission of engaging young people in building human rights-friendly schools and communities.

How You Can Help

Your donation will go directly toward funding the training and mentorship of Edmonds Fellows for Summer 2026. Each fellowship costs us $2,000. This year, we are proud to support four Edmonds Fellows, and with your help, we hope to expand these transformative opportunities to even more young leaders next year.

Donate Online: Support us via Every.org 

Donate by Check: Make checks payable to the Center for Transformative Action. Write “HRE USA Edmonds Fellowship” in the memo line and mail to: P.O. Box 760, Ithaca, NY 14851. 

HRE-USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action, a 501(c)3 organization. All contributions are tax-deductible.

For more information, please contact: fellows@hreusa.org.