Over the last five years, we led the largest global comics and activists research in history, with a focus on the nexus between human rights activism and art. We conducted a robust listening exercise to understand exactly how young people want to make common cause with others in search of social justice, regardless of national boundaries and specific causes. In partnership with Fordham University, Columbia University, Canada’s McGill University, Amnesty International, and the Association of Human Rights Institutes and their network of 80 universities worldwide, we shared an online survey with more than 200 human rights organizations across the globe and conducted one-on-one interviews in more than a dozen languages. This participatory research provided helpful key insights: youth are most keen to read stories of successful activists and their journeys; they have a burning desire to learn from one another; and ultimately, that there is a huge, untapped demand for comics that support activist training, education, and advocacy.
Based on these insights, GP has engaged a global board of subject matter experts and recognized leaders in human rights, academia, and the arts, along with leading universities on all continents. Together, we are training students on research methodologies so they can map local and regional initiatives that combine activism and art. This content will fill a critical gap in the human rights ecosystem, enabling activists to discover and support compelling causes much more easily. In the process, students also gain a deeper working understanding of how comics, social media, and graphics can best be used to advance human rights. Our outward-facing, multilingual materials, such as graphic novels and biographies, will also engage audiences, including the general public, worldwide.
The Graphix Project 