MCHR Staff
Rochelle Hammer, Coordinator
Rochelle Hammer, Coordinator of the Midwest Coalition for Human Rights, has worked in the field of human rights since 2001, when she joined the newly formed Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota. In her work with the Human Rights Program, Rochelle supported research and collaboration among regional partners in the “Human Rights at Home” project focused on human rights abuses in the United States. She also provided guidance to students pursuing the graduate minor in human rights, established a regional internship program, and worked closely with U of M students interning for the Program. From 2002 to 2004, Rochelle also worked with the Mexican Capital Legal Assistance Program researching psychological testing methods of Spanish-speakers, and briefing capital cases involving non-triggerman to conduct a national survey of the cases and their outcomes.
Since becoming Midwest Coalition Coordinator in January 2007, Rochelle has focused her work on recruiting new members to the Coalition, enhancing communication exchange and resource-sharing amongst member organizations, coordinating efforts of members and key partnering organizations in developing objectives and strategies to carry out issue-based advocacy, further developing a regional human rights fellowship program, and providing grant management and financial oversight.
Early in 2007, Rochelle received the Sullivan Ballou Award, honoring emerging leaders in the fields of human rights and social justice. Rochelle has a B.A. in Global Studies with a focus on human rights from the University of Minnesota. She is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in nonprofit management, and learning to play the guitar.
Claire Leslie, Associate Coordinator
Claire Leslie, the Associate Coordinator for the Midwest Coalition for Human Rights, has been committed to addressing human rights issues since she was undergraduate student in the University of Minnesota’s Institute for Global Studies. Claire obtained a B.A. in Global Studies focusing on Human Rights and Justice and she wrote her thesis on The Role of the International Community in the Somali Refugee Camp of Dadaab. Since she graduated, Claire has interned for both the National Immigrant Justice Center’s Detention Project and the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota’s Detention Project where she provided detained immigrants and their families with support, advice, and information about the U.S. immigration detention system. She has also assisted the Immigrant Law Center’s Development Office with grant writing and event planning.
Since 2004, Claire has traveled to Mexico and Honduras on multiple occasions to carry out development projects in support of children’s health and nutrition. Claire was awarded the 2009 University of Minnesota’s Outstanding Community Service Award for her work as Director of the Global Studies Student Association (GSSA). Over the two years that Claire was Director of GSSA, the group raised over $40,000 and engaged in service projects in the areas of education, sustainability, and healthcare on behalf of a non-profit children’s home in Honduras. Claire has studied Spanish and Arabic and hopes to someday travel throughout Northern Africa.
Silvia Alvarez, Worker's Rights Coordinator
Silvia Alvarez, Worker’s Rights Coordinator for the Midwest Coalition for Human Rights, is a PhD candidate at the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities Campus. As part of her professional experience she has conducted research in the areas of health, education, food security, human rights, immigration utilizing case studies, ethnography, focus groups, surveys and base line studies. Silvia has worked at Jane Adams School for Democracy in Saint Paul Minnesota, interpreting and facilitating study groups with Hispanic Population; she has taught Spanish at the University of Minnesota, and has done research at HACER (Hispanic, Advocacy, and Community Empower through Research). She also worked as a research assistant for the University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute.
Silvia has participated in several educational and development programs, doing planning, research, and evaluation, as well as the design and verification of educational materials. She has experience working with groups that are diverse in terms of language and culture. Her research focuses on the experience of the immigrant community and their insertion into main stream US society. Silvia is interested in transnational communities, and the role of cultural, economical, and social networks in the migration processes. Her research draws upon the strengths of anthropology and sociology.
Silvia is a recipient of the 2008 University of Minnesota Women of Color Tapestry Award because of her contribution to creating a thriving campus community. She is originally from Guatemala, and got her undergraduate degree in Anthropology from San Carlos University. She plans to complete her PhD in fall 2010.
