MHR Alum Evaluates Social Justice-Oriented Programs in Minnesota
Join us in celebrating the achievements of Master of Human Rights alum Iván Lopez Justiniano (MHR '19)! After graduating with concentrations in Gender and Sexuality, as well as Race and Ethnicity, Iván went to work with the non-profit Rainbow Research doing program evaluation and research on social justice in Minnesota, especially as they relate to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. Learn more about Iván’s current work below.
Iván came to the Master of Human Rights program to learn about the human rights of LGBTQ+ people and acquire the skills necessary to be a strong human rights advocate. During his time in the program, Iván concentrated on Gender and Sexuality, as well as Race and Ethnicity studies. To supplement his classroom experience Iván, developed practical skills and knowledge through extensive research experience. Iván participated in the Observatory on Disappearances and Impunity in Mexico with Human Rights Program Director Barbara Frey, and in an on-the-ground fact finding mission in Kenya which investigated the state of human rights among LGBTQ+ individuals in this country. As part of his work in Kenya, Iván contributed to a Universal Periodic Review submission on the human rights violations occurring in Kenya. This review was brought before the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights.
Iván completed an internship with Global Rights for Women where he produced a research paper on the need for an international treaty on violence against women and provided additional legal research on violence against women in Macedonia, Minnesota, and Mexico. Through these opportunities Iván explored the intersectionality between women’s rights, the rights of LGBTQ+ folks, and the experience of BIPOC communities in Minnesota and Kenya.
Iván has taken this experience and the qualitative research skills he developed as an MHR student into his professional position at the non-profit Rainbow Research, an organization working to reduce health disparities in Minnesota, partnering with community organizations dedicated to social justice, and working with the Latinx LGBTQ+ community. In a team with six other individuals, Iván conducts program evaluations and research on social justice in Minnesota. Iván’s work with Rainbow Research gives him the opportunity to collaborate with groups that promote equity and social justice in Minnesota. He especially loves having the ability to work on intersectional human rights issues ranging from sexuality to health to race as he enjoys engaging with the dynamic nature of human rights issues.
Iván, like many people, has been working remotely during the COVID pandemic - a situation that has presented him with the opportunity to return home to Puerto Rico, where he was born and raised. Going forward, Iván hopes to use his professional and educational experiences as a foundation to collaborating with Puerto Rican social justice groups.
