Forum on Human Rights and Racism Held in Mountain View

Submitted by the Youth for Human Rights in Silicon Valley organization to Mountain View Patch.

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Youth for Human Rights in Silicon Valley (YHRSV) presented a at the Dianetics and Scientology Information Center in Mountain View Wednesday in observance of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  

On that day, March 21 in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people peacefully demonstrating against apartheid "pass laws" in the township of Sharpeville, South Africa.   

In remembrance of that day, special guest speaker Anu Peshawaria spoke about the present-day problems of racism in Silicon Valley.  Peshawaria is an international attorney and former world champion tennis player from India.  She is also the founder and head of SevA Legal Aid Foundation, an organization that preserves the civil and human rights of immigrant women. For years, Peshawaria has seen and battled against racial and ethnic discrimination.

The event's second speaker was Cindy Gray, spokesperson for YHRSV.  Cindy spoke about how racial and ethnic discrimination can be eliminated through education of the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  She presented educators' guides, DVDs and other educational materials that can be used to eliminate racism through education.  

For more information, visit www.youthforhumanrights.org.