Alice Musabende Outstanding Citizen Award, 2010 to Whitney Hough
Remarks from Senator Sandy Pappas
In 1994 Alice Musabende, then aged 14, became an orphan survivor of genocide. She lost her grandparents, her parents, her 12-year-old sister, and her 9-year-old and 2-year-old brothers in the violence that engulfed Rwanda. Alice is now 29 and a journalist in Canada. She visits us in Minnesota often.
Whitney has gotten to know Alice over the past few years and Alice’s story touched her deeply. This award recognizes Whitney for her work to prevent genocide. This award is given on behalf of Alice, the world’s millions of survivors of genocide, and those who did not survive.
Whitney has worked for World Without Genocide for four years, as an intern, a program associate, and a program director.
Whitney has been exceptional in the three areas specified for this award.
- Education about genocide: Whitney has reached out to the faith, civic, educational, and human rights communities to teach about genocide both past and present and to remember those whose lives and cultures have been destroyed by genocide. She’s been a key member of our speakers’ bureau; she prepared translations in Spanish, Oromo, and Somali for our first play, Upstanders; she wrote the new play, “Upstanders: Ten Who Dared;” she prepared much of our promotional materials over the years; she involved her students at Edison High School in our newest documentary, “Children of Genocide: Five Who Survived;” she led student initiatives at Carleton College; and she is the editor and designer of our newsletter, World View. She’s been involved in programs such as Camp Darfur at the state capitol, Gustavus Adolphus College, and Edison High School, coordinating the exhibit and arranging for speakers.
- Education to prevent genocide: Whitney works to reduce xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and other forms of prejudice in our community by bringing people together from different backgrounds to collaborate in genocide education and anti-genocide advocacy. She has been involved in fund-raising to protect innocent people at risk.
- Education against genocide: Whitney has worked with elected officials on legislation that protects innocent civilians around the world and to advocate for the prosecution of perpetrators.
I gave an award to Whitney’s students last June. Through her leadership, the students spent an entire academic year learning about genocide, advocating with their elected officials, hosting exhibits at the school, and reaching out to the community. It’s a real pleasure to recognize Whitney Hough for what she has achieved and to give her the Alice Musabende Outstanding Citizen Award in recognition of her efforts to protect, prevent, prosecute, and remember.
Edison High School Service-Learning Coordinator Receives “Outstanding Citizen” Award
(St. Paul, MN) November 4th, 2010 – On October 16th, Whitney Hough of Minneapolis received the “Alice Musabende Outstanding Citizen” award from World Without Genocide, headquartered at William Mitchell College of Law. This award, presented by St. Paul Senator Sandy Pappas, board member of World Without Genocide, is named after Alice Musabende, an orphan survivor of the Rwandan genocide.
Hough received the award for her passionate commitment to genocide education and prevention. She has worked for World Without Genocide for the past four years, first as an intern, then program associate and program director. As a member of World Without Genocide’s Speaker Bureau, Hough has reached out to numerous faith, civic, educational and human rights communities to teach about genocide both past and present and to remember those whose lives and cultures have been destroyed by genocide. She is the author of the play “Upstanders: Ten Who Dared,” a reader’s theater play used by educators to teach about human rights activists. Hough has also worked extensively with elected officials on legislation that protects innocent civilians from human rights atrocities.
Hough is the Service-Learning Coordinator at Edison High School, Minneapolis. Last June Hough’s students were recognized by Senator Pappas for their commitment to genocide education and prevention. The students held exhibits at their school, reached out to the community, and advocated with their elected officials to increase awareness of genocide and mass atrocities, all under Hough’s direction. They also appeared in the World Without Genocide documentary “Children of Genocide: Five Who Survived,” which was released in June and received a regional Emmy nomination.
Hough is a graduate of Carleton College. In fall 2011 she will begin studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution at Bradford University, England, as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.
