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Global Public Affairs (GPA) at UCLA Luskin hosted an Oct. 31 presentation by Ssembatya Fred, a grassroots activist from Kampala, Uganda, who leads the movement Dembe Ku Kubo (Freedom in the Streets). Fred has been at UCLA this fall working with Amy Ritterbusch, assistant professor of social welfare, on “Violence Against Street-Connected Children in Uganda,” a participatory action research initiative. His fight, he said, is for justice and freedom from violence against youths living under the tyrannical regime of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Fred told of having a nail driven through his foot in his own home when he was in his early teens, an experience that sent him into the life of a freedom fighter. He said he took to the streets for his own safety, as thousands of other young people in Kampala have done, despite the availability of other housing options.

Fred returned to Kampala on Nov. 1 to continue the work of keeping young activists safe, primarily from police violence. “Sometimes the most important thing they need is for a safe place to take a long sleep,” he told the GPA gathering. Dembe Ku Kubo was established to provide these necessities and also promote youth involvement in the ongoing political opposition movement.

Watch Fred’s new music video Against Violence (in collaboration with Colombian artist Siere).

Please join Global Public Affairs faculty and students as we welcome you back to UCLA and the winter quarter. You will get the chance to mingle with faculty along with students from the certificate programs and International Practice Pathways program. You will have the chance to mingle with faculty and students in GPA, as well […]

Join Dr. Stephen Commins and the GPA team for an informal workshop on finding a summer fellowship placement and writing a strong application. Come with explicit questions, concerns and more. As always, check out the blogs from past summer fellows here.

RSVP Required Kate Almquist Knopf has served as director of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, an academic institution within the U.S. Department of Defense, since July 2014. Kate will present “Africa's Strategic Place in a World Adrift,” discussing why Africa will matter to the United States (and the world) in the coming decade and […]

Cecilia Choi from the U.S. State Department and Jeffrey Janis from Peace Corps will present information for students interested in careers with the United States government. Cecilia currently serves as the State Department's Diplomat in Residence for Southern California. She was previously the director of trade and investment at the National Security Council serving under […]