Angesom Teklu
Angesom Teklu, a freedom advocate, and Public Policy doctoral student has witnessed firsthand how a government can gradually take control of every aspect of citizens' lives. His country of origin Eritrea was once a beacon of African democracy, but today it is one of the most oppressive and authoritarian countries in the world. As a result, he has been involved in underground pro-democracy activism and citizen journalism in Eritrea, where the private press is prohibited. Using his journalism and new media training from the Aileen Getty School of Citizen Journalism, he wrote news articles, journals, opinion pieces, and analyses on freedom-related issues.
Despite being tortured, detained, and forcibly displaced because of his work, Angesom continues to speak out about his experiences with authoritarianism and advocate for freedom on a variety of platforms. He also has been active in awareness efforts on the human rights situation in Eritrea and in supporting fellow Eritrean refugees. Join Angesom in his fight against authoritarianism and for freedom.