Alternative Spring Breaks are designed to give college and high school students something more meaningful to do during their week off, rather than just spending time at the beach or sitting at home catching up on school work. The specific purpose of the 2009 Alternative Spring Break is to bring students to Chapel Hill, North Carolina for five days of anti-death penalty activism, education and entertainment. This is the place to be if you want to become a part of the next generation of human rights leaders. Go to the beach to change your state of mind for a week, come here to change the world forever
We will provide participants with workshops led by experienced, knowledgeable presenters who will teach them skills that they can use to go back home and set up new anti-death penalty student organizations or improve ones that may already exist. The skills participants will learn can also be used in other issues besides the death penalty. Students will gain valuable training and experience in grassroots organizing, lobbying, preparing a direct action and media relations. During the week, students will immediately put what they learn into action during activities such as a Death Penalty Issues Lobby Day and a Protest Day. There will be opportunities to write press releases, speak in public, meet with legislators or their aides, and conceive and carry out a direct action.
This video contains footage of the trip to Huntsville to protest an execution, including the students outside the prison and a clip of former death row chaplain Carroll Pickett speaking to the students.
Below is a video of the Peoples' Tribunal Against the Death Penalty organized by participants in the 2008 Alternative Spring Break. This is part one of four. The other parts can be found on YouTube.
Below is a video of the 2005 Alternative Spring Break. It was produced and directed by Sarah Garrahan, who attended spring break that year.
Photos of Spring Breakers in Action
Spring Breakers Protesting an Execution in Huntsville - 2006
Spring Breakers Visiting the Office of a Texas State Legislator - 2007
What People are Saying
"This is an historical echo to what happened in the
1960s when people came down to the South during the Civil Rights Movement to
help people register to vote, what they called freedom summers. This is very
similar to what was going on back then, but here the issue is the death
penalty."
Scott Cobb, president Texas Moratorium Network
"I wanted to do something more meaningful during my
Spring Break. I figured this would be the place where I could do that."
Chaunte Sterling, graduate of Sam Houston State
University, who attended the 2005 alternative spring break in her senior
year.
"We all had a simple understanding of the problems
with the death penalty and after coming here, we've learned so much in
detail about what goes on with capital punishment," Martellaro said. "It's
just been so educational, because we all are in agreement that it is wrong
and there are problems with the system, and this has been so specific, with
so much information, that it really strengthened my beliefs."
Angela Martellaro, high school student from Shawnee,
Kansas, who attended the 2006 alternative spring break.
"Students and youth have played a critical role in
every major struggle for civil and human rights in this nation. Ending the
abomination of capital punishment is the calling of this generation. Just as
before, student activists will likely determine the future of this issue.
You must be part of the debate and the action."
Diann
Rust-Tierney, Executive Director of the National Coalition to Abolish the
Death Penalty.
"Participants will have plenty of free time to meet
new friends, see the sights of Austin, and take in a couple of SXSW events
if they want to. At the same time they're having fun, they're doing
something positive by taking action on one of the major human rights issues
of our time"
Hooman Hedayati, sophomore at UT-Austin and president of
Texas Students Against the Death Penalty, who attended alternative spring
break in 2005 as a high school senior.
Latest Announcements
We are going to Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 2009
In 2009 the Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break is being held for the first time outside Texas. We are headed to Chapel Hill, North Carolina March 16 - 20, 2009 for five days of anti-death penalty activism, training, education and fun. We will be in the capable hands of People of Faith ... Read More ...
Register Now! It's Free!
Registration for our Alternative Spring Break is free. We only charge a nominal $20 fee for housing, which covers the entire week. If you live in the Chapel Hill, North Carolina area or you arrange for your own housing there, then there is no fee, but we ask that you register so we know how many people are coming. Register Now....
Alternative Spring Breaks are designed to give college and high school students something more meaningful to do during their week off, rather than just spending time at the beach or sitting at home catching up on school work. The specific purpose of the 2009 Alternative Spring Break is to bring students to 
We have an event page on FaceBook and we also have a Facebook group Students Against the Death Penalty. Students Against the Death Penalty also has a website. 
