THE DISSIDENT PROJECT

Empowering immigrants who fled tyranny to share their stories with young Americans.

BRINGING THE IDEAS OF FREEDOM TO LIFE.

  • FRANCES HUI

    HONG KONG

  • GABY BLANCO

    CUBA

  • ANGESOM TEKLU

    ERITREA

  • TAHMINEH DEHBOZORGI

    IRAN

MEET OUR SPEAKERS

For most of human history, freedom has been rare. Millions today still live under authoritarian regimes where speaking freely, voting honestly, or criticizing the government can lead to imprisonment, exile, or death.

Yet in American classrooms today, many students are taught about economic systems and political ideologies in purely theoretical terms. The human reality of tyranny is often absent.

The Dissident Project changes that.

We bring men and women who have lived under communism, socialism, and authoritarian rule directly into American classrooms to share their stories.

Not as historians. But as witnesses.

Students learn firsthand what it means when freedom disappears and what it takes to rebuild it.

The Dissident Project connects survivors of tyrannical regimes with American students. Our speakers include journalists, activists, and former political prisoners from Iran, Venezuela, China, Cuba, and Hong Kong.

Each talk brings real-world experience into the classroom.

Students will learn:

• What censorship looks like in practice;

• What economic collapse feels like in daily life;

• How authoritarian governments maintain control;

• Why freedom and limited government matter.

About us

The Dissident Project was launched in 2022 to bring a simple but powerful idea into American classrooms: students should hear directly from people who have lived under authoritarian regimes.

Many of our dissidents have experienced firsthand what happens when governments gain too much power. They grew up under regimes that controlled speech, restricted opportunity, and punished political dissent. Some were activists, some were refugees, and some were forced to leave their home countries in search of freedom.

We started the Dissident Project because these stories matter.

Too often, students learn about political systems only in theory. They hear about socialism, communism, and authoritarian government in textbooks, but rarely from people who actually lived under those systems.

When we visit classrooms, we share our experiences directly with students. We talk about censorship, economic collapse, political repression, and the struggle for freedom. Students are able to ask questions, engage with real stories, and see how the ideas they study in school affect real people’s lives.

Together, we are working to ensure that the next generation understands the value of freedom and the consequences of losing it.

  • "The biggest takeaway for students was that freedom is both present and fragile. It depends on people who recognize their worth as human beings and as individuals, who practice self-responsibility, and who choose courage over silence."

    Joel (Atlanta, GA)

  • “Thank you for being willing to come to Utah and to share your experiences with us. We are so grateful for your willingness to speak out against the tragedy our country is trying to impose upon itself. It is a very hard thing to speak out against when you see it but have not lived it.”

    Craig (Salt Lake City, UT)

  • “Thank you for the beautiful, insightful, and engaging experience you gave our students on Friday! They were all captivated by your life and your story-telling skills, but they learned so much. Most importantly, they discovered that one person can make a difference!”

    Shelina (Washington, D.C.)

The Dissident Project is a project of Young Voices, a nonprofit talent agency for classical liberal writers, commentators, and creators ages 18-35. Our mission is to discover, develop, and deploy influential voices for freedom.