Angesom Teklu is a freedom advocate and Policy Analyst from Eritrea. He saw firsthand how a government can gradually take over an economy and every facet of citizens’ lives, turning a nation that was once seen as a beacon of African democracy into one of the most oppressive and impoverished countries in the world. He has been involved in underground pro-democracy activism and citizen journalism in Eritrea, a country where the private press is prohibited. He writes news articles, journals, opinion pieces, and analyses on freedom-related issues using his journalism and new media training from the Aileen Getty School of Citizen Journalism. He was tortured, detained, and forcibly displaced because of his work. Since he moved to the U.S, he has been involved in various advocacy and awareness efforts on the human rights situation in Eritrea. He is also involved in efforts to support and uplift fellow Eritrean refugees. Angesom has spoken publicly about his experiences with authoritarianism on a variety of platforms.
