WIP Contributor Grace Kwinjeh is an aspiring candidate in the forthcoming elections in Zimbabwe. We recently received the following interview conducted with her by a local publication in Zimbabwe. We wish Grace all the best in her bid for MP.

Let us start with some background and context, what has been your mission in Belgium and for how long have you been there?

I have been in Belgium for over three years now. I came here primarily to continue my healing process and to reunite with my children and mother. I have, however, also stayed involved in the party (MDC-T) and pro-democracy movement and advocacy campaigns to advance the cause for democratic change in Zimbabwe.  

• Grace Kwinjeh •

I have been an ardent cadre of the MDC since its inception in 1999. I have worked tirelessly to help the party deliver democracy and freedom to the people of Zimbabwe. I have always aspired to join the Parliament of Zimbabwe to continue that work. However, in 2000, I felt that I was too young and inexperienced to go into Parliament. At that point, I wanted to further my studies and acquire the experience and wisdom to better serve my country through the MDC.

Due to my activism for democracy, I was a victim of political persecution. I was jailed numerous times over the years and extensively tortured in 2007. Since then, I have been healing and recovering from the trauma of that experience.

In 2008, I was still recovering and did not feel strong enough to sustain a campaign. Furthermore, I could not be home because of the difficulties I had experienced in 2006 and 2007. Those were difficult years for Zimbabweans in both political and economic terms.

Today, in 2013, I feel stronger, ready and eager to fully engage with the political process in Zimbabwe. I have healed, grown and learned much over the years. I have much to offer the people of Makoni Central as their servant and representative in the House of Parliament.

Without doubt the MDC of today has undergone changes of its own since its founding. Do you think this is its best chance to lead Zimbabwe?

Since its birth in 1999, the MDC has been at the forefront of democratic reform in Zimbabwe. I think the party has grown and learned so much over the years. As a young party, we have faltered and stumbled on occasion. However, we remain resolute in our quest for equal opportunity and democracy for all Zimbabweans. We continue to listen to what the people of Zimbabwe say and allow that to guide us. We have become more grounded and acquired the governing experience that will allow us to move the nation forward. For example, the party has a better understanding of the realities and constraints of being in government.

The party remains committed to reforming the country’s institutions to weed out corruption and other vices that afflict government. However, there are always a few individuals who deviate from these values and bring the party into disrepute. For instance, the party recently dealt with party members who have been accused of corruption within city councils. One of my objectives as an aspiring Member of Parliament is to ensure that the party continues to eradicate corruption and abide by the founding principles of transparency and reform.

Clearly, as a party, we have had to go through the fiery furnace. Personally, I have struggled in unimaginable ways. I have been out of my motherland for six years due to my fight for democracy. I have experienced many difficulties in the process. For example, my first bed in South Africa when I got out of hospital after the 2007 torture was bought by the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum. I eventually triumphed by learning how to survive in other countries; South-Africa, then Rwanda, and now Brussels. In each country I resided, I learned new things and grew as a person. Various experiences, both inside Zimbabwe and outside, have made me stronger and groomed me to be a better citizen and leader. I also believe that the diversity of people, skills, and experiences that candidates like myself offer, make the MDC (T) party stronger.

Women have been somewhat sidelined in mainstream politics and their numbers still remain low. How do you plan to change this if at all?

That is a tough question. On one hand, I do not wish to present women as weak and incapable of campaigning and getting elected into office. On the other hand, women do face real obstacles and challenges in joining mainstream politics.
For instance, I find myself standing and competing with men who have enormous resources that I do not have. Notwithstanding such limitations, I believe that personal integrity and loyalty are important qualities. In my case, I possess both qualities and have been an ardent and loyal party cadre since its inception. I have continued to engage with democratic reform in Zimbabwe in various capacities.

It is a testament to these qualities, that I believe the people have encouraged me to seek office. I believe that it is good when people think of you and want to promote you. I do hope that my campaign, working with both men and women, can be an example to other women. I hope that through my campaign, I can inspire more women to become interested and involved in Zimbabwe’s political processes.

Zimbabwean women are resilient. In turn, there are tough women in the MDC-T, who have not let the political environment stop them from campaigning in their own right. However, we need the party to deal with past injustices against women, deal with low participation numbers and so forth. For example, they could do this by having a certain number of seats reserved for women. This is not because we are not able, but rather intended to address a history, culture and social practices that have kept our numbers low.

Going into politics, what issues concern you most and which ones are top priorities for you?

The level of poverty in Zimbabwe is of great concern to me. I aspire to represent a constituency with both urban and rural populations that are affected by this issue. For example, I have listened to what people on the ground have to say about the lack of access to proper healthcare and a quality education for their children.

As a Parliamentarian, I will work diligently to ensure that I contribute to policies that alleviate poverty across the country. Also, I intend to contribute towards our budgeting process to ensure that our limited resources are spent on those Zimbabweans most in need. For example, why should the army receive more money than the health sector?

In Makoni, I will create a pragmatic development programme for the constituency. I have a team of Zimbabweans with vast experience to help me draw one up. The first part of my constituency manifesto will also be launched soon. This will be in line with the party’s JUICE programme, which has been endorsed by many as credible, authentic, and just what Zimbabwe needs.

A voter will ask, what are you going to do differently or offer the electorate that other politicians have failed?

One thing for sure is that I have zero tolerance for corruption and I believe in integrity, transparency and accountability. These are qualities that should be prerequisites for Zimbabwean politicians. For instance, I have filled out forms declaring my assets. This can be evaluated after five years should voters wish to verify whether I have accumulated unexplained wealth that I cannot justify.

Also, I am a woman of God, a trained intercessor gifted in the area of healing. I believe that the spiritual journey I have undertaken has humbled me as a person, meaning that my life is governed by the principles of the Kingdom of God, a servant of the people, who is called to lead a righteous life.

Would you say the transition from journalism to politics was a natural one for you?

Yes, it has been quite natural. As journalists, we are always “on the ground” and therefore develop close relationships with communities and the people. You have to be open, a listener, informed, and easy to interact with. These are skills that I possess as a journalist and will leverage in representing the people of Makoni Central.

In your take on the democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe, what needs to change?

The MDC has worked hard to advance democracy and human rights on behalf of Zimbabweans since 1999. However, there are still challenges and much still needs to be done. A large part of this involves reforms to our political institutions through constitutional reform, for example. Also, the political culture in the country and lack of leadership accountability needs to be addressed.

For instance, imagine that even as a candidate, I am not aware of when elections will be held because the decision on polls is concentrated in the hands of one person. We have a serious problem of leaders who take people for granted without fully grasping that our country is in a serious governance crisis. You even hear in some quarters people saying that the President might decide not to have elections this year; that his party Zanu PF is not ready. Such issues need to be addressed.

Critics might ask, you have been exiled in Belgium for a while, are you in touch with issues on the ground at home?

Firstly, I am so in touch with the grassroots it’s incredible! I have kept myself updated on all developments on the ground and am in touch with people both in the party and civil society. In Makoni, I remain connected to my family and community. Makoni is kumusha to me. Six years in exile cannot take that away from me. I am very much a “daughter of the soil” and remain in touch with the issues that affect this constituency as well as Zimbabwe as a nation.

I will also say that exile is not a new phenomenon. Most of our country’s nationalists have been in exile at some point in their lives. Like them, I left Zimbabwe due to political persecution. I left Zimbabwe on a hospital bed, went to SA, where at some point I really struggled on my own, with very few options. I went into exile because I dared to stand up for democracy in my motherland. It was a very precarious existence during which I could not return home. Violence was escalating and I could not travel much, as I did not have the necessary documentation. When some people talk of exile they assume it is pretty sitting. The reality of exile is far from pretty. I have been there and I can testify to that.

These experiences and challenges have sharpened my desire to ensure that our country becomes a beacon of democracy and prosperity, and that no Zimbabwean ever has to leave their country as a result of persecution and bad governance!  

Your fears about running for office, if any?

Well, my fear has really to do with the political environment, in the absence of the necessary media and electoral reforms. My greatest fear of course being that Zanu PF might decide again to use violence as they have done in previous elections. However, I will not let these fears dissuade me from completing the task of democratic change and bringing hope to the people of Makoni Central and Zimbabwe.

What is the Zimbabwe that you want?

The Zimbabwe I want to see is a prosperous one, where men and women live side by side in peace and harmony regardless of their political or religious beliefs. God bless Zimbabwe.

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This month Brooklyn artist Marni Kotak will deliver her first child in a gallery as a work of art.

• Photograph by Flickr user tofslie and used under a Creative Commons license. •

When WIP volunteer Sabrina Brett overheard this story on the BBC's newshour, her intial reaction was shock but then while listening to Kotak's husband Jason Bell's description of the performance and its vision, her interest was piqued.

Is "The Birth of Baby X" performance art at its very best or its very worst?

The Supreme Court in Mexico upheld the anti-abortion constitutional amendment added into the Baja California state constitution which asserts that life begins at conception.

• Mexico City. Photograph by Flickr user schlaeger used under a Creative Commons license. •

While 7 out of 11 members of the Supreme Court ruled this legislation as unconstitutional, they needed 8 to overturn it. The justices believe that this is an issue to be determined by state, not federal legislation. Mexico City remains one of the areas in Mexico that allows abortions up to 12 weeks. In all states, abortion is permitted in cases of rape or cases that pose severe health risks, although pro-choice activists do not believe that this is always upheld.

Should government be able to make a decision in regards to when life begins?

by Katharine Daniels and Alexandra Daniels
The WIP

Looking back we remember Felicia, our Brooklyn sister and loyal friend. The woman who always greeted you with a big smile and a sincere “Hi there sweet cheeks.” Every year, we put on a little Maxwell and dance around the living room, pretending for just a few minutes that she is still here dancing with us.

In solemn remembrance of the tragic events of September 11th, starting at 12a PT, Link TV will be airing an entire day of special programming devoted to showing perspectives unseen on any other media outlet. Link TV will be showcasing stories of forgiveness, healing, growth and transformation, like in Beyond Belief, the story of two 9/11 widows who channel their grief into helping war widows in Afghanistan, and 9/12 From Chaos to Community, stories from Ground Zero showing how an extremely diverse group of people transcended politics and culture in a effort to heal their city and themselves. Link TV is also one of the only networks where you’ll be able to see live coverage from Al Jazeera English throughout the day and reactions from around the Arab world, as well as special programming from news outlets such as NHK, Deutsch Welle and Democracy Now.

Tune into Link TV on September 11 at DirecTV Channel 375 or Dish Channel 9410, or online at www.linktv.org.

"According to data from UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics, 793 million adults – most of them girls and women - are illiterate. A further 67 million children of primary school age are not in primary school and 72 million adolescents of lower secondary school age are also missing out their right to an education." - UNESCO

This year’s International Literacy Day, celebrated world-wide today (September 8), focuses on the link between literacy and peace.

Check out UNESCO's Media Page for more information on International Literacy Day.

Literacy is our passport to freedom. The way we function as citizens of the world depends on our literacy. How do we explore the world when we cannot read or write? Is liberation possible without literacy?

Let's talk!

This just in from the Center for Partnership Studies:

You can make a difference in our world by taking CPS's acclaimed online Caring Economics (CEC) Leadership Training program. Women and men from eight different countries have already enrolled in our exciting fall trainings, but several spaces are still available in Cohort D, which focuses on Empowering Women. It starts on September 20 and meets on seven subsequent Tuesdays -- with one session with CPS President Riane Eisler, author of The Real Wealth of Nations: Creating a Caring Economics. We've extended the application deadline for Cohort D to Wednesday August 24 to give you the chance to become a certified Caring Economics Leader this September.

You can get more information and enroll online (Click the red "Apply" button at the top of the page to enroll), or contact our program coordinator sharonrose.cps@gmail.com Accepted participants for the September group will be notified by August 26th (U.S Women's Equality Day!), so you can register and get your welcome packet in plenty of time to gear up for the program.

The CEC training is more urgently needed now than ever before, given the failure of national and international leaders to understand the enormous human, environmental, and financial return on investment in the most essential human work: caring for people, starting in early childhood, and caring for our natural environment. Becoming a Certified Caring Economics leader offers you the an opportunity to engage deeply with the principles of Caring Economics, build the skills to make a difference in your communities and our planet, and connect with other leaders from around the world.

We offer two CEC tracks: the Real Wealth track and the Empowering Women track, both designed to help you bring a new perspective to your colleagues, organization!on, and policy-makers on what is, or is not, economically valuable Here is the program information (Click the red "Schedule" button at the top of the page for the schedule of classes.)

Here are comments from people who have taken our trainings:

"It was incredible to be part of an amazing cohort of caring conversation leaders across the globe - most of us the first in our respective countries!"

"I had a feeling of exaltation and empowerment realizing that I now have a strong
argument and solid facts to help people, corporations, universities, and policy-makers understand the economic implications of non-caring policies, and the language to discuss how important caring is for everyone."

"I'm struck by the overwhelmingly positive feedback I received [after my presentations] about the material and the need for Caring Economics. I feel excited to continue to build momentum within this movement."

Please re-post this announcement for friends and colleagues who would be interested in this exciting opportunity!

• Author Lisa Shannon. Photograph by Mads Greve. •

Sexual Violence Against Women During War: Confronting the Atrocity, Healing Women

Hosted by the Monterey Institute of International Studies and featuring:

Lisa J. Shannon of Portland, Oregon

Lisa J. Shannon is founder of Run for Congo Women, which began with a lone 30-mile trail run and quickly blossomed into a global, volunteer-driven grassroots effort to raise funds and awareness for women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She previously owned a photography production company, where she served as art director and producer. She's the author of A Thousand Sisters: My Journey Into the Worst Place on Earth to be a Woman. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon. For more information visit her website, www.athousandsisters.com.

The UNA will have books available for sale and Lisa's signature after the event.

The WIP reached out to Lisa and she shared with us the following story for The WIP Talk:

A Thousand Sisters is my first book. My first pro writing gig, for that matter. When I sat down to draft, I found myself in deep water. The proposition: Write a personal account of the deadliest war since World War II, through the intimate lens of friendship. My goal was to bring readers along with me on my journey to Congo so they could meet and bond with my sisters as I did; my hope was to engage them in the movement for Congo.

But how do I write honestly about the off-the-charts horrors in Congo that in our popular vernacular many would label "unspeakable" and "unthinkable"? Do these stories motivate? Or do they cause us to shut down and shut Congo out?

One of my sisters' stories is the quintessential example of this, excerpted from A Thousand Sisters:

"I was in my house preparing food for my husband when they came," she says. "They made me prepare food for them, then asked me to wake my husband, who was asleep. They demanded money. I had US$130, and I gave it to them, but they didn't care. They said, 'The US$130 was the nurse's participation. The husband is head of the school. He has to make his contribution.'

"My husband said, 'I have nothing.'

"They started to beat him, so I cried for help. The Interahamwe shot him immediately, killing him.

"I continued to cry to alert other people. They said, 'Shut your mouth. Put your leg on the chair.'

"They took a machete and cut off my leg. We had six children at home; one was my sister's child. The Interahamwe cut the leg into six parts and burnt them in the fire. They gave each child a piece of my leg and commanded them to eat.

"One of the children said, 'I can't eat a part of my mother. You already killed my father, so you will have to kill me.'

"They killed my child.

"They tried to burn the house. The children got us out. They took me to the garden outside. Because of the burning of the house, because of despair, because of the loss of blood, I was like a dead person."

When I returned from my first trip to the Congo, I told Generose's story twice. After gauging audience response, I didn't tell it again for a year and half.

In that period, I knew I wanted to write a book, but was stuck. What do I include? What would be too much? In an online video clip Philip Gourevitch, author of the genocide classic We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda, posed a basic question: In our popular dialogue on these issues, people use the words "unthinkable" and "unspeakable" which allow us to posture as though we have dealt with the issue, when in fact we haven't dealt with it at all. He asked, "What is a journalist's job if not to think and speak?"

As writers and activists, it's our duty to tell the truth. But how do we make that truth palatable to a broad readership?

As I reviewed my 70 hours of videotaped interviews, filled with hundreds of stories of "the trouble I got from war," I discovered something. In my pursuit of Congo horror stories, there were a lot of questions I didn't ask. Like who was lost. I hadn't even asked their names.

Before I could draft a book, I had to go back to Congo, armed with different questions:

Inside, we pull the curtains closed and wait for the neighbors and children to disperse, so we can talk privately. It's dusk and we talk by candlelight. I ask about her son.

"He was a child I loved so much," she tells me. "The fact that he is the only one who refused to eat a part of me marked my heart."

"Do you remember the last thing you said to your child?"

"What I remember is the last speech he gave to the killer."

"What did he say?" I ask.

"To his father's killer, he said, 'I do not accept to eat a part of my mother.' They said, 'Then we are going to kill you.' He said, 'If you kill me, kill me. But I will not eat a part of my mother.'" Generose spaces out, slowly rocking back and forth, while Maurice translates, "They said, 'Then you better pray, because you are going to die.'

"He said, 'You're asking me to pray to God? Why? I do not love you. I am angry with you. How can I pray to God when I have such a bad heart against you?'"

We are quiet for a moment. Then I ask her, "What did the soldiers say?"

"They said nothing. They shot him. I heard the sound of many bullets, but what I saw was the one that entered here." She points to the middle of her forehead.

"What was his name?"

"Lucien."

"And your husband?"

"Claude."

"What was he like as a person, a man, a husband?" I ask.

"The type of husband I dreamed of since I was a child. Someone very tall, who's not a drunk and doesn't smoke. When I met him, he had all these qualities, and I said, 'This is the man.'

"As a husband, he was responsible. As the father of my children, he was responsible up to the end of his life. He had a habit. When I was very tired he would say, 'Today, it is not your chore. I will prepare food for the whole family.' He prepared eggs and rice. That was his dish. This created a problem with his family. They said, 'How can a man prepare food for his wife? This must be a problem of witchcraft.'

"But there was no witchcraft. Only love."

"What do you miss about your husband?"

She doesn't hesitate. "When I was pregnant, very heavy with a baby, my husband would wash my body. It was very intimate."

Is it that Congo is too much? Or is it unbearable to see human beings strictly through the lens of horror? Are we only seeing half of the story?

Do we define the narrative of Congo by the questions we ask? How does our experience of Generose's story change when the questions change? Why so personal? Is it relevant?

When we deal with the violence in abstract, intellectual realms, we make room for pity. That is a tremendous first step. But for compassion, we must be willing to feel with Congolese. An easy way to do that is to get to know them. When we see Congolese people for the full human beings, the individuals they have always been — with loves and quirks and family bonds — the losses become real and personal.

And the personal is essential. We cannot measure the human cost of the war when we define people strictly by the violence they endure, any more than you can measure a human being by the few moments of violence at their life's end. We cannot leave out half the story. Learning this was a critical piece of my own journey.

I recently saw a program on PBS about genocide. The documentarian made a simple argument: To stop genocide (and I would add mass atrocity), two things need to happen:

1. The cost/benefit equation for the perpetrators must change.

2. We have to shift the way we to relate to those living through it. We must feel it like it is happening to our own mothers, sons, brothers, and sisters.

The truth about Congo will be too much... for some people. But for many, the truth is not too much. Especially if it is the whole truth.

We may cry. But then we do something.

And when we do something, we stumble upon one of life's great ironies: If we are open and travel to one of the "worst places on earth," we may just experience some of life's deepest joy, the singular joy that comes from connection to other human beings.

We hope you will join The WIP to meet Lisa and learn more at this fantastic UNA event!

Listen to the August 29 broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

In this week’s broadcast of Sundays at Five, Kate and Ali talk with Joan Kelley-Williams, the Director of International Services for the American Red Cross San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. Five years after Hurricane Katrina, the lives of many people on the Gulf Coast are still not “back to normal.” Yet another disaster - the current flooding in Pakistan – is having an impact many times more devastating than Katrina.

For more information about preparing yourself and your family for a disaster, please visit 72hours.org

Guest Biography: Joan Kelley-Williams serves as Director of International and Armed Forces Emergency Services for the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter. A Red Crosser since 1984 when she began as a volunteer, Joan joined the paid staff ranks in 1991 as the Chapter's first Director of Volunteer Administration. She has created the Chapter's premier International Services Department delivering direct services and providing outreach and education programs focused on the promotion of international humanitarian/human rights law and rights based humanitarian aid.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the August 22 broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

The WIP’s film critic Jessica Mosby joins Kate and Ali in conversation with first-time filmmaker Kiran Deol. Her new documentary film Woman Rebel tells the story of Silu, an officer in Nepal’s rebel forces, which are made up of 40 percent women. Silu is a true female change agent: by the end of the film she is transformed from rebel leader to member of parliament. Listen to their conversation about Nepal, the People’s Liberation Army, and what leadership balance has meant for the revolution and for Nepalese politics.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the August 15th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

In this week’s broadcast of Sundays at Five, Kate and Ali interview Mary Mangwiza Manyusa from Malawi and Mary Burns of Mountain View, California. Mary Manyusa was formerly Malawi’s chief of police and has used her pension to fund the organization, Mother Mary’s Children Centre, which feeds 1200 orphans every day. Mary Burns is the founder of Kasimu Grammar School in Manyesa, where 1300 students attend elementary school. Both women provide the only nutritious meal these receive each day.

For more information about Kasimu Grammar School visit: www.kefmalawi.com
For more information about Mother Mary’s Children Centre visit: www.mmcc.mw

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the August 8th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

In this week’s broadcast of Sundays at Five, Kate and Ali interview Judge Rose Mbah Acha of Cameroon’s court of appeals. In Cameroon, approximately 50,000 children are not registered at birth. This is significant because without a birth certificate children are not able to attend school. Rose envisions that every child born in Cameroon starting in the year 2011 will be registered at birth.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the August 1st broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

In this week’s broadcast of Sundays at Five, Kate interviews WIP Contributor Alice Speri who is working in Haiti as a journalist for the Haitian Times. Alice recently wrote an article for The WIP about Haiti’s incarcerated minors – children who are imprisoned in deplorable conditions and often without trial. Many of these children are innocent. All are pre-trial. Even prison officials condemn the conditions in the prisons, but feel helpless to change the situation.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

*Please check back regularly for updated information on Thursday's live chat.*

Please join The WIP Thursday, August 5th at 9am PDT for a live chat with CARE Policy Analyst Milkah Kihunah. This chat is the first in a series of live chats on the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) that The WIP is hosting prior to the September release of the film Tapestries of Hope. Tapestries of Hope is the story of Betty Makoni’s Girl Child Network, a safe haven for girls in Zimbabwe who are victims of rape because of a widely held belief that sex with a virgin cures AIDS.

Join us on Thursday to educate yourself about the issue of violence against women, what is being done to address it and how you can help. Participate in this chat and learn more about CARE’s work to fight violence against women in various countries and find resources to help you spread the word.

How to participate: You must register an account with The WIP in order to participate in our live global chats. If you do not already have a WIP account, please register at the top of our homepage by clicking on: CREATE ACCOUNT.

Stay tuned for more information on The WIP’s I-VAWA chat series and the upcoming film Tapestries of Hope.

Listen to the June 27th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate and Jessica discuss current issues, including the new film Gasland and the latest developments in the Gulf oil spill. It’s also the 40th anniversary of San Francisco’s Pride Festival. Jessica attends the Frameline Festival, San Francisco’s International LGBT Film Festival and encourages listeners to attend the upcoming San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the June 20th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

In 2009, the organization CARE supported over 800 poverty-fighting programs in 72 countries reaching more than 59 million people. On Sunday Kate and Ali had the opportunity to speak with Belén Cordovez, the coordinator of the LIFT UP Initiative in CARE Ecuador. Together they discuss the underlying causes of poverty in Ecuador and how solutions such as empowering women, forging partnerships, and building alliances help create permanent social change. Don’t miss Belén’s frank assessment of the real issues impacting women and children in Ecuador and why women’s empowerment is essential to ending violence, hunger, and maternal mortality.

And be sure to visit CARE online to learn more about the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) and to take action by reaching out to your members of Congress!

Guest Biography: Belén Cordovez is the coordinator of the LIFT UP Initiative in CARE Ecuador. Previously, Belén directed and designed the organizational and programmatic learning, communication and transparency strategy for CARE Ecuador’s Democracy and Governance division. Before joining CARE in 2004, Belén directed the Department of Social Sciences at the Colegio Menor San Francisco de Quito for 10 years, where she designed a comprehensive, multicultural Latin American history curriculum.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the June 13th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate and Ali talk with Nancy Sleeth, author of Go Green, Save Green, about our consumption habits in light of the BP oil spill. Nancy’s faith-based message offers hope as well as practical tips for what we can do today to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels.

Guest Biography: Nancy Sleeth is the Program Director of Blessed Earth. After a spiritual and environmental conversion experience, Sleeth and her family radically altered their footprint, reducing their electricity use to one-tenth and their fossil fuel use to one-third the national averages. Along with her husband, Matthew, Nancy now travels throughout the U.S. speaking and writing about faith and the environment.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

It’s amazing to me that we’re supposed to understand Haiti without ever hearing from Haitians. - Beverly Bell

Listen to the June 6th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate and Ali talk with Beverly Bell about the current situation in Haiti. Beverly reports that Haitians themselves do have a clear and strong agenda for their future, despite a lack of coverage in US media. While living conditions for many remain dire, Haitians recognize the opportunity to build a better Haiti from the ground up. The question is, will international organizations seek input from Haitians regarding Haiti’s future? So far the answer is no.

Guest Biography: Beverly Bell has worked with Haitian social movements for over 30 years. She is also author of the book Walking on Fire: Haitian Women's Stories of Survival and Resistance. She coordinates Other Worlds, which promotes social and economic alternatives. She is also associate fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the May 16th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate Daniels and Jessica Mosby discuss the continuing crisis in the Gulf of Mexico following the BP oil rig explosion on April 20th. The show’s special guest this week is Mac McClelland, human rights reporter for Mother Jones magazine. Mac joins us from Grand Isle, Louisiana where she is investigating the worsening situation. Mac reports that the oil fumes are nauseating and raising concerns about public health. In addition, the potential economic impact may prove devastating to a region dependent on tourism as long as beaches are closed and restaurants remain empty.

Guest Biography: Mac McClelland is an expert on human rights, refugee populations, and Burma. McClelland is on staff at Mother Jones as their human rights reporter, with other work published The Nation, GQ The Daily Beast, The National Post, the Anderson Cooper 360 blog, Orion, AlterNet, as well as various literary journals and anthologies. She is author of For Us Surrender Is Out of the Question: A Story from Burma's Never-Ending War.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the May 16th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

A brutal conflict has persisted in Northern Uganda for over two decades. It is the most violent and longest running conflict in all of Africa with systematic human rights violations including rape, abduction, and torture. This week Kate and Ali interview Garrett Glick from Invisible Children, an organization using the power of media to inspire young people to help end this war. On April 22nd Garrett interviewed Ugandan peacemaker Jolly Okot for The WIP Talk.

Click for more information on the LRA Disarmament Bill.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the May 9th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate and Ali discuss the ramifications of the catastrophic oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. They point out that the media seems to vastly underplay the effects of this disaster, despite the fact that it may result in severe environmental implications. The special guest this week is Dr. Sonja Olson of the Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners in Florida, who specializes in toxicology and wildlife. Dr. Olson explains in full the effects that the oil and the chemical solvents used to combat it will have upon the animals and surrounding environment. The bottom line is that this situation highlights several issues that we must consider for the future: corporate greed, lack of accountability and infrastructure for preventing oil spills, and a dire need to search for sources of alternative sources of energy which are more environmentally friendly.

Please visit the following web sites to see what you can do to help:

National Wildlife Federation
Oiled Wildlife Network
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Sierra Club
Matter of Trust
Dawn Dish Detergent

Guest Biography: Dr. Sonja Olson is head of the emergency veterinary clinic at the Blue Pearl Florida Veterinary Specialists program based in Tampa. She specializes in toxicology and wildlife, and thus has a unique perspective on what may happen to the animals and surrounding environment as a result of this catastrophe.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the April 18th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate and Ali discuss the implications behind the radical right movement in this country with lawyer and SheSource expert, Tanya Acker. The focal point of the broadcast pivots upon the second amendment gun rallies which took place in Washington, D.C. on April 19th (a day that also happens to coincide with the Oklahoma City bombing); the overarching theme, however, grapples with trying to figure out ways to understand and deal with the radical elements of protest which we are facing here in the United States. Acker is a frequent participant on the media circuit, and serves as a key moderate voice which buffers the more extreme points of view.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the April 11th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate, Ali, and WIP Contributor Jessica Mosby speak with Director Geralyn Rae Pezanoski about Mine, her documentary about the struggle many pet owners faced to reunite with their pets in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Guest Biography: Geralyn Pezanoski is a renowned photographer, producer and documentary filmmaker whose work has been showcased in several prominent venues. Her documentary, Mine, garnered many accolades as a poignant film which addresses several key moral issues faced in dealing with the aftermath of a disaster.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the March 28th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate and Ali speak with public school teacher Gianna De Persiis Vona about both her experiences in the classroom as well as her belief that the standardized testing system imposed by the government proves detrimental to both students and teachers alike.

In the second half of the show, Bill Monning, California Assembly Member of the 27th district, connects us to the pulse of what is going on in our state government by explaining why education is typically the first victim of budget cuts. He also explains the ramifications of the 2/3 vote rule in Sacramento and gives us citizens some advice on what we can do to help remedy the situation.

Guest Biographies:
Gianna De Persiis Vona is a public school teacher in Sebastapol, CA, who works with disadvantaged students in a continuing education program. She is also a writer who chronicles her experiences and airs her frustrations with educational bureaucracy on her blog The Whiteboard Report.

Bill Monning is the Assembly Member for the 27th district of California who specializes in mediation and has a vested interest in ensuring that the government is changed to better help California’s citizens.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the March 14th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate and Ali Daniels probe the implications of the recent Supreme Court ruling, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission with constitutional experts Bill Daniels and Joel Franklin.

The discussion centers upon the meaning of free speech, the impact of corporation spending power upon citizens’ voting rights, and the expanding opportunities for citizens to better inform themselves in a changing media landscape.

Guest Biographies:

Bill Daniels practices and teaches law and mediation in Monterey, CA. He specializes in civil liberties cases and constitutional law.

Joel Franklin is an appellate lawyer who also teaches constitutional law. He recently participated in a case which grapples with how to handle the rights of a non-person speaker, such as a corporation.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the February 21st broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate and Ali, with The WIP's film critic Jessica Mosby, discuss Soundtrack for a Revolution, which combines powerful music and footage of the Civil Rights Movement with contemporary artists and interviews. In the second half of the broadcast, the trio interview special guest, Dr. Morty Slater, who was a Freedom Rider in the Civil Rights Movement and now heads the Gateway Institute, a non-profit organization based in NYC which prepares low-income minority students for careers in science, medicine, and technology.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

The Women's International Perspective and The Women’s Fund of Monterey County, in association with the MIIS National Association of Women MBAs, invite you to our International Women's Day Celebration: "Women and Leadership: The 30% Solution."

Monday, March 8th 2010

5:30 pm | Informational Fair and Reception

Browse local organizations' informational tables. Enjoy appetizers, drinks, and music.

6:30 pm | Keynote Speaker and Panel Discussion

Linda Tarr-Whelan, Demos Distinguished Senior Fellow, President Clinton’s ambassador to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, and author of Women Lead The Way: Your Guide to Stepping Up to Leadership and Changing the World will deliver the keynote address.

Tarr-Whelan advocates the "30% Solution," a concept that gained traction at the U.N. Conference on the Status of Women in Beijing in 1995. According to Tarr-Whelan, both businesses and governments do better when they adopt a 30% measure for women in leadership positions. "Often without even thinking about it, we are seeing the world through men's eyes and don't realize a woman's perspective is missing."

A panel discussion including Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS) Provost Dr. Amy Sands; Linda Alepin, Founding Director of the Global Women's Leadership Network (GWLN) of the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University; and Christine Grumm, President and CEO of the Women's Funding Network will follow.

Dr. Amy Sands is the Provost at the Monterey Institute of International Studies – an educational institution The WIP has partnered with several times. MIIS’s promotion of international understanding to prepare students for careers in the global workplace is very relevant to our theme. As a nonproliferation expert, we hope Dr. Sands will explore women, leadership and the 30% Solution in this area.

Linda Alepin is the Founding Director of the Global Women’s Leadership Network, which works directly with women leaders on every continent who are actively transforming their organizations and communities. The WIP's Executive Editor, Katharine Daniels is a graduate of GWLN’s Women Leaders for the World program which was developed out of Linda’s vision to empower women leaders with the skills they need to transform their visions for change into reality.

Christine Grumm is the CEO and President of The Women’s Funding Network, an organization that has championed the cause of guiding funds to programs that benefit women and girls. Her commitment to the transformational power of women-based solutions go hand-in-hand with Linda Tarr-Whelan’s message in Women Lead the Way.

We hope you'll join us for an inspiring evening with these amazing women! Click HERE for more information and to buy tickets!

Listen to the February 14th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate and Ali discuss social media with guest Steven Spencer-Steigner, a brand strategist based in San Francisco. Between Facebook, Twitter, and other technologies, our children are wired more than seven hours a day. How many “friends” do you have? What about privacy? … And what the heck is Farmville?!

Guest Biography: Steven Spencer-Steigner is a brand strategist at Addiction Marketing, based in San Francisco, CA. He has enjoyed a career in marketing and media for 12 years and counting in technology media, Internet community and traditional brand marketing, as well as luxury and travel consumer services. He holds both a BA and MA in sociology from the University of California, where he focused on ethnographic methodologies, pop culture, and political consciousness.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!

Listen to the inaugural February 7th broadcast of Sundays at Five by clicking the play button below.

Kate and Ali discuss Haiti with Michele Wucker, Executive Director of the World Policy Institute and author of Why the Cocks Fight: Dominicans, Haitians, and the Struggle for Hispaniola and Catherine Delcin, a native Haitian and law student in San Francisco.

About the Broadcast: The WIP’s Executive Editor, Kate Daniels teams up with identical twin sister Ali Daniels to present Sundays at Five, a weekly radio broadcast on KRXA, Monterey Bay's Progressive Talk Radio station. The twins share stories and discuss topics ranging from campaign finance reform to the phenomenon of Facebook. Tune in every Sunday from 5-6 pm PDT or listen online. Podcasts of previous broadcasts are available on The WIP Talk.

Make a cup of tea and join the conversation!