| The Collateral Repair Project in affiliation with the International Humanities Center North American Team Find out how you can join the CRP team |
MARY MADSEN co-director
Medford Oregon
Bachelor Degree in Social Work, Master's Degree in
English: Creative Writing. Twelve years working in
public welfare programs in California. Two years in
southern India as Program Director for small
community centre for Muslim women and children,
raising funding and developing new programs.
Founding member of Citizens for Peace and Justice
in Medford, Oregon, which, through rallies, marches,
educational forums, community events, etc., has
been actively protesting the illegal and immoral
invasion of Iraq since the build up to shock and awe
and the subsequent occupation of that country.
Medford Oregon
Bachelor Degree in Social Work, Master's Degree in
English: Creative Writing. Twelve years working in
public welfare programs in California. Two years in
southern India as Program Director for small
community centre for Muslim women and children,
raising funding and developing new programs.
Founding member of Citizens for Peace and Justice
in Medford, Oregon, which, through rallies, marches,
educational forums, community events, etc., has
been actively protesting the illegal and immoral
invasion of Iraq since the build up to shock and awe
and the subsequent occupation of that country.
C-MARIE
"Beads Not Bombs" coordinator
Born 1944 in Luebeck Germany, remembering only
too well the aftermath of the war and the hungry
displaced people who had lost their loved ones. I
had
a grandmother whose motto it was: If you have two
coats and only need one, give it to someone who is
cold" - which she did.
Our town was overrun by refugees for we were the
first safe-haven for those escaping the Russian
occupation. That meant sharing our house, too.
I learned a lot during those years: to make things
from nothing and how to use simple herbs in
healing simple illnesses. All that served me well
when I came as a young bride to America in 1965. I
raised 4 children and, despite a German banking
education, stayed true to my fist love, the arts. I ran a
children's Art Museum in Indiana, taught through art
in alternative schools, retiring in 2002 from a much
beloved Charter School .
My daughters, Natalie and Christina, are carrying on
the tradition of the arts, being 7th generation in the
family to produce artwork.
The loss of my 15 year old son propelled me to join
WIB (Women in Black) for I know what it is to bury a
child and have I have been a member since 2002.
Although standing for an hour is a problem at times
due to health issues, I try to be there every Friday
with my friend Joanne and sometimes others who
randomly join in their wheelchair, walker , crutches,
or with a cane.
I just feel strongly that the world needs to see what
war does to mothers who lose children. We all hurt
the same when losing our children and war is most
cruel to our innocents.
I think the biggest impact in my life was, when at the
age of 13, I found out about the holocaust. Until than
I really had not a foggy idea who Hitler was and what
happened, or who Jews were; we where not allowed
to read about it. No-one talked about it until a
courageous teacher showed us a report about the
concentration camps. It is at that time that I vowed
to never have my children ask me : "If you knew, why
didn't you do something about it?"
That shaped my life and made me do things like
becoming an intervenor in DC with the NRC in
regards to our local old and creaking nuclear plant
and fighting the Michigan Mental Health system for
better
services for their youth. None of these were popular
issues but they needed to be addressed.
I've always hoped someone smarter than me would
do it but somehow they did not surface.
"Beads Not Bombs" coordinator
Born 1944 in Luebeck Germany, remembering only
too well the aftermath of the war and the hungry
displaced people who had lost their loved ones. I
had
a grandmother whose motto it was: If you have two
coats and only need one, give it to someone who is
cold" - which she did.
Our town was overrun by refugees for we were the
first safe-haven for those escaping the Russian
occupation. That meant sharing our house, too.
I learned a lot during those years: to make things
from nothing and how to use simple herbs in
healing simple illnesses. All that served me well
when I came as a young bride to America in 1965. I
raised 4 children and, despite a German banking
education, stayed true to my fist love, the arts. I ran a
children's Art Museum in Indiana, taught through art
in alternative schools, retiring in 2002 from a much
beloved Charter School .
My daughters, Natalie and Christina, are carrying on
the tradition of the arts, being 7th generation in the
family to produce artwork.
The loss of my 15 year old son propelled me to join
WIB (Women in Black) for I know what it is to bury a
child and have I have been a member since 2002.
Although standing for an hour is a problem at times
due to health issues, I try to be there every Friday
with my friend Joanne and sometimes others who
randomly join in their wheelchair, walker , crutches,
or with a cane.
I just feel strongly that the world needs to see what
war does to mothers who lose children. We all hurt
the same when losing our children and war is most
cruel to our innocents.
I think the biggest impact in my life was, when at the
age of 13, I found out about the holocaust. Until than
I really had not a foggy idea who Hitler was and what
happened, or who Jews were; we where not allowed
to read about it. No-one talked about it until a
courageous teacher showed us a report about the
concentration camps. It is at that time that I vowed
to never have my children ask me : "If you knew, why
didn't you do something about it?"
That shaped my life and made me do things like
becoming an intervenor in DC with the NRC in
regards to our local old and creaking nuclear plant
and fighting the Michigan Mental Health system for
better
services for their youth. None of these were popular
issues but they needed to be addressed.
I've always hoped someone smarter than me would
do it but somehow they did not surface.
Sasha & Mary will be traveling to Amman, Jordan, at the end of October. We will be documenting the personal stories of those
who've fled from Iraq to Jordan, developing projects, and teaching jewelry craft classes to the Women's Craft Cooperative.
If you would like to subscribe to our weekly email reports, use our Contact form & write "subscribe" in the box.
who've fled from Iraq to Jordan, developing projects, and teaching jewelry craft classes to the Women's Craft Cooperative.
If you would like to subscribe to our weekly email reports, use our Contact form & write "subscribe" in the box.
Bashar Mutlak
marketing and outreach coordinator
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Born in Baghdad, Iraq and raised in Spain,
Bashar is an Engineer fiercely devoted to the
betterment of society and in particular, of the
horrific Iraqi situation currently being
encountered. Bashar is involved in numerous
activities, both social and professional, and
was previously the President of M.O.V.E.R.s
(Monitors of Violence in Everyday Relations),
Executive Member of the Mississauga Mayors’
Youth Advisory Council, and President of the
Chemical Engineering Society, Waterloo
Chapter. Having been raised in Europe and
Canada, Bashar has developed solid business
acumen, along with his love for writing and
interest in marketing, and hopes to use his
unique experiences and passion to bring relief
to the innocent and voiceless people of Iraq and
Iraqis displaced all around the world.
Bashar is a stoic optimist and firmly believes in
the good of people, regardless of race or
religion. He hopes and prays the senseless
suffering of the Iraqi people will end, some day
soon.
marketing and outreach coordinator
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Born in Baghdad, Iraq and raised in Spain,
Bashar is an Engineer fiercely devoted to the
betterment of society and in particular, of the
horrific Iraqi situation currently being
encountered. Bashar is involved in numerous
activities, both social and professional, and
was previously the President of M.O.V.E.R.s
(Monitors of Violence in Everyday Relations),
Executive Member of the Mississauga Mayors’
Youth Advisory Council, and President of the
Chemical Engineering Society, Waterloo
Chapter. Having been raised in Europe and
Canada, Bashar has developed solid business
acumen, along with his love for writing and
interest in marketing, and hopes to use his
unique experiences and passion to bring relief
to the innocent and voiceless people of Iraq and
Iraqis displaced all around the world.
Bashar is a stoic optimist and firmly believes in
the good of people, regardless of race or
religion. He hopes and prays the senseless
suffering of the Iraqi people will end, some day
soon.
SASHA CROW founder / co-director
Seattle Washington
Mother, grandmother. Extensive background
working in various aspects of human services.
Jeweler. Widely traveled, including to Iraq and
Jordan prior to the U.S. invasion, as witness to the
devastation of the sanctions and as an advocate
for peace. Upon return, founded Collateral Repair
Project in response to learning of the death by
U.S. forces of an Iraqi ambulance driver and the
plight of his widow and family, initiating the
project's ground breaking and successful fund
raising venture. Dedicated to ending the
occupation of Iraq and bringing Iraqis and
Coalition citizens together to create solutions to
restore stability and security to those who are
suffering as the result of US occupation
Seattle Washington
Mother, grandmother. Extensive background
working in various aspects of human services.
Jeweler. Widely traveled, including to Iraq and
Jordan prior to the U.S. invasion, as witness to the
devastation of the sanctions and as an advocate
for peace. Upon return, founded Collateral Repair
Project in response to learning of the death by
U.S. forces of an Iraqi ambulance driver and the
plight of his widow and family, initiating the
project's ground breaking and successful fund
raising venture. Dedicated to ending the
occupation of Iraq and bringing Iraqis and
Coalition citizens together to create solutions to
restore stability and security to those who are
suffering as the result of US occupation
| Collateral Repair Project thanks our current and past team members for their valuable contribution to our work and their dedication to improving the lives Iraqi refugees |