From the First Breath/ A life realized and a Journey For truth and Justice

From the first breath my story begins. My mother was an American native of New York, my fathers family from Canada going back 5 generations. My life or birth took place in Buffalo New York two months earlier than my actual due date.

My father who was only 21 years of age was killed at his workplace where a tragic accident took place, just one week after my second birthday.

As a child I became aware of things beyond my years and was constantly observing things around me and questioning what I observed.

Like most children I had an active imagination and believed in magic and was very curious. I also had a strong sense of responsibility at an early age and felt the need to help my mom out being the oldest child in the family, my sister being a year younger. Our childhood was a mixed experience of love and affection with grandparents and other family members and the pain and difficulties at home with our mothers grief and her later marriages to possessive and violent men.

After years of turbulence with our step father in New York our mother decided to up root us and move to California with her new husband. All our family and friend were left behind and we were moving to unknown circumstances.

California was so different orange groves everywhere and the kids dressed different. we were conservative in our appearance yet in California it was short skirts and fast cars and little supervision, young people had a great deal of freedom. It was a culture shock.

As I maneuvered through high school I became more serious and watched the news about world issues, war and poverty and made a decision to join the peace corp by the time I was 17 years old, I was advised by the peace corp interviewer to try when I was older and maybe think about having a family of my own. My thoughts then were with all the problems and issues facing the world at that time, that not doing something to help and just focusing on private concerns and having a family was too selfish and that more people needed to aide and assist in solving matters was actually needed, sacrifice comes to mind.

during the years after high school I worked at different jobs, took some courses at college and volunteered. I also met my future husband who was from Berkley in 1968 or so. We traveled around and then lived and worked in Laguna Beach, we also attended events at Universities where we heard Mario Savio speak, a gifted, passionate speaker that left a lasting impression.

We evolved in time and became parents and moved a few times and my husband got a job in Canada which brought us to a new situation and a new culture shock.

I became involved with the first nations community and the rural areas outside Victoria and after a few years in 1978 we divorced.

Moving on as a single parent in Canada had its challenges but I made new friends and had a sense of community. I had little money to survive on with the jobs I could find in the area that was more than taxing on my spirits but I then got a job working for United Native Nations and served the first nations community which was such a leaning experience and very rewarding in its definition and my children got to have a richer childhood for it.

My travels took me to remote villages and ares of BC to work on concerns of the first nations and bring these concerns to officials to make the necessary changes and enhance the lives of the people.

Things we do not see coming, job cuts do to government cut backs so I then had a temporary job with a publisher which took me to Mexico to help set up a company there, another learning experience and meeting new people in another industry.

What I did learn from work, volunteering and moving to different places was that I was flexible in my thinking and abilities and had transferable skills.

I loved most of the work I did and had a passion for learning and sharing. I was learning balance , as some of the work involved the pain of others and some desperate situations, My own childhood prepared me for this aspect of any work I would be doing in helping people.

I and my sister in our childhood were exposed to violence and some very threatening situations but we also had times with people that were loving and kind.

Carol my sister started a club for people of different cultures etc in high school so there would be understanding and unity. we both have a great deal of compassion and are always trying to help others or make a difference.

My own children did benefit from the experiences and have learned to be flexible and they have a lot of compassion. It seems no one in my family was able to avoid conflict or at times some very painful experiences. my oldest son was very ill when he was about 11 years old, he dropped to the floor one night and was then he went blind and could not talk, we thought he had an undiscovered tumor that caused this too happen, he was taken to hospital by his step mother and dad as I did not have a car and had 2 small boys, his brothers asleep in their beds. This incident happened late in the night.

He was in hospital for months and the doctors were concerned he would not survive this, my son had lost so much weight during this time his legs were like sticks, he could not walk.

I went to friends and a variety of groups , some churches and also other people from different backgrounds. we all went to see my son and surround his bed at the hospital in a big circle, then we held hands and prayers were said. The doctors told me they had done all they could, so I decided to do all I could and told my son that when he was ready to get out of that hospital bed I would take him to Disney land . My son could still hear and a big smile came across his face about 5 weeks later he walked out of that hospital with some help and I kept my promise 3 months later when he was strong enough to go. I had to raise the funds for this and sold my own bedroom furniture which were antiques and had yard sales to raise the money. My sister helped with things at her end as she lived 2 hours from Disney land.

My son had regressed in age and was closer to a 4 to 6 year old at times and his father helped with therapies needed to build up his strength and speech therapy, my sons vision had returned gradually.

Today he owns a home, is married and has 2 children, he graduated from high school went to college and has been employed all his adult life.

we used a lot of humor in our family to deal with challenging situations and I believe this helped us a great deal as well as we had an open relationship and could talk about anything.

My other 2 sons learned along with myself what we would and could do in a variety of situations and they have a lot of compassion as well as a great sense of humor.

I never owned a car my whole life until I was 63, during the years I was raising a family as a single parent I walked or took the buss or rode a bicycle to work or university . I own a van now since 2013 yet I do not drive I insure the van and let others with a license drive it is used as a community vehicle for every ones use to benefit others as well as myself.

I am now 66 years old and over the years worn many hats , held many jobs , volunteered for years and worked hard for human rights and the dignity of all life.

I raised 3 sons as a single parent with limited resources yet all my children had a decent home, and the things needed for a joyful childhood in spite of any challenging situations, We had some unfortunate experiences such as having all our bicycles and other things stolen, I was going to university in 1992 and was a victim of sexual assault and was in hospital, my sons illness and other events that challenged us. With help from friends and family and others we survived and moved forward.

All of my sons went to college or university and my youngest graduated with his masters degree in political science. I at present have 5 grandchildren and my youngest is planning a family in the future, he recently married a lovely woman from Kenya who has completed her nursing degree and they have a great deal in common.

We never know what life holds for any of us there are many possibilities and although some events may test us and even frighten us or leave us wondering why, we can rise to the occasion and survive and become stronger because of these challenges. I have learned a great deal and have been exposed to many things which helped me in my search for truth and justice and the work I have been doing since 1977. I was the director at large of human rights coalition for 5 years and the people I met over the years taught me a great deal.

There has been joy and also grief and sadness and hardship and loss but then we learn balance and our inner world becomes a sanctuary for our own well being.

I will do the work for truth and justice until I take my last breath where ever I live or where ever I go in my travels. In the last 10 years I have been very active in court systems and documenting issues for court. I have worked with victims and witnesses on a number of cases. One case involves human trafficking and others cases involved children, disabled and seniors. These cases are disturbing enough due to the details and crimes committed but what is more disturbing is the red tape of any system to bring people to justice, the cost and lack of legal help or resources. Then there is also the painful reality of corruption which is very challenging.

All any of us can do is to be diligent and committed to what we value and to truth and justice and correct things as we go.I feel it is a responsibility to that must not be shirked, I do not want to leave behind for those who follow the mess and Injustice that seems to be common place in the world today.

I am hoping many others will join this mission in their own way in their lives