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SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
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Johanna Chao Rittenburg's lifelong passion for justice is rooted in her mixed-heritage, mixed-class, mixed-faith background. Out of this experience, she developed a strong interest in bringing together different people around common interests. This led to community organizing and policy work on immigrants' and women's rights, work as a public mediator, and a focus on conflict resolution as an essential tool for strengthening the rights of working people around the world. As manager of UUSC's Economic Justice Program, Johanna focuses on
supporting living wage campaigns for low-income families and on the right of workers
to organize.
The eldest of 11 children, Wayne Smith, knows firsthand what it is to struggle with and overcome poverty, despair, and racial prejudice. During the Vietnam War, Wayne spent 18 months as a combat medic in Vietnam, where he also worked with the Vietnamese people. After his tour of duty, he became a leading voice in addressing the legacy of the war. In 1998, Wayne returned to Vietnam and was one of 20 U.S. veterans who met with 20 Vietnamese former enemy soldiers on a mission of peace and reconciliation. Together, they bicycled the 1,200 miles from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). Wayne has worked with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and served
as president of the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation. As executive director
and president of the Justice Project, he helped change U.S. attitudes about the death
penalty.
Martha Thompson has worked in Latin America for 18 years, principally with populations involved in armed conflict and persons living in refugee camps. Her background also includes work on issues of repatriation, gender, public health, disaster response and community participation. "The people I have been privileged to work with have taught me the importance of placing those whose rights are being affected at the center of the response to the crisis," she says. "Our human rights work has to support their participation, their voice, and their ability to act." Martha has worked as a consultant and taught on the subjects of aid and
gender in conflict situations at both Tufts and Brandeis universities in Massachusetts.
She has published reports on gender in conflicts, aid in disasters, and conflict
preparedness and response.
Nguyen Weeks creates and facilitates advocacy opportunities for UU youth. Prior to joining UUSC in 1994, she worked in the communications and political fields. "As the focus of our work, human rights creates many bridge-building opportunities to harness gifts, talents, and insight that youth bring to the table to move the world towards justice," says Nguyen. "No movement is as effective as one with youth presence and participation."
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Johanna Chao Rittenburg
Wayne Smith
Martha Thompson
Nguyen Weeks
