Contact us at: contact@usmvaw.com
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Our Team Members:
Dr. Linda Pershing, Associate Professor of Women’s Studies at California State University San Marcos, is an activist researcher whose work includes peace, women’s, and folklore studies. Her research and teaching focus on feminist theory and the politics of culture. Her publications include analyses of women’s leadership in peace movements and the dynamics of race, class, sexuality, and culture in folklore and popular culture. Linda’s book, The Ribbon around the Pentagon: Peace by Piecemakers (1996)– adopted as an official publication and awarded the Elli Köngäs-Maranda Prize by the American Folklore Society—is an analysis of a 1985 fabric arts project calling for an end to the nuclear arms race during Ronald Reagan’s presidency.
Her most recent research focuses on women leaders of the contemporary peace movement, including Cindy Sheehan, who started a vigil outside President George W. Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, after her son was killed in the Iraq War (“Cindy Sheehan: A Call to Maternal Activism in the Contemporary Peace Movement” in The Legacy of Sara Ruddick’s Maternal Thinking, ed. Andrea O’Reilly. Toronto: Demeter Press, scheduled for publication in 2009). Linda directs the development of this website and is working in collaboration with Colonel Ann Wright (retired), Professor Natalie Wilson, and current and former students at Cal State San Marcos on this project about the rape and sexual assault of girls and women by U.S. military personnel in Japan.
Colonel Ann Wright, (retired) served 13 years in active duty in the U.S. Army and 16 years in the Army Reserves. She joined the U.S. diplomatic corps in 1987 and served as Deputy Chief of Mission of U.S. Embassies in Sierra Leone, Micronesia, and Mongolia. She also served in positions at U.S. embassies in Somalia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Grenada, and Nicaragua. She received the U.S. State Department’s Award for Heroism for her actions in evacuating 2,500 people during the civil war in Sierra Leone. She was a member of the first State Department team to go to Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2001 to reopen the U.S. Embassy, serving briefly as Deputy Chief of Mission (Deputy Ambassador).
In March 2003 she resigned from the U.S. Foreign Service in opposition to President Bush’s declaration of war on Iraq. In her letter of resignation, she cited her disagreement with the Bush Administration’s decision to invade and occupy Iraq without the authorization of the United Nation’s Security Council. She also cited the U.S. government’s lack of effort to resolve the Israel-Palestinian situation, lack of policy on North Korea, and unnecessary government curtailment of civil liberties in the United States as aspects of her decision to resign.
Since that time, Colonel Wright has worked as a peace activist, speaking out against the occupation of Iraq, torture, and other violations of domestic and international law. She has researched, written and spoken extensively about sexual assault, the rape and murders of U.S. military women, and other costs of war on women. She is Co-author, with Susan Dixon, of Dissent, Voices of Conscience: Government Insiders Speak Out Against the War in Iraq (2008, Koa Press).
Dr. Natalie Wilson is a women’s studies scholar with expertise in feminist theory, militarization, cultural analysis, and social justice activism. She teaches in the Women’s Studies Program and Literature and Writing Department at California State University San Marcos
Two recent articles, “Mind/Body Dualism and the Un-just Gendered Logistics of Militarization” and “Putting Families Before Nations: The Embodied Activist Mothering of Cindy Sheehan and Jennifer Schumaker,” examine militarism from a feminist perspective. The first, to be published in (Re)Interpretations: The Shapes of Justice in Women’s Experience, forthcoming from Cambridge Scholars Press in 2009, argues that militarization relies on dehumanizing certain types of bodies, namely those of women and people of color, in order to justify ceaseless war. The second, to appear in Technologies of Mothering: New Conceptions, New Deliveries, to be published by SUNY Press in 2009, examines how current activists use embodied strategies in order to resist war, sexism, homophobia and other social injustices.
Natalie’s current research involves militarized violence and sexual assault. She hopes to shed light on how masculinized military culture links to the prevalence of interpersonal violence, rape, and sexual assault both of people within the military and of their civilian families/partners. Other current projects include a book-length analysis of the cultural phenomenon surrounding Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga.
Judith Downie is an Associate Librarian for Humanities and Government Documents at California State University San Marcos. She also serves as the Coordinator for the Federal Depository Library program at CSUSM. Judith’s research expertise and her willingness to share her tricks and tips with the team have been instrumental to the success of this project.
Patsy Borja is an undergraduate at California State University San Marcos. As a first year student, Patsy is currently exploring many different academic fields in an effort to determine her major. She looks forward to contributing to the project. Her current work has focused on providing and incorporating visual media on the web site.
Marylin Krystal Carrillo is currently a senior at California State University San Marcos. Busy with completing her double majors in Mass Media and Women’s Studies, Marylin still finds the time to prioritize her extracurricular work serving as the current president of the Women’s Studies Student Association, as well as the vice president of the new dance group, Salsa y Mas. Interested in helping others and building awareness about inequality and social justice, Marylin has contributed to the project by examining social networking websites for more information on violence against military women. After graduation, she plans to continue her education by enrolling in a graduate program that will help her develop her skills in working with non-profit organizations.
Jerrica Escoto is earning a double major in Literature & Writing and Women’s Studies, with a minor in Philosophy. She is particularly interested in the oral histories and personal narratives of girls and women who have been the targets of sexual violence and assaults by U.S. military personnel, as well as the effects of U.S. militarism on Filipina women and girls. In February-March 2009, she attended the Washington, DC, conference entitled “Security without Empire: National Organizing Conference on Foreign Military Bases.” Jerrica is a performer of spoken word poetry and an active member of the San Diego spoken word community. She plans to dedicate herself to a life of activism for social change.
Ashli Eyerman is an Anthropology major, focusing on cultural and social anthropology, at California State University San Marcos. For this project, she is researching cultural patterns in between the United States, the U.S. military, Okinawa, and Japan. After graduating, she plans on traveling and volunteering with non-profit organizations.
Clarissa Garcia is working on a double major in Liberal Studies and Sociology at California State University San Marcos. For this project, she is collecting information and photos for the website.
Rachel James is earning a B.A. degree in Social Science, with a primary focus on Political Science, at California State University San Marcos. A graduating senior, she is also interested in Sociology and Women’s Studies. She is researching the historical context of the U.S. military presence in Okinawa and Japan. After graduating, Rachel plans to pursue a master’s degree in Social Science.
Eamon H. Kavanagh left Ireland to arrive in the U.S. in 1962, with only $12.00 in his pocket. He joined the Marine Corps soon thereafter and served in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1965/66 Eamon served three tours of military duty in Vietnam and in 1967, as a Sergeant, received an honorable discharge. For the past 42 years, Eamon has been married to Annette O’Brien Kavanagh from Galway, Ireland. They purchased and have lived in the same home for forty-one of those years and have raised two girls and two boys, who have graduated from college and moved on to have successful lives. Eamon worked for many years for an international insurance firm, was appointed as a Fellow of the Life Underwriters Training Council, and retired in 1995 as a senior underwriter. From 1995 to the present, Eamon assisted in establishing of the Kumeyaay Ipai Interpretive Center in Poway, California. He enrolled and graduated with honors from Palomar Community College in San Marcos, California, having earned AA degrees in Archaeology, Liberal Arts, and Sciences and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Eamon is currently in his junior year at California State University San Marcos and pursuing a degree in Anthropology.
Lezlie Lee-French is a History and Women’s Studies double major at California State University San Marcos. She has been active in Phi Alpha Theta, the history honor’s society, and will serve as the CSUSM Chapter Treasurer in 2009-2010. After completing her B.A. degree, she plans to pursue a graduate degree in History. Lezlie has experience in project management and website design and serves as the webmaster of this site.
Jennifer Meneray is earning a double major in Literature and Writing and Women Studies, with a minor in Political Science. Particularly interested in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) movement she writes many articles regarding the current struggle for equal rights. Her primary focus will be on women who identify as or are perceived as homosexual within the United States military. Although the policy known as Don’t ask Don’t tell (DADT) prevents many women from coming forth with their stories, she will be presenting information that takes into account women who identify as homosexual and have served or are currently serving in the U.S. military under DADT. After graduating, she plans on joining the movement and writing articles that shed light on the injustices that affect the LGBT community. She is currently the president of the LGBTA club at Cal State University San Marcos.
Carla Pineda graduated from California State University San Marcos (2009) with a major in Women’s Studies. She has been active in the Kamalayan Alliance at CSUSM and the GABRIELA Network in San Diego. Carla plans on becoming an attorney and working on public policy issues. In the interim, she will continue her education in the Paralegal Program at the University of San Diego, starting in the Fall of 2009.
Jasmine Perez who is earning a major in Human Development at California State University San Marcos, has conducted research and identified organizations that are working on the problems relating to the U.S. military presence in Okinawa and Japan.
Currently serving as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, Candice Poole will complete her B.A. degree in Women’s Studies in December 2009. In August 2010, following successful completion of Officer Candidates School in Quantico, VA, she plans to accept a commission as Second Lieutenant. Candice has witnessed first-hand what happens when male military violence against women is denied, excused, and ignored. It is her belief that negative views of women are reinforced by an institutionalized, misogynistic military culture, which often condones male sexual and interpersonal violence against female military personnel and civilians. As a woman and an officer, Candice’s goal is to work within the military, emphasizing education, diversification, and accountability in an effort to improve the lives of military service members and the civilians with whom they interact.
Kirsten Quinn currently attends California State University San Marcos and is working towards a degree in Literature and Writing Studies, with a concentration in Writing, and a minor in Political Science. She has been working on this project since September 2009 and has contributed by researching, editing, and analyzing information. She attended “Security without Empire: National Conference on Foreign Military Bases” at American University in February 2009. After graduation, Kirsten plans to further her education by earning an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and a certificate in Publishing. She intends to use her love of writing and literature as a vehicle for social change.
An undergraduate student at California State University San Marcos, Ngan Tran is currently earning a B.S. in Biology, with a minor in Chemistry. In 2011, she plans to complete her degree. Ngan has helped to collect information on the issues surrounding military violence against women near U.S. military bases in Japan and Okinawa.
Lori Walkington is earning an M.A. degree in Applied Sociological Practice at Cal State San Marcos, where she completed her B.A. degree in Women’s Studies in 2007. Lori helped with research about and military violence against women near U.S. military bases in Japan and Okinawa.
Nancy Yee is an undergraduate at California State University San Marcos, where she is earning a B.A. degree in Women’s Studies, with a minor in Communications. She is deeply concerned about social injustice and the rights of the marginalized and disenfranchised. Nancy is particularly interested in the interconnections between gender, sexuality, class, race, ethnicity, and regional identities, as well as the ways in which marginalized groups, particularly women, are victimized and/or oppressed by social and legal systems. A graduating senior in 2010, she plans to continue her education by attending law school, with an emphasis on public interest law.
