2008 Lifetime Awards and Peacemakers of the Year
Submitted by staff on Thu, 09/04/2008 - 2:23pm
To see the opening ceremony - with George Martin, go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f72EnuUY5rg.
More photos at http://www.wnpj.org/image/tid/24
Want REAL Security? Try Grassroots Organizing!
Wisconsin Network for Peace & Justice Annual Fall Assembly
was held.....Saturday, October 4, 2008 * 8:30 am – 5 pm
Alumni Memorial Union #227 – Marquette University – 1442 W. Wisconsin Ave. - Milwaukee
Hosted by G.Simon Harak, S.J. Director, Marquette University Center for Peacemaking
414-288-8445 Peacemaking@marquette.edu
A special reception to honor Lifetime Awardees, John Kinsman and Julie Enslow, was held immediately following the Assembly, at the Irish Cultural Center, 2133 W. Wisconsin Ave. with speakers, music with Holly Haebig, Harvey Taylor, and FROGWATER!, and more.
Keynote: Dan Kenney - "Looking Beyond Blackwater: Organizing for Peace and Stability"
Dan's presentation took a look at the infamous Blackwater Security Firm in the larger context of the whole issue of privatization of security. He addressed how we as activists can confront this issue through grassroots organizing. Dan is part of the DeKalb Interfaith Network for Peace and Justice – a member group of WNPJ in rural northwest Illinois. They woke up one day to discover Blackwater setting up a training camp in their backyard.
Special Guest Speaker: Patricia Isasa – “Torture Victim Survivor – and Presenter at SOA”
One of those who was disappeared in Argentine and lived to tell her story is Patricia Isasa. She was only sixteen in 1976 when she was kidnapped by police and soldiers, tortured and held prisoner without trial for two and a half years. One of Patricia's torturers was Domingo Marcelini. He is a graduate of the School of Americas, Ft. Benning, Georgia.
A documentary about Patricia's ordeal and her subsequent investigation to bring her torturers to justice is called "El Cerco" - featuring interviews with some of her torturers, who are now in prison awaiting trial. Those at the ASsembly heard Patricia's personal story of resistance and how she sees SOA protests influencing justice on an international scale.
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WNPJ Assembly Program
8:30 – Register and tabling - Alumni Memorial Union #227 – MU – 1442 W. Wisconsin Ave. -
Coffee/tea available in the Memorial Union cafe.
9 am – Introduction of Dan Kenney and Patricia Isasa – G. Simon Harak, WNPJ Board
member. There will be time for questions after each presentation.
11:30 - Lunchtime . Find a spot outside to enjoy cheese or hummus sandwiches, in sack lunches
prepared by Family Farm Defenders.
12 pm – Vigil with Peace Action – Join the Weekly Vigil for Peace with Peace Action Wisconsin – 16th and Wisconsin
1 pm– Reconvene for the WNPJ Business Meeting
State of the Network – John Peck, co-chair
Treasurer's report and approval of 2009 Budget – Stefania Sani
Nomination Committee Report on 2009 Board members – Janet Parker, co-chair
1:30 – 3:15 pm WORKSHOPS - focused on ACTION PLANS for 2009. The reviews of these 4 workshops will be highlighted in the January-February '09 issue of our newsletter, NetWork News. Watch for it!
Rm # 254 Anti-war work – facilitated by Steve Burns & Todd Dennis - WNPJ staff and work -study
Rm # 305 Immigration Justice – facilitated by Janet Parker and Stefania Sani - WNPJ officers
Rm # 313 Prison Reform – facilitated by John Peck & Sarah Quinn- co-chair & work-study staff
Rm #227 School of Americas – planning for the bus to Ft. Benning, GA - in Nov. '08 –
facilitated by Maureen McDonnell, OP and Joyce Ellwanger
3:30 pm Report-back from the workshops in the main conference room #227.
4 – 5 pm Peacemaker Award Presentations – Room #227.
.......facilitated by committee members Tom McGrath, Carol Hannah and Barb Boehme
Statewide 'Raging Grannies Chorus' invited – to be part of this presentation.
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A special reception to honor Lifetime Awardees, John Kinsman and Julie Enslow, was held immediately following the Assembly, at the Irish Cultural Center, 2133 W. Wisconsin Ave. with speakers, music with Holly Haebig, Harvey Taylor, and FROGWATER!, and more. A video is available of Julie and John singing with Holly Haebig on YouTube - search: wnpjvideos.
Contact information: Judy Miner in the WNPJ office at 608-250-9240 or info@wnpj.org . See www.wnpj.org
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The Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice (WNPJ) Announces the Recipients of the 2008 Lifetime Achievement
Awards & Peacemakers of the Year - 4 pm on October 4th.
Lifetime Awards to John Kinsman & Julie Enslow
John Kinsman, a lifetime dairy farmer, started his adult career of activism on the local school board. In 1968 the whole family got involved in a Mississippi/Wisconsin cultural exchange program (he became the director in ‘72 and still is). This was the eye-opening experience. A Saul Alinsky organizing school honed his skills of working for justice effectively. John supported his family as a dairy farmer – 10 children, 190 acres (80 acres wooded), milking 35 cows, no chemicals. He and his wife Jean still live and farm on their home farm, ¼ mile from where he was born in Lime Ridge, Wisconsin.
John served as board member, director or exuberant volunteer for: Project Self-Help & Awareness, Dells Indian Club, various coalitions to stop the use of BGH, The Eddie Carthan Support Committee, Family Farm Defenders, National Family Farm Coalition, Madison & National Campaign for Human Development, Wisconsin Community Fund, National Catholic Rural Life, Midwest Organic Dairy Producers Assoc., Via Compesina and more He has represented American small family farmers in many countries over the past 30 years including England, Wales, Scotland, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Portugal, France, Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, El Salvador, Senegal, Mali and Thailand. He has testified at the European Common Market and served on hundreds of panels. He also enjoys hosting delegations from other countries and from urban areas. His famous ‘farm tour’ usually ends with homemade dandelion wine. But always his message is justice, food sovereignty, peace, and cultural understanding. He is a hardworking and tireless optimist who makes whatever he does exciting and fun. He truly enjoyed poll watching and voter registration in Mississippi, standing up to Monsanto and all his trips abroad. Looking at some sad state of affairs he often remarks, “you gotta laugh, otherwise you’d cry”. Lime Ridge, WI - 608-986-3815
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Julie Byrnes Enslow graduated from Cardinal Stritch University as an art major in1962, and has spent her life involved with campaigns promoting peace and justice in our world. She has used her organizing skills in the following ways:
• Participated in interfaith dialogue groups on racism in the 1960's. Active with the Open Housing Campaign, particularly in Shorewood, and A Better Chance which brought gifted African American high school students to Shorewood from eastern cities for a college bound program. • Volunteered with United Farm Workers Support Committee for three years. • Anti-Vietnam War activist. Member of Milwaukee Peace Education Committee for several years during Vietnam War doing peace education/conflict resolution in the schools.• Organized numerous house meetings against the Vietnam War on Milwaukee's East Side. • Taught High School CCD classes from 1963-1971 at St. Roberts Catholic Church, bringing in draft counselors and community activists to speak to the students. (Julie notes that several of her students became conscientious objectors to war.) • Taught art in inner city Catholic schools and community centers. • Worked in arts administration for Milwaukee Artists Foundation, coordinating the Lincoln Center for the Arts and the Arts and Education Barter Program. Worked with The Milwaukee Foundation to process Milwaukee County Arts Grants.• Helped organize food co-ops, open classroom education in the Shorewood Schools, and 20th anniversary celebration of Earth Day which attracted 16,000 people.• Served on Milwaukee Archdiocesan Task Force on Energy - one year.• Founding member of Mobilization for Survival (now Peace Action-Wisconsin) in 1977.• Served as organizer for MfS for 4 years, 1980-84. Served as newsletter editor for past 24 years. Served as volunteer organizer of special events for Peace Action.• Helped initiate the Milwaukee Organizing Committee Against the Gulf War.• Worked with the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign and Jobs with Peace Referendum Campaign, Milwaukee, 1982.• Traveled to former Soviet Union in 1986 and to Israel/Palestine in 1992 and 2005 as part of national peace delegations.• Served as board member for National Peace Action and as a member of their Nuclear Disarmament Task Force and Weapons Trafficking Task Force.• Co-chair of Wis. Network for Peace and Justice in 1999 and 2000.• Cook for St. Benedict's Community Meal Program (for past 30 some years since it was founded.)• Volunteered for St. Ben's Health Clinic for the Homeless for 8 years.
Julie has been recognized for this work with awards from • World Federalist Peacemaker Award, 1988 • 1992 Alumni Community Service Award from Cardinal Stritch University • 2002 Community Activist Award from Wisconsin Community Fund
On a personal note, Julie was born on Sept. 12 1940, and grew up in East Troy, Wisconsin, married in 1962 to Jim Enslow, 3 children - Beth, Tom and Amy and a fourth daughter, Laura Wall, adopted through the heart, one granddaughter, Mai, and one grandson, Mac. Her favorite activities include gardening, hiking, camping (in a tent), canoeing, cooking for friends, hosting parties, occasional painting and drawing. Julie is currently involved working as full-time staffperson for Peace Action Wisconsin (10 years)- newsletter editor, issue organizer, and special events organizer. Her current focus is on nuclear weapons non-proliferation, stopping weapons in space, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and ending US war and occupation in Iraq. Milwaukee, 414-964-5158
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Recipients of the WNPJ Peacemaker of the Year Awards
Youth: Karen Drydyk & Paul Melling * Adult: Cassandra Dixon * Senior: Sr. Lillia Langreck, SSND
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Karen Drydyk – UW-Whitewater 920-222-1066
Karen is the president of the UW-Whitewater P.E.A.C.E. club, meeting weekly on campus.
Paul Melling - St. Cloud MN 320-292-7098
Paul is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War – and had a chance to meet WNPJ members across our state this last summer as he walked as a “Witness Against War” with Voices for Creative Nonviolence.
Cassandra Dixon - Wisconsin Dells 608-445-0357
Cassandra is the WNPJ contact for Mary House, a Catholic Worker House dedicated to offering support in terms of hospitality for visitors who come to see relatives in Oxford Prison. She has also served as a CPT witness in atTuwani, Palestine – several times, accompanying children to school and standing with others to protect their homes from demolition.
Sr. Lillia Langreck, SSND - Milwaukee 414-358-2156
Sr. Lillia is active in her community, working for human rights, including immigration and human trafficking education.
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Previous WNPJ Lifetime Achievement Awardees are Sam Day (2000), Clarence Kailin and Frank Zeidler (2002), Jim Missey (2003), Nan Cheney & Midge Miller (2004), Maureen McDonnell, OP(2005), George Pax Martin (2006), and John LaForge (2007).