Kathy Kelly, 55, of Chicago, IL, helped initiate the Voices in the Wilderness, a campaign to end the UN/US sanctions against Iraq. For bringing “medicine and toys” to Iraq in open violation of the UN/US sanctions, she and other campaign members were notified of a proposed $163,000 penalty for the organization, threatened with 12 years in prison, and eventually fined $20,000, a sum which they’ve refused to pay.

Voices in the Wilderness organized 70 delegations to visit Iraq in the period between 1996 and the beginning of the “Operation Shock and Awe” warfare (March 2003). Kelly has been to Iraq twenty four times since January 1996, when the campaign began.

In October 2002, Voices in the Wilderness declared their intent to remain in Baghdad, alongside Iraqi civilians, throughout a war they still hoped they could prevent. Kelly and the team stayed in Baghdad throughout the bombardment and invasion and maintained a household in Baghdad until March, 2004. During 2007, she spent five months in Amman, Jordan, living amongst Iraqis who’ve fled their homes and are seeking resettlement.

During the first two weeks of the Gulf War, she was part of a peace encampment on the Iraq-Saudi border called the Gulf Peace Team. Following evacuation to Amman, Jordan, (February 4, 1991), team members stayed in the region for the next six months to help coordinate medical relief convoys and study teams.

Kelly helped organize and participated in nonviolent direct action teams in Haiti (summer of 1994), Bosnia (August, 1993, December, 1992) and Iraq (Gulf Peace Team, 1991). In April of 2002, she was among the first internationals to visit the Jenin camp, where conventional military forces of the Israeli Defense Force had destroyed over 100 civilian homes, in the Occupied West Bank.

She and three companions from Voices were in Beirut, Lebanon during the final days of the Israel-Hezbollah war in the summer of 2006 and subsequently reported from southern Lebanon following a ceasefire.

In 1988 she was sentenced to one year in prison for planting corn on nuclear missile silo sites. Kelly served nine months of the sentence in Lexington KY maximum security prison.

In the spring of 2004, she served three months at Pekin federal prison for crossing the line as part of an ongoing effort to close an army military combat training school at Fort Benning, GA.

Kelly has taught in Chicago area community colleges and high schools since 1974. From 1980 – 1986 she taught at St. Ignatius College Prep (Chicago, IL). She is active with the Catholic Worker movement and, as a pacifist and war tax refuser, has refused payment of all Federal income tax for 25 years.

She currently helps coordinate the Voices for Creative Nonviolence campaign. www.vcnv.org

Other Lands Have Dreams: from Baghdad to Pekin prison (2005) by Kathy Kelly is available through Counterpunch (www.counterpunch.org) or Voices for Creative Nonviolence, 1249 West Argyle, Chicago, IL 60640 773-878-3815

“In a Time of Siege,” a Peace Productions DVD about Voices in the Wilderness narrated by Studs Terkel is available from the Voices for Creative Nonviolence office, 1249 West Argyle, Chicago, IL 60640 773-878-3815.

Education:

B.A. Loyola University at Chicago 1974
Masters in Religious Education, Chicago Theological Seminary; part of a consortium of schools which included the Jesuit School of Theology at Chicago where Kelly took courses each quarter
Publications:

Other Lands Have Dreams: from Baghdad to Pekin Prison Counterpunch Press spring 2005

Editor and contributor:

War and Peace in the Gulf Cornerstone Press April 2001

Contributor:

Iraq Under Siege Edited by Anthony Arnove 2000

Live from Palestine Edited by Nancy Stohlman and Laurieann Aladin 2003

Articles, essays and interviews printed in:

The Sun, The Chicago Tribune Magazine, America, The National Catholic Reporter, Columbia Journal of International Affairs, The Link, Fellowship of Reconciliation Magazine, Lapis Magazine, The Jordan Times, The Washington Report on the Middle East, The Capitol Times, MERIP Magazine, Satya Magazine, Hope Magazine, Common Dreams website, Counterpunch website, Electroniciraq.net website, Voices In The Wilderness website, Voices for Creative Nonviolence website, and Antiwar.Com website

Awards:

Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace Award, 1998
Newberry Library Free Speech Award, 1998
Detroit City Council Testimonial Resolution commending humanitarian efforts, February 1999
Robert O. Cooper Fellowship in Peace and Justice Award, Southern Methodist University March 1999
University of the Incarnate Word Distinguished Speaker Award March 1999
California State Assembly Certificate of Recognition for Founding of Voices in the Wilderness November 1999
Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award, 1999
Consortium on Peace Research and Development Social Courage Award, 1999
Dan Berrigan Award, DePaul University 1999
Office of the Americas Peace and Justice Award November 1999
International Fellowship of Reconciliation Pfeiffer Peace Award, February 2000
Nobel Peace Prize Nominee with Denis Halliday 2000
Arab American Anti Discrimination Committee Humanitarian Award June 2000
Nobel Peace Prize Nominee 2001
Chaldean Iraqi American Association of Michigan Appreciation Award for Dedication in Lifting Sanctions Against Iraq July 2001
Newberry Library “1st place” orator – Bughouse Square Debates August 2001
Life for Relief and Development Humanitarian Services Award September 2001
Global Exchange International Women’s Rights Awardee May 2003
Archbishop Oscar Romero Award, Mercyhurst College March 2003
Nobel Peace prize Nominee, with Voices in the Wilderness 2003
Call to Action Leadership Award, with Voices in the Wilderness 2003
Thomas Merton Center Award, Pittsburgh, PA 2003
Adela Dwyer St. Thomas of Villanova Peace Award, Villanova University, Voices in the Wilderness 2003
William Scarlett Award from The Witness, Voices in the Wilderness 2003
Association of Chicago Priests, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Common Ground Award with Voices in the Wilderness 2004
First Annual Award for Justice on behalf of the Religious Orders Partnership given to Kathy Kelly and Voices in the Wilderness
Cranbrook Peace Foundation Annual Peace Award 2004
Houston Peace and Justice Center National Peacemaker Award
Peace Seeker of the Year 2005, Montana Peace Seekers Network
Doctor of Theology honoris causa from Chicago Theological Seminary awarded May 14, 2005
Honorary degree awarded from Lewis University, May 15, 2005
Elliott Black Award for 2006 awarded by the American Ethical Union
De Paul Center for Church/State Studies 2007 John Courtney Murray Award April 2007
Bradford-O’Neill Medallion for Social Justice Recipient, Dominican University September 2007
The Oscar Romero Award presented by Pax Christi Maine October 2007

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