Hedy Epstein

Overview

Hedy Epstein (née Wachenheimer) born Freiburg, Germany August 15, 1924 (d. 2016). Saved from Holocaust by Kindertransport, 1939. Undertook peace missions to Cambodia and Central America, 1989; nonviolent protests against Israeli wall and destruction 2005; March to Free Gaza March 2009; hunger strike, Cairo, 2009-10.

Quotations

"I care profoundly about issues of justice and fairness and peace. And I care about people—not just Jewish people. I care about everybody." (Columbia Daily-Tribune, June 21, 2009; photo events.stanford)

Marie Equi

Overview

Marie Diana Equi born New Bedford, MA April 7, 1872 (d. 1952). Pediatrician, "The stormy petrel of the Northwest," openly lesbian, anarchist arrested with Margaret Sanger for giving birth control info 1916; arrested again for antiwar protest, convicted of sedition after war for antiwar agitation 1918, served half of 3 year sentence in San Quentin prison.

Quotations

"PREPARE TO DIE, WORKINGMEN, J.P. MORGAN & CO. WANT PREPAREDNESS FOR PROFIT" (June 27, 1918, Portland; photo nlm.nih.gov)

Maria Fernanda Espinosa

Overview

María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés born Salamanca, Spain September 7, 1964. Poet and diplomat. Ecuadorian Foreign Minster, 2007; UN Ambassador, 2008-11; Ecuadorian Defense Minister, 2012-present. Closed US base at Manta, 2007; as Permanent Representative to UN, opposed responsibility to protect, 2008; as Defense Minister, promised to close half of military bases and turn them into public places like parks, 2014.

Quotations

"Responsibility to protect does not respect the sovereignty of nations." (The WIP, November 21, 2008)

"Ecuador is a sovereign country. We don't need foreign troops on our soil." (February 15, 2007; photo www.que.es)

Audrey Eu

Overview

Audrey Eu Yuet-mee born Hong Kong September 11, 1953. Lawyer; head of Hong Kong Bar Association. Leader of Occupy Central with Love and Peace (OCLP), a nonviolent direct action movement for free elections. Elected member of legislature, 2000-12; founding chair of Civic Party, 2006-12. Arrested “by appointment,” February 2015.

Quotations

“That's the whole point, What's the difference between giving up and fighting? That's exactly what we're doing, keep fighting." (Standard, Sept 29, 2014; photo Wikipedia)

Alona Elizabeth Evans

Overview

Alona Elizabeth Evans born Providence, RI February 27, 1917 (d. 1980). International lawyer; expert on terrorism and extradition. Professor at Wellesley College, 1945; first female president of American Society of International Law, 1972.

Elizabeth Glendower Evans

Overview

Elizabeth Glendower Evans born New Rochelle, NY February 28, 1856 (d. 1937). Socialist; penal reformer. Co-founder of WILPF. Publicized socialist causes, including the plight of Lawrence textile strikers, and the criminal trial of anarchists Sacco & Vanzetti. Sacco's last words, "Farewell, Mother," were addressed to her.

Jane Evans

Overview

Jane Evans born October 31, 1907 (d. 2004). Jewish feminist leader; pacifist; founded Jewish Peace Fellowship, 1941; supported conscientious objectors; active consultant for National Peace Conference at UN Charter, San Francisco.

Jill Evans

Overview

Jill Evans born Ystrad Rhondda, Glamorgan, Wales May 8, 1959. Welsh politician; peace activist; European Parliament 1999, vice-president Greens European Parliament 2014 ; chaired Cymru Committee for Nuclear Disarmament; marched from Cardiff leading to Greenham 1981; protested nuclear bomb factory Llanisien, Cardiff; former president Plaid Cymru foreign policy spokesperson; voted against Iraq War.

Quotations

"War against Iraq would be disastrous and would cause even more instability in the Middle East. Of course Saddam Hussein is a dangerous man who has persecuted the people of Iraq. We were saying that in the 80s when the British Government was selling him arms. We all want to see a democratic government in Iraq but more bloodshed won't achieve that.” (Sept. 21, 2002, Plaid Cymru convention)

On Israeli occupation and Gaza blockade: “How much longer can the Palestinian people wait for justice and equality? How many more generations will live through the terror? The situation is as bad as ever, if not worse. House demolitions, forced evictions and arrests under administrative detention are still common.” (Colwyn Bay, Nov. 16, 2016; photo Wikipedia)

Jodie Evans

Overview

Jodie Evans born Las Vegas, NV September 22, 1954. Nonviolent co-founder of Code Pink 2002. "citizen diplomacy" delegations to Iran, Gaza, and Afghanistan; attempted citizen arrest of Karl Rove.

Quotations

"Nor do we consent to the murder of their mothers, grandmothers, fathers, grandfathers, or to the deaths of our own sons and daughters in a war for oil." (Portland Independent Media Center, Oct. 23, 2002; photo codepink4peace)

Maya Evans

Overview

Maya Evans born Hackney, London, England December 18, 1979. British peace activist. UK Voices for Creative Nonviolence coordinator. Arrested for reading names of 95 British soldiers killed in Iraq, 2005; arrested for blocking highway to Labour Party meeting, demanding “U Turn for Peace,” Bournemouth, 2007; arrested and jailed 13 days for her role in peaceful die-in anniversary protest of NATO bombing of Afghan wedding, Northwood Military Centre, 2009. Led first British peace mission to Afghanistan, 2011. Led eight-day, 90-mile Drones Peace Walk from factory to Waddington drone base, 2012.

Quotations

“People forget that we're at war with Afghanistan, it's been longer than both world wars combined. For us it's an issue of poor decision making and public spending by our leaders; for Afghans it means displacement, poverty, destruction and loss of life.” (Network for Peace bio; photo schnews.org.uk)

Elizabeth Evatt

Overview

Elizabeth Andreas Evatt born Australia November 11, 1933. Australian jurist and human rights advocate. Member of UN Committee on Discrimination vs. Women (CEDAW), 1984; later served as chairperson, 1989-91. First Australian member of UN Human Rights Commission. 1993-2000; Judge of World Bank personnel tribunal, 1998-2007.

Quotations

“Rights have to be turned into realities.” (Papers on Parliament, No. 33, May 1999)

“You have to see human rights as an all-embracing concept. It could be something that would unite the world, if it could only be seen in that light.” (photo humanrights.gov.au)

Myrlie Evers-Williams

Overview

Myrlie Evers-Williams (née Beasley) born Vicksburg, MS March 17, 1933. Civil rights activist. Widow of civil rights leader Medgar Evers, slain in 1963; sought justice for his murder for over 30 years. Chairperson of NAACP, 1995-98. Delivered Inaugural Convocation, 2013.

Quotations

“You can kill a man, but you can't kill an idea.” (photo civilrightsmuseum.org)

Gertrud Eysoldt

Overview

Gertrud Eysoldt born Pirna, Saxony, Germany November 30, 1870 (d. 1955). Theater and film actress, drama teacher, and radio announcer. Pacifist; socialist; feminist. Key figure of German Expressionist movement with Max Reinhardt. Led internationalist program Comrades in Humanity, 1926.

Quotations

“I am broken by it—I suffer—I cry out against this extreme violence—” (reaction to first reading of von Hofmannsthal’s “Electra”, in Erika Fischer-Lichte, Theatre, Sacrifice, Ritual, 2005, p. 9; photo Berlin Theater School)