Tribute to Jennifer Caldwell

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts.
And we are never, ever the same.”

I have been meaning to do this for a while: this post is a TRIBUTE TO JENNIFER CALDWELL! Thank you, Jen, for inspiring me and sharing your community with me. I want to thank Linda, Angelina, Michelle, Jen's family and friends, and everyone at the University of Washington Center for Human Rights for providing me with the opportunity to study in Kenya this summer through the Jennifer Caldwell fund. Jen was an amazing human rights activist and person who sadly passed away last year while in South Africa engaged with human rights work.
I wish I had known her while she was alive, but I do feel that her heart and spirit live on. I see that clearly in my colleague, Lydia, who is here in Kenya (and also a recipient of the Caldwell Award). Lydia is a bright and shining spirit, a strong woman and leader who has amazing things in store for her! She has shared with me that the Caldwell Award was a big part of what made her studies and work in Kenya this summer possible. This summer, Lydia is working at the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK), advocating for the human rights and dignity of refugees in Kenya. I was with her one day at RCK, and she did a lovely job completing the initial interview for a young woman refugee who was in Kenya, fleeing Somalia.
Words of course fall short in expressing my appreciation and grattitude, but thank you to the community of Jennifer Caldwell. Thank you for sharing your love and experience of Jen with Lydia and me, and with the UW and human rights communities.
Thank you also to Jen for inspiring me. The Caldwell Award is such a tremendous honour due to the person behind it. Moreover, I see the award as a great source of strength. Human rights work isn't easy, it often isn't light - it is challenging and at times grim. Yet in times of doubt, I can look to Jen's memory to give me strength. Surely she would have pushed on through this doubt, that hurdle or challenge. Feeling this strong, passionate dedication, the commitment that Jen had to human rights (which I have only heard of through her family and friends) has been a great source of courage to me. I can only say thank you from the bottom of my heart, and express my gratitude for sharing your memories of Jen with me. The photo of Jen above was published by the UW Weekly. The UW Center for Human Rights has established a fund in Jen's name. If you feel moved to donate to this fund, please click on the link at the top of this page.