Developing a passion for human rights in Latin America
Erica Ness (Arts ’18) first came to the Center for Peacemaking as a freshman in search of opportunities to learn about nonviolence. Over the past four years, Erica’s understanding of nonviolence grew as she gained valuable experience working on peace and justice issues locally and globally.
After graduating, she said of her experiences: “I really can’t express enough how appreciative I am for all the opportunities the Center for Peacemaking has given me.”
Erica first became involved at the Center for Peacemaking through the ‘Peacemakers’ student organization, of which she would eventually become the president. The Peacemakers group held weekly discussions on nonviolence, organized meetings with activists, and planned a few nonviolent actions. Erica said that her participation in the group helped her “to learn about injustice locally in Milwaukee as well as on a world stage — and how to build peace from injustice.”
After learning about the School of the Americas (SOA) at one of the Peacemakers meetings, she decided to sign up for the SOA-Watch Border Encuentro, an annual event at the U.S.-Mexico border which includes educational workshops on how U.S. policies have led to violence and destabilization in Latin America.
As the trip further kindled her desire to work for justice, it also left her questioning what her role should be. During her junior year, she decided to pursue three opportunities — each exploring a different way to work for peace. For the first semester, she studied abroad in Chile, where she completed coursework on the development of Latin American cultures and societies as well as indigenous rights in Latin America. During the next semester, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked in the office of Congresswoman Gwen Moore. When summer came along, she knew she wanted to work with a nonprofit focused on international justice. But while applying for positions, she realized that all of the internships she applied for were unpaid. Erica then turned to the Center for Peacemaking for help.
Erica received a summer peacemaking fellowship. The fellowship allowed her to accept an unpaid internship at her top choice, the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL). CEJIL is a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group that promotes peace through international human rights courts. As an intern, Erica conducted research and assisted with the GEQUAL campaign, a project to promote gender parity in the international court system. Through research and observation, Erica learned how to work for human rights within the international court system.
For Erica, the fellowship was a culmination of all the opportunities she pursued through the Center.
