Inspiring Women, Women and Democracy, February 1, 2024

INSPIRING 

WOMEN 

Women & 

Democracy 

February 2024 Volume 8 Issue 1

Contents 

February 2024, Volume 8, Issue 1 

8 

profiles 

From New York 

Native to Activist 

in Greece 

Georgia Kallis, AWO 

Greece, encourages 

everyone, especially young girls and women, 

to participate actively in the democratic process. 

14 

28 

Military Service - 

Sisters in Action 

Suzanne & Tessa 

Wheeler, FAUSA, were 

raised in a family of 

women by a strong 

matriarch and a father 

who encouraged them 

to examine their convictions. 

44 

Promoting 

Democratic 

Values in Zurich 

Ellen Delman tells us 

how her passion for 

democracy and work as 

a US honorary consul 

and consular agent in 

Zurich promotes 

democratic values. 

Ensuring Overseas 

Americans Will 

Always be Part of 

“We the People” 

Mary Stewart Burgher 

explains how overseas 

voting in every election 

preserves democracy. 

50 

64 

League of Women 

Voters in the US and 

Abroad 

Barbara Tengtio, 

FAUSA, helps promote 

democracy with her work 

with the League of 

Women Voters. 

78 

84 

Educating and 

Assisting US 

Citizens Abroad 

Diane Bucy has been 

actively involved with the 

Federal Voting Assistance 

Program since the 

early 80s. 

A Voice in DC for 

Americans Living 

Abroad 

As FAWCO US Liaison, 

Johanna Dishongh, FAUSA, 

advocates for expats during 

Americans Overseas Week. 

“Without Choice, 

There is No 

Democracy” 

Janel Schermerhorn, 

FAUSA, moved back to the 

US and ran as a candidate 

for the School Board to 

support her community. 

23 69 

39 

Run for Office… 

We Do Make a 

Difference 

Anitra Kitts, Munich IWC, 

tells us about serving as 

an elected member of a 

state government, and 

her involvement in the 

Oregon House of Reps 

Day of Acknowledgement. 

Observing Elections 

To Strengthen 

Democratic 

Institutions and 

Human Rights 

A former US diplomat, 

Connie Phlipot has chosen 

international election 

observation as a means to 

pursue her passion for supporting democratic 

change in Central and Eastern Europe. 

57 

A Club Inspires: 

Hamburg 

AWC Hamburg hosted a 

hugely successful 

Region 5 Meeting in 

November 2023. We 

asked Club President 

Stephanie Matlock Allen and FAWCO Rep 

Jordan Beck Wagner to tell us more about 

their club and their beautiful city. 

73 

75 

features 

In Pursuit of 

Democracy 

My-Linh Kunst, AWC Berlin, 

shares her family’s story of 

immigrating to the US at the 

end of the Vietnam War. 

Inspired Reader 

Women Embracing 

Culture - see who won our 

last Inspired Reader quiz! 

Inspiring Reads: 

Exile Music 

In "Exile Music," author 

Jennifer Steil, AAWE Paris, 

reflects deeply on human 

rights, women's rights and 

LGBTQ rights, as well as 

what happens when 

democracy fails us. 

91 

Adventures of a 

Precinct Committee 

Leader 

A travel agent for over 35 

years, Leslie Nelson lives 

for her next adventure. 

Throughout her travels, she 

has maintained a passion for 

local politics. 

2 INSPIRING WOMEN INSPIRING WOMEN 3

5 

6 

in every issue 

A Note from the Editor 

Advertisers Index 

94 

Our Next Issue 

7 Introducing This Issue 96 More About This Issue 

95 

97 

Inspiring You 

That’s Inspired! 

“More than half the people on 

the planet live in countries that will 

hold nationwide elections in 2024, 

the first time this milestone has been 

reached. Based on recent patterns of 

voter turnout, close to 2bn people in 

more than 70 countries will head to the 

polls. Ballots will be cast from Britain to 

Bangladesh, from India to Indonesia. Yet 

what sounds like it should be a triumphant 

year for democracy will be the 

opposite.” 

-The Economist, Nov 13, 2023 

a note from 

the editor 

Inspiring Women Magazine: Through My Lens 

We are looking for your photos of friends, family or yourself that you think embody the next 

issue's theme of "Women Working with Words." 

Photos should be in color and a minimum of 300 dpi. Send your photo with your name, FAWCO 

club and a maximum 50-word caption explaining why the photo fits the theme to: 

inspiringwomenfeatures@fawco.org 

photo feature 

The deadline for submitting photos for our next 

issue is ... 

March 22, 2024 

This letter took me longer than usual to write. 

I was feeling disappointed and discouraged, 

as it seemed like every day there was a news 

story about losses of freedom and threats 

to democracy across the world. How were 

these countries, states, cities and government 

officials turning their backs on long histories 

of fighting for and supporting democratic 

ideals, including human and personal rights 

and freedom? 

The theme chosen for this issue reflects the 

significance of the year 2024 as a potential 

turning point globally for democracy. It 

acknowledges the dedication of FAWCO and 

FAUSA members who have spent years on the 

frontlines, actively advocating for democracy 

and human rights. The stories shared include 

members' efforts to preserve democracy by 

serving their country, participating in local 

elections, educating youth about their rights 

and the importance of voting, facilitating 

voter registration and turnout, ensuring fair 

elections and bravely advocating for personal 

and human rights. These endeavors 

encompass essential elements for individuals 

living in democratic societies. 

Johanna Dishongh’s and Mary Stewart 

Burgher's nominations for inclusion in this 

issue were suggested by multiple individuals 

due to their long-term and passionate 

endeavors advocating for the rights and 

interests of Americans residing abroad. We 

are also thrilled to share a double profile on 

Suzanne and Tessa Wheeler about their 

family’s commitment to service, including their 

careers in the US Air Force and Department 

of Defense. 

In our interview process we also asked the 

participants what democracy means to them 

and what they think the biggest threats are to 

democracy. As you read this issue, we hope 

you will think about what democracy means 

to you and what you can do to support 

democratic ideals. 

After reading the stories of the women in this 

issue, I have renewed hope for our world. I 

know for every discouraging story, there are 

even more people on the ground fighting to 

preserve democracy. I hope you are uplifted 

and inspired by this issue. The simplest and 

most elemental thing we can all do to support 

democracy is to vote. If you live in a country 

that allows you to vote locally or are an 

expatriate and your home country allows you 

to vote remotely, like Americans who can vote 

from abroad, I encourage you to exercise that 

right and join the fight to keep democracy 

alive and well. 

Best wishes! 

Michele 

Inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org 


advertisers 

index 

introducing 

this issue 

“In an autocracy, one person has his way; in aristocracy, a few people have their 

way; in a democracy, no one has his way.” Celia Green, author. 

London & Capital p. 21 

Whether you are a US Citizen living abroad 

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giving you time to concentrate on the things 

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Janet Darrow Real Estate p. 27 

Around the corner or a world away, contact 

Janet Darrow, FAUSA, to find the best 

properties. FAWCO referrals to Janet help 

the Target Program! 

The Pajama Company p. 37 

The Pajama Company, founded by 

Ellie Badanes, FAUSA and AW Surrey, sells 

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London Realty Intl. p. 43 

London Realty Intl. is owned by AWC London 

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to fulfill your property needs. 

At first glance, one might believe that this is a negative statement about democracy. 

But I believe it is the best thing one can say about it. I interpret this to be – you don’t 

get everything you want, and I don’t get everything I want. But with some work we 

manage to take the best of both worlds and combine it for the greater good. To me 

democracy is a work in constant motion. There are missteps along the way but 

people willing to work together will put all of us on a better path. 

In this issue of Inspiring Women we have the honor of introducing you to women 

who have been protecting, promoting and defining democracy worldwide. While 

many of us have had the privilege to live in a democracy all of our lives, there are 

others who have risked their lives to attain it and defend it. 

Our selection of this theme for 2024 was not random. In FAWCO’s mission statement 

there is a commitment to advocate for the rights of US citizens overseas. One of 

those rights is our ability to vote and protect our democracy and if OUR democratic 

rights are eroded or lost, the rest of the democratic world will soon fall. I hope that 

you will indulge me as I address those US eligible voters: 

TASIS p. 49 

The American School in England. TASIS 

England is a leading international day and 

boarding school (ages 3-18) located 35 

minutes from central London on a 

beautiful campus in Thorpe, Surrey. 

Throughout the years FAWCO has relied on advertisers and sponsors to augment its 

income. This revenue has allowed FAWCO to improve services and gives it the flexibility to 

try the latest innovations to enhance the FAWCO experience. FAWCO’s advertising partners 

believe in our mission and support our goals; some advertisers also 

directly support our activities and projects. 

VOTE! 

Democracy is on the ballot! We don’t get to the greater good without paying 

attention to who we elect to government. Government should be more about 

fairness and less about fighting. Vote as if you and your family's lives depend on it. 

Because frankly, they do. 

Elsie 

Founder 

We encourage club leadership throughout the FAWCO network to 

share our publications with their membership. Our advertising 

partners have valuable products and services and we want your 

members to take advantage of what they offer. Please support them! 

For more information on these advertisers or if you have any questions 

about FAWCO’s advertising program, please contact Elsie Bose: advertising@fawco.org. 


profile 

From New York Native 

to Activist in Greece 

Georgia Kallis strongly believes that taking action through participation 

and education can bring about the changes that we’d like to see. She 

encourages everyone, especially young girls and women, to participate 

actively in the democratic process. She is an AWO Greece member and 

active participant in the FAWCO Human Rights Team. 

Born in New York and raised in the tight-knit 

Greek American community of Jamaica 

Hills in Queens, I consider myself fortunate 

to have had a wonderful childhood in one of the 

world’s greatest melting-pot cities, NYC, where I 

formed many long-lasting friendships. I hold this 

experience, which indirectly molded my character, 

dear to my heart. 

After completing my studies at City University of 

New York and Katharine Gibbs, I embarked on 

my early adulthood journey by joining the 9-5 

workforce for a popular direct mail/sweepstakes 

company and commuting to Port Washington, 

Long Island for six years. In November 1999, my 

parents decided to retire to their home country 

of Greece. I soon followed them. 

Georgia Kallis 

Moving to Greece was challenging because it 

came with the difficult task of rebuilding my 

life and career from scratch. Now, 24 years later, 

I’m a certified ESL/EFL online freelance teacher and 

mother of two daughters aged 14 and 10. In 2018, 

during a very difficult transition in my life, I joined 

AWO Greece. I’m forever grateful to the club 

because it is more like a sisterhood in welcoming 

new members than just an organization. 

This is why I highly recommend to 

all American expat women search 

for and join a local club in their 

respective countries. 

Speaking at the 

Women’s March 

in Athens. 


Embracing Democracy 

To me, democracy means “All human beings 

are born free and equal in dignity and rights” 

just as it states in the Universal Declaration of 

Human Rights. In addition, democracy means a 

society that promotes global peace and offers 

equal opportunities to all citizens. 

For the past seven years, I have identified as a 

Human Rights Defender (Amnesty International) 

and an avid Women’s Rights activist. I firmly 

believe that what drew me to activism in the 

promotion of democratic ideals, human rights 

and rule of law was the increase of social 

injustices on a global scale and, of course, 

being a concerned mother of two daughters. 

As Einstein said, “Nothing happens unless 

something moves,” and Ruth Bader Ginsburg 

said: “Fight for the things that you care about 

but do it in a way that will lead others to join 

you.” I strongly believe that taking action 

through participation and education can bring 

about the changes that we’d like to see in the 

near future. I volunteered with GYDI (Global 

Youth Development Initiative) as a mentor to 

Afghan girls, encouraging them to pursue their 

life goals and education. Unfortunately, since 

the Taliban took over Afghanistan, I’ve only 

mentored one Afghan girl, currently studying to 

become an astronaut at a university in the US. 

Some of the activities that I have undertaken to 

raise awareness of social injustices and advocate 

for women’s rights were chairing the Women’s 

March Greece in 2019 and 2020 and, during the 

COVID-19 pandemic, organizing the Women’s 

Online Web March in 2021. 

Page 10 and this page 

Women’s March Athens 2017-2020 

In addition, as a former FAWCO Rep for AWO 

Greece, I organized a self-defense Krav Maga 

seminar for women during the UN 16 Days of 

Activism – Ending Violence Against Women 

& Girls campaign in 2018. In 2019 I attended 

the Beijing +25 Conference at UN Geneva with 

FAWCO’s dynamic UN Team. Being able to 

take part in such a large, global conference, 

assessing what progress has been made in 

the past 25 years and what more can be done 

to achieve the SDG #5 goal by 2030 on gender 

equality will remain a very memorable 

experience for me. I also had the opportunity 

to participate in a live demonstration organized 

by the Civil Society outside of UN Geneva just 

before the official start of the conference. 

Lastly, I encourage youth, especially young 

girls and women, to participate actively in the 

democratic process by voting in their local 

elections, lending their voice during social 

upheaval and expressing their beliefs and 

opinions on the issues that affect them the 

most. I’ve tried to instill these beliefs in my 

own daughters, and I’m proud to announce 

that my 14-year-old daughter was accepted to 

participate in her first Model UN conference 

with her school this year in Patras, Greece. 


Greek Elections 

The Greek Parliament has 300 

members, elected for a four-year 

term by a system of “reinforced” 

proportional representation. Of the 

300 seats, 285 are allocated to 59 

constituencies, 50 of which are multiseat 

and 9 single-seat. The remaining 

15 MPs are elected from nationwide 

party lists. Greece held elections in 

June 2023. The party New Democracy 

received over 41% of the vote and 

Kyriakos Mitsotakis became Prime 

Minister for a second time. 

In 2019, I was approached by the 

Greek political party KINAL/PASOK to run as a candidate to the European Parliament. Although 

I don’t identify as a politician nor is being a politician my aspiration, I accepted the nomination 

because I respected and admired the party’s political leader, Ms. Fofi Gennimata. Greece needs 

more female representation in governmental positions. Secondly, I agreed to run for the learning 

experience. I believe the political future on a global scale will be female; therefore, the newly 

elected government of New Democracy needs to adjust and assign more women to leading 

governmental positions. 

Page 12 

Georgia's election flyer 

(top) 

Co-chair of the FAWCO 

Youth Program, Athens, 

Greece 2019 (bottom) 

This page 

Family life with her 

daughters (right) 

Georgia meeting her GYDI 

Afghan mentee, Mehdia, 

for lunch in Athens. 

(below left) 

Georgia shows her 

support for UN SDGs. 

(below right) 


profile 

Promoting Democratic 

Values in Zurich 

Ellen Delman, a native of New York City, is the US honorary consul and 

consular agent in Zurich, Switzerland, where she now resides. She is an 

active member of AWC Zurich. Ellen tells us about how her passion for 

democracy and work in the community promotes democratic values. 

Ellen Delman 

I 

grew up in a suburb of New York City on 

the border between Queens and Nassau 

counties, ideally located near Long Island’s 

beaches, nature and a short distance from 

ethnically diverse Manhattan, where I could take 

advantage of all the wonderful cultural activities 

the city had to offer. My father was a lawyer and 

worked for a large insurance company; my mother 

was a paralegal and managed an office for a NYC 

councilman. I have a brother who is an orthopedic 

surgeon and lives with his family in Southern 

California. The lively family discussions around 

the dinner table instilled in me a social 

consciousness early on. I participated in the 

protests and marches against the Vietnam War 

and in support of civil rights. This sparked my 

interest in social justice issues and commitment 

to promoting democratic values. 

I majored in art in college and received a master’s 

degree in communication arts from Syracuse 

University, where I took part in student-led 

initiatives focusing on democratic participation 

and human rights advocacy. I volunteered with 

community organizations and connected with 

individuals who shared my interest and passion 

for promoting social change, shaping my 

understanding of the power of collective 

action and the advancement of 

democratic ideals. 

I never imagined a career in public 

service. Art was, and continues 

to be, my passion. After finishing 

At the State 

Department, 

Washington, DC 

March 2023 


my education, while searching for my 

dream job in the art field, I worked in the 

public relations department of the NYC 

Mayor's Office of Economic Development 

dealing with constituent issues. It was an 

interesting time and my first professional 

interaction with government. 

After a couple of years, I secured a 

position as Creative Marketing Director 

for an international art licensing 

company. The job involved many 

business trips throughout Europe and 

the US, including one in Düsseldorf, 

where I met my first husband. We 

married and moved to Switzerland. Once 

settled in Zurich, I established a fulfilling 

life including community engagement, 

family, friends and professional growth. 

After leaving my NY-based company, I 

started my own art consultancy dealing 

with art copyrights and licensing that 

eventually became a family graphic arts 

business with 14 employees. 

My involvement with the American 

Women’s Club began in the 80s. 

Meeting fellow Americans and others 

with a connection to my home country 

helped me realize that I was not alone, 

and the challenges I faced were also 

faced by others. In addition, I wanted to 

share American culture and traditions 

with my newly born son. 

I served on the Club’s 

governing board for many 

years including two terms 

as president. I was also active 

in other American and 

international organizations 

and served as the American 

Club of Zurich President 

(having the distinction of 

being the first woman in that 

office), Hadassah Switzerland 

President and FAWCO 

Regional Coordinator. 

What does democracy mean 

to you and why do you 

value it? 

Democracy is a platform 

where individuals have the 

power to participate in 

making decisions that 

affect their lives, actively 

participate in shaping their 

societies, hold their 

governments accountable, 

and work towards social 

justice. It represents the 

fundamental principles of 

equality, freedom and the 

protection of human rights. In other words, 

democracy is government by the people and for 

the people. 

I value democracy because it can ensure that 

everyone has a voice and can contribute to 

the betterment of society. Democratic decision 

making is inclusive, transparent, and 

representative. It should be a universal goal. 

Page 16 

Ellen in her office (top) 

George Mueller, Honorary Consul of Japan, Ellen 

and US Ambassador Edward McMullen (bottom) 

This page 

Receiving the Meritorious Honor Award from 

Ambassador McMullen, May 2018 (top) 

Thank you letter from Hilary Clinton (bottom) 

What first drew you to activism in the 

promotion of democratic ideals, human 

rights, rule of law, equality or other 

related fields? 

Living in a different culture sensitized me to 

ideals and values that one might take for 

granted and gave me tools to deal with many 

of the issues and people I encounter as a 

consular agent. The energy and dedication of 

other activists, as well as their impact on social 

change, further inspired me to become actively 

engaged in promoting democratic dialogue. My 

childhood discussions around the dinner table, 

my cultural exchanges, and now my leadership 

roles gave me a certain responsibility to 

contribute to the advancement of democratic 

ideals, locally and globally. 


How do you encourage youth, especially 

young women, to participate actively in the 

democratic process? 

Encouraging youth, especially young women, 

to participate in the democratic process is vital 

to ensuring a more democratic future. That 

is why organizations such as FAWCO are so 

important. I engage in outreach programs that 

aim to empower young people, open a dialogue 

that hopefully provides them with the tools 

and knowledge necessary to understand and 

navigate democratic institutions. Encouraging 

young people to vote is important as it is 

often their first engagement in the democratic 

process. One-to-one contact is vital as it 

helps them convey the message back to their 

respective networks. Activism, even if it impacts 

only a small group, is nonetheless activism. 

Tell us about the specific activities you 

undertake to promote democratic values. 

What do you think has been your biggest 

contribution to advancing democracy? 

I have continued to contribute to the promotion 

of democracy through my involvement in 

both local and international organizations, 

collaborating with civil society groups, and 

participation in advocacy campaigns such as a 

recent campaign against gender-based violence 

that was featured on US Embassy Bern social 

media. I also organize seminars on voter 

education. My greatest contribution lies in 

contact building and networking in the 

community with local government officials and 

other consular representatives in Zurich. 

How did you become an honorary consul and a 

consular agent? 

I credit my early community activities for my 

transition to consular agent and honorary 

consul. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall 

and subsequently the Soviet Union, Congress 

decided that it was necessary to open posts 

in the newly emerging countries. This meant 

closing posts in Western Europe. So, after 153 

years, the decision was made that the Consulate 

General in Zurich would close. With the support 

of the Embassy, I headed a steering committee 

of American community and business leaders 

to liaise with Washington, DC to keep an official 

presence in Zurich. When the project was 

approved and the position was made available 

to the public, I submitted my CV. I opened the 

consular agency in 1996. 

As a consular agent, my appointment was based 

on my involvement and commitment to and in 

the community. I am responsible for American 

Citizen Services and act as a notary in the Zurich 

district that includes 13 cantons and the 

Principality of Liechtenstein. 

Did you undergo any specific training? 

When I was hired, I was invited to the Foreign 

Service Institute (FSI) in Rosslyn, VA and 

attended the incoming entry level career 

officers’ class. I was the only consular agent in 

the course. Additionally, there are bi-annual 

Consular Agent workshops at FSI and annual 

online mandatory courses. There are also many 

courses offered for professional and personal 

growth on a variety of subjects. (There are 

roughly 50 consular agents worldwide.) 

My commission and mandate is to provide 

American citizen services in the Zurich district 

such as reports of birth, passports and notarials. 

I plan and coordinate events in the Zurich area 

for consular contacts to reinforce cooperation 

and provide creative ideas on engaging the US 

citizen community in Zurich through events, 

outreach and Ambassadorial appearances. 

What is it like to represent the US abroad in 

this capacity? To what extent do you feel you 

are promoting US values, especially 

regarding democracy? 

It is an amazing experience! Representing the 

US abroad in this capacity is a privilege, honor 

and responsibility. It allows me to engage with 

local communities, foster goodwill and promote 

American values, including democracy. Through 

my interactions, I endeavor to convey the 

principles of democratic governance, and to 

encourage respect for human rights, diversity 

and inclusion. By facilitating and participating in 

cultural exchanges, supporting educational 

initiatives, and advocating for democratic 

processes, I aim to demonstrate the positive 

impact of democratic values in shaping societies. 

Do you think democratic countries, including 

the US, could do a better job in promoting the 

benefits of liberal democracy? 

Promoting democratic values and international 

relations is an ongoing process and there is 

always room for improvement. This is 

accomplished through continuous dialogue to 

cultivate understanding and address the 

misconceptions surrounding a democratic 

society, citizen participation and the protection 

of individual rights. Education, engaging with 

diverse communities, and creating spaces for 

open and inclusive discussions can help foster a 

better appreciation and understanding of 

the positive impact of liberal democracy. 

Being a consular agent has given me a unique 

opportunity to experience not only how 

America views the world but how the world 

At Art Basel Miami with 

her son Cliff, who is 

Director of the Foundation 

Nairs in Scuol, 

Unterengadine, Switzerland 

and 

Cliff aged 12 with President 

Clinton: US Mission Geneva, 

Switzerland 1999 (left) 

FAWCO Region 6 Meeting at 

the US Embassy Bern with 

Ambassador Scott Milller 

(below) 

views America. I hope the work I do has 

a positive impact by actively engaging in 

activities that contribute to the advancement 

of democratic values. I like to say that the 

American community is both my profession 

and hobby. 


London & Capital are proud partners of FAWCO 

TAX & INVESTING 

FOR INTERNATIONAL 

AMERICANS 

JENNY JUDD 

Executive Director 

US Family Office 

T: +44 20 7396 3225 

E: Jenny.Judd 

@londonandcapital.com 

KRISTIN SCHAEFER 

Head of Relationship 

Management 

T: +44 207 396 3315 

E: Kristin.Schaefer 

@londonandcapital.com 

At London & Capital we understand the importance of having a 

truly borderless financial outlook. 

As a FAWCO Sponsored Resource since 2019, we have a specialist 

team working with clients to navigate the financial complexities 

that International Americans encounter. Jenny Judd & Kristin 

Schaefer at London & Capital, both of whom have over 20 years’ 

experience in wealth and asset management, would love to hear 

from you using the below contact details on any of these topics 

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ʯ Tax basics for American persons living abroad. 

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Jenny & Kristin will be attending the FAWCO interim 

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guests. They would also like to extend the offer to share 

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using the contact details above, next to their photos. 

Capital is at risk. Investors may not get back the capital they 

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by the Financial Conduct Authority and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 


feature 

Run for Office …We Do 

Make a Difference 

by Anitra Kitts, Munich IWC 

Representative 

Anitra Rasmussen 

(Kitts) introducing 

Rose High Bear 

at the Day of 

Acknowledgement 

In 1993, I ran for elected office – the Oregon House of Representatives to be exact. 

This was not a lifelong dream. I had not majored in poli-sci nor run for class 

president. This was a self-recruited, mother-in-tennis-shoes, emerging-fromnowhere 

kind of candidacy. The issue at hand was school funding. A recently passed 

property tax limitation petition cut my daughters’ educational options drastically. The 

state legislature was now responsible for their education. If I had to go to the State 

Capitol to get it changed then that was what I would do. I won. And then I won two more 

times for a total service of six years. And while I served all three terms on the Revenue 

Committee, I couldn’t change a thing for our kids. That tidal wave was just too huge to 

hold up or divert. Peers at the time told me that it could have been worse for K-12 

Education if I hadn’t shown up, but that’s scant comfort. 

On April 22, 1999, I was part of an amazing event when all three branches of the State 

Government acknowledged Oregon’s racist history. It was a day when the House and the 

Senate passed resolutions in the morning, the Governor issued a proclamation and then 

everyone signed everything in the afternoon with 800 Oregon citizens gathered in the 

gallery and seated on the floor. 

The story begins in 1849 when the Oregon Territorial Legislature passed 

a resolution specifically banning “… Negros and Mulattoes to come to or 

reside in Oregon.” 

Why? The writers of the bill were honest about their fear: “Whereas, 

situated as the people of Oregon are, in the midst of an Indian 

signing ceremony. 


population, it would be highly dangerous to 

allow free Negroes and Mulattoes to reside in 

the territory or to intermix with the Indians, 

instilling into their minds feelings of hostility 

against the white race …”. 

It apparently did not occur to anyone at the 

time that the Chinook, the Kalapuya, and others, 

might have a reason to be unhappy with the 

recent invaders and land-takers or that there 

may be better, more stable solutions. 

I was born and educated in Oregon and had no 

clue about this part of my beloved homeland’s 

story. This history was not taught in schools and 

thus not known to the dominant culture. 

A group of activists approached me and other 

electees with a plan to acknowledge and 

repudiate Oregon’s racist past. I worked with 

Senator Avel Gordley to recruit the leadership 

and the volunteers to plan the day. In the 

Senate, the resolution passed easily but we 

picked up 7 "no" votes in the House, Republican 

men who resisted the idea that the past had 

any connection to the present. 

Over 800 Oregonians came to the state capital 

that afternoon. They were invited to take the 

chairs left empty by electees who chose to 

boycott the ceremony. A man old enough to 

have experienced the WWII internment of those 

of Japanese heritage sat at a desk with a look of 

triumph. A young black man in a Jamaican t-shirt 

took his floor chair with full pride of ownership. 

US Senator Mark Hatfield, NAACP Chairwoman 

Myrlie Evers-Williams, Chief Justice Edwin 

Peterson and others told stories about racism. 

“Perhaps the simplest, most direct evaluation 

of the event,” Donald W. Shriver, Jr. wrote in his 

book Honest Patriots: Loving a Country Enough to 

Remember Its Misdeeds, “came from an 

anonymous African-American-Oregonian as he 

boarded the chartered bus for going home. 

‘At last they’ve told our story.’ They had told it 

publicly, officially, repeatedly, all day long.” 

My three terms as an elected official were the 

most challenging, frustrating and hopeful 

experiences of my life, but I am grateful for 

having had the opportunity to serve. I voted on 

heartbreakingly bad budgets, ridiculous tax 

policies, pension reforms that would 

Anitra in discussion on the floor of the Oregon House of Representatives. (circa 1999) 

Anitra on the steps outside the Oregon State Capitol (1998) 

impoverish state employees, and defended 

tax exemptions for solar power. I know more 

about the implications of timberland tax policy 

than perhaps any normal human should know. 

I didn’t stop teachers from being laid off nor 

classroom sizes from exploding. 

In the summer of 1998, I took a two-week 

tour with other young, American political 

leaders to South Africa, then emerging from 

Apartheid. There, I learned how formal 

acts of acknowledgement need to happen 

before we can reconcile. In Oregon, I got 

to be part of one of the first significant acts 

of acknowledgment of our American 

racist heritage. 

We still have work to do. We need the courage 

to remember and to keep telling all the 

stories so they include everyone. All day long 

and every day. 

Anitra Kitts is an American 

writer, spinner, weaver, preacher 

and traveler residing in Munich, 

Germany. From 1995-2000, she 

served as an elected member 

of the Oregon House of 

Representatives representing 

southwest Portland. 

You don’t have to be elected to do this work. 


Examining the old pass of a Robbins Island tour guide, 

August 1999 (above) 

Meeting with political and business leadership in 

Durban, South Africa (below) 

Page 27 

Democrats in the Oregon House of 

Representatives, Inauguration Day, January 1994 


profile 

Military Service - 

Sisters in Action 

Tessa and Suzanne Wheeler, FAUSA, were raised in a family of women (six 

daughters) by a strong matriarch and a father who encouraged all of them 

to examine their convictions. 

Tessa and Suzanne's father was a Lt. 

Colonel in the United States Air Force, 

and their early lives were spent moving around 

the US. When Tessa was five and Suzanne 

twelve, they moved back to Colorado, where 

they spent the remainder of their youth. Tessa 

and Suzanne note missing the travel associated 

with their father’s military service, and both 

would also ultimately find careers in the US Air 

Force. Suzanne’s and Tessa’s paths are unique 

to each. We chose to profile both women, share 

their experiences as military officers, what they 

learned, how they used it in their post-active-duty 

careers, and what democracy means to them. 

Suzanne Wheeler 

Originally from Colorado, Suzanne has lived 

the expat life ever since she graduated from 

university and traveled the world in her capacity 

as an Air Force Officer. She has many years of 

experience within FAWCO and The FAWCO 

Foundation, having served on numerous 

committees and as FAWCO Rep, The FAWCO 

Foundation Secretary, Education Awards 

Administrator, VP Fundraising and as President 

(2017-2019). She currently lives in 

Florida and is an active member 

of FAUSA. 

Tessa and Suzanne Wheeler 

Tessa and 

Suzanne, 

Major and Lt 

Col., April 1998 


Suzanne (top) 

Suzanne being sworn into the Air Force 

by her dad, a retired Army Lt Colonel. 

(bottom) 

A life of service - in the US military 

and beyond. 

When my family moved to follow my father’s 

career, I don’t remember feeling sad about 

leaving a place; it was more about the 

excitement of going somewhere new. It’s likely 

my love of travel developed during this time. 

Every place we lived has memories. One event 

that shaped me was living through the Great 

Alaskan “Good Friday” Earthquake of 1964. 

Seeing my friend bounce around outside like a 

ragdoll, experiencing firsthand our household’s 

damage, and eventually knowing one of my 

sisters was missing (found in a shelter the next 

day), all play a part in my empathy for victims 

of disasters. My father was part of a search and 

rescue operation, as well as the sandbagging 

initiative (to keep more of the city from washing 

away), and he opened our home to young 

soldiers whose barracks were damaged. I 

think this may have been my first awareness 

regarding acts of kindness. On the flip side, I was 

in grade school, the school was badly damaged 

so school was closed. I was thrilled! 

Like many teenagers, I was chomping at the bit 

to be on my own right after high school. What’s 

that joke? Quick, Teenagers! Leave home while 

you still know everything! Within a few months, 

the reality of working in a mall to support 

myself taught me that wasn’t the future I 

wanted. My very relieved parents helped me 

to transition over to university life. During my 

class enrollment, the Air Force recruiter pitched 

AFROTC to me. ROTC had just opened for 

women, and he was determined to make his 

quota. As I was seriously dating an Air Force 

Academy cadet at the time, I thought, "Why not? 

It’ll teach me more about the Air Force and our 

possible future.” I kept the Air Force and ditched 

the guy. I found the military gave me a sense 

of meaningful action in alignment with current 

events, as well as providing me with a means 

to travel. However, I must admit that when I 

was selected to train to control aircraft, I found 

that daunting! 

Ultimately, it was that very Air Force career field 

that led me to Canada and my husband. We 

controlled aircraft together and lived apart at 

various times as we dealt with the demands of 

two separate countries’ military requirements. I 

rose through the ranks and the responsibilities, 

raising a family, while also earning a master’s 

degree in aviation management from Embry 

Riddle Aeronautical University. In 1999, my 

husband was once again stationed in Europe, 

and I was working in Alaska. I elected to retire 

and enjoy being a trailing spouse. His work kept 

us in Europe at various locations for the next 

21 ½ years. During that time, I worked several 

different paying jobs. It was when we landed in 

Paris, and I wasn’t allowed to work outside the 

home, that I became involved with a FAWCO 

club, which led to FAWCO and The FAWCO 

Foundation Board, a 15-year association. In 

December 2020, COVID-19 forced us onto 

a different path. We are now in southwest 

Florida. I plan on enjoying warm weather and 

chronic sunshine for a while. Oh, and travel the 

world, naturally. 


I feel blessed every day to have been born a 

woman in the western world, part of a country 

that opened many of its males-only bastions as I 

was entering into adulthood. 

Bringing a plane in for landing at 

the control tower at a Colombian 

jungle airstrip 

Democracy allowed me more 

control over shaping/ 

developing “me.” It is 

democracy that allows me to 

pursue my interests and strive 

toward my full potential; to 

contribute in ways that are 

meaningful to me towards 

a coherent, cohesive society 

whose primary goal is its 

attention to its individuals' 

welfare, striving for a better 

life for all. I’ve worked in third 

world countries. In countries 

where women are at best 

second-class citizens, at worst, 

slaves/possessions of those 

in control. It was a stifling 

experience, terrifying at times 

considering how little control 

or rights women had. I do not 

want that future for my 

daughter, nor for all the other 

daughters out there. 

My father questioning my 

beliefs, my knowledge of 

history and its impact on 

today still shape how I view 

the world. Our mother was a firm believer in the 

right kind of charity as she’d been the recipient 

of it as she was growing up. I remember the 

activism of the 60s and 70s and thinking so 

much of it was just common sense. Of course, 

everyone should receive equal pay for the same 

work; if an 18-year-old can be sent to war, they 

should be able to vote for who is making that 

decision. Gloria Steinem was my hero. And oh, 

did I cheer when Sandra Day O’Connor was 

sworn in as a Supreme Court Judge. 

Getting involved and influencing change 

When you are part of a country with such 

diverse demographics, where states' rights at 

times conflict with federal, and where equal 

rights aren’t necessarily equal (thank goodness 

the military pay system is indeed equal for all!) 

there are incredible challenges to governing. I 

deplore how throw-away consumer cultures 

and big business economics drive many 


political decisions rather than the question of 

what’s ethical. I’m not clever enough to think 

I’ve got all the answers, but I do believe in 

lending my voice and participating in events 

where I hope my one vote or another pair of 

helping hands can help make a difference, if 

only at the local level. So often ground-up 

initiatives are much better as it’s a desired 

change being embraced rather than being 

forced from above. 

When I look back to my military career, the 

biggest contributions I made on a personal 

level were the issues I fought to improve the 

working life of women in the Forces. Example: 

I still have a letter the [then] Commanding 

General of the Air Force Education and 

Training Command sent me commending my 

activism for women’s conditions. It was the 

first time that female ROTC candidates went 

to summer basic training encampments. We 

were only issued blouses/skirts/heels and 

hose, girdles mandatory! Imagine the vision 

of us ladies freezing while marching around 

the fields in heels next to the fellows dressed 

in fatigues and combat boots with jackets. 

Ludicrous!! When requesting more 

appropriate clothing from the training officers 

got me nowhere, I elevated my question to 

the Commander directly when he made a visit 

to the base. We were issued men’s fatigues, 

jackets and boots within 24 hours. I still have 

the boots. 

Overcoming challenges 

Chances are my experiences were 

very different from other female officers. 

I entered the Forces when 

women had only recently 

been allowed in other than 

the medical, legal or 

administrative fields. I 

won’t lie, as a woman in a 

combat crew, there were 

trying times when old school 

attitudes made the work 

environment untenable. 

Being the only woman on 

deployment can be daunting. 

You must have an inherent 

trust in your fellow airmen. 

Fortunately, I always did. 

Having a male mentor was 

a must early in my career. I 

don’t want to be male bashing 

here but there definitely were days I heard 

the phrase, “because you’re a woman … ” As 

time progressed, I found that most younger 

airmen accepted a woman giving orders as 

normal. I thrived in a large-scale operational 

environment where the comradery of other 

senior officers, regardless of gender, was a 

badge of a job well-done. 

Applying lessons learned in the military to 

civilian life 

I learned to analyze processes in the military. I 

think that was my greatest strength I brought 

to The FAWCO Foundation. If I think about it, I’ve 

used that same approach to most of the work 

I’ve done outside the service. I also learned that 

much of what 

we deem as 

“rights” we are 

privileged to 

experience. 

Work in any 

third world 

country or 

non-regulated 

job and you’ll 

know what 

I mean. As 

a privileged 

“right”, we 

must be 

diligent in protecting them. It’s a fine line 

between exercising a right or stepping over 

the line. Don’t be so sensitive (or stubborn) 

about your stance that you lose the ability to 

view the other perspective. I also learned from 

the military that there are times one needs to 

give up a bit of individual freedom to ensure 

freedom for all. Isn’t that the driving American 

creed? Freedom for all. 

Would you encourage young women to 

consider a career in the military? 

I believe all young people, not just young 

women, should consider entering military 

service. On a material level, it’s a constant 

paycheck unhindered by gender disparity. 

The Services provide medical and legal 

access that many can’t afford otherwise. 

There are opportunities for continued 

learning that might otherwise not be 

available. Plus, there are the benefits of 

military discounts or boarding a plane first 

(we’d all love that one.) On an intrinsic level 

the military teaches self-discipline, focus of 

thought, gives structure to a burgeoning adult 

(as not all are born with an ability to structure 

themselves). And one of the most important 

aspects in today’s military is the lesson of 

teamwork, learning the beauty of strong 

connections and how working together 

accomplishes the goal. 

Page 32 

Suzanne on a counterdrug 

mission in the 

Amazon basin (top) 

Addressing conference 

attendees during 

The Hague FAWCO 

Interim Meeting 

(bottom) 

This page 

Suzanne's mom, Viola 

Wheeler, when she was 

over 100 yrs old 

(above left) 

Exploring the world 

with her family – 

Ken Nesbitt, 

Michael Nesbitt, 

Alena Nesbitt and 

Andrea Grammatico 

(bottom left) 


Tessa Wheeler 

Living a Life of Service - 

Active Military and Civil Service 

Tessa Wheeler is an active member of FAUSA 

living in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She attends 

FAUSA Getaways and FAWCO conferences 

whenever possible. She worked on the Foundation 

Night team and co-hosted the 2014 FAUSA 

Getaway in Colorado Springs. 

As the youngest in our family, I did not have the 

pleasure of moving as often as the rest of my 

siblings. Much to my disappointment, my father 

retired to Colorado Springs when I was only five. I 

wanted him to stay in the Army so I could continue 

moving. In my memory, the event that influenced 

my choice of joining the military happened when 

we lived in San Antonio, Texas. I was four years old 

and was watching South Pacific on the black and 

white TV. I thought, “I want to do that … be in the 

military, serve my country, and sing on the 

beaches in the sun.” As I matured my desire to 

serve in the military stayed strong and changed 

to more conducive and productive career field 

thoughts. My parents supported my desire to 

Tessa's Retirement 2003 

Being called to activism 

My older sisters, mother, and a couple of high 

school teachers drew my attention to the 

promotion of equality, human rights, and 

democratic ideals. Each of these individuals 

were/are staunch supporters of education, 

equality in the workforce, health, and finances. 

These conversations were part of my everyday life, 

especially when my sisters visited. I grew up 

hearing and knowing that women can be successful 

in their pursuits, and there were speed bumps at 

every turn that had to be negotiated. I have 

become a voice in support of these areas. 

Democracy allows for change 

Democracy allows us, the people, to pursue 

our dreams, our passions. It gives us the tools 

to ensure everyone has a voice and a process to 

make change. These are a couple of the wonderful 

aspects to our country, a voice and the ability to 

make change. Changing things can be scary and 

not everyone wants the same thing. Change is 

Tessa and Brad at a ROTC tailgater, fall 1978 

serve in the military. They strongly 

believed their daughters should have the 

opportunity to educate and support 

themselves as adults. 

I left home to attend university and I joined 

the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps 

(ROTC). It turned out one of the ROTC staff 

members remembered a former ROTC 

cadet named Suzanne Wheeler. He and 

Suzanne convinced me ROTC was the way 

to go. I joined the four-year program, and 

my freshman year met another ROTC 

cadet named Brad Baker. He and I became 

longtime friends and married twenty 

years later. 

I moved back to Colorado Springs toward 

the end of my military career. I married and 

had children at what had been considered 

late in life. Brad had left the military and 

went into civil service with the Department 

of Defense (DoD). We decided it would 

be for the best if I retired close to the 

grandparents, and both sets of parents lived 

in Colorado Springs. This allowed our 

children and parents to interact with each 

other on a more frequent basis. 

The three Lt Colonels– 

Tessa, Suzanne and Pete Wheeler 

Tessa and husband Brad 

about collaboration and 

compromise; it takes patience, 

listening to one another and 

understanding there is no 

single right approach. We can 

help by getting involved at the 

local, state and federal level 

by attending meetings and 

understanding issues from 

both sides. When we only 

hear one side of the 

conversation, we only have 

half the information. 

Life in the military - a life 

full of opportunities and 

new experiences 

When I joined the military, I 

was selected as a missile 

maintenance officer (not on 

my top three list of desired 

careers). The career field 

had just opened to newly 

commissioned officers and to 

my knowledge I was one of 

the first female 2 nd Lieutenants 

in the program. There were 

other female maintenance 


officers, but they were pulled from other career 

fields. I did well in my first assignment and was 

recruited to be one of the first female operations 

crew members in a defense missile system. I 

chose to stay in missile maintenance to get 

reassigned to Europe. 

I loved my time in Europe, and after a few 

years changed my career field to logistics and 

continued to learn different aspects of the 

military. Little did I know these experiences 

would put me in good stead and be the 

foundation for future jobs. I was recruited to 

move to San Antonio, Texas, to be a member 

in the newly stood-up assignment process. I 

learned to review records and select individuals 

for competitive positions. I worked with 

managers requesting support and helped 

mentor military members in their career 

development. It was during this time that Brad 

asked me to marry him. Soon after our 

engagement I received a new assignment and 

moved. At my new location I was made a 

commander of the Transportation Squadron. 

This took me to a new level of management and 

supervisory skills. It was a team approach, 

working with senior leaders within my 

squadron as well as other squadrons, to ensure 

the mission stayed on track. I also got married, 

got pregnant, and had our first son. Brad and I 

were able to join one another when I received 

what would end up being my last active-duty 

assignment. This job introduced me to a new 

world of budgeting/funding and my future 

civilian boss. During this time, I had our second 

son and 9-11 occurred. 

What were the greatest rewards and 

challenges of your military career? 

I would say my greatest challenge was believing 

in myself and trusting that I was making good 

decisions. The greatest reward was receiving 

phone calls later in my career or running into 

someone that I had been assigned with, who 

would thank me for my guidance and how it 

propelled their career, or tell me what a positive 

role model I had been for them. This was the 

best compliment, knowing that I positively 

impacted people’s lives. Transitioning from 

active-duty to civil service, once I retired from 

active-duty service, I continued to support the 

military as a contractor then as a civil service 

member. One of my previous active-duty 

co-workers retired a few months before I had 

and became a civil service member. He would 

periodically ask when I would come work for him 

and after several years, I did go work for him and 

didn’t look back. I used my previous experience 

working annual budgets as the stepping stone 

to learning how to build a draft budget for two 

years down the road. I became a subject matter 

expert on the process for preparing and 

submitting issues to the Pentagon, as well as 

strategizing on the best implementation of 

resources to advance senior leader vision. 

In 2020, the DoD stood up a sixth service, US 

Space Command. My office was at the center 

of the stand-up, building the first US Space 

Command draft budget supporting space 

operations. Understanding how the active-duty 

side of the DoD worked provided me with the 

background and “clout” to discuss and resolve 

issues with others outside my office. I had 

a better understanding of how the activeduty, 

contractors and civil service members 

work together. 

What were the greatest rewards and 

challenges while working at DoD? 

One of my challenges as a civil service member 

was learning when to stand back and give activeduty 

members the opportunity to take charge 

and make decisions. One of my greatest rewards 

was being told by senior leadership they trusted 

my work ethic and recommendations. 

When I look back at my service in the DoD, I’m 

glad to have been able to work as an active-duty, 

contractor, and civil service member to support 

our nation to help preserve our democracy and 

ideals. Each area has its unique responsibilities to 

the overall success of the DoD. I enjoyed being an 

active-duty member and encourage young adults 

who aren’t sure of their direction and purpose 

to give it a try. The military can provide a good 

foundation for learning to manage expectations, 

being flexible, the importance of planning (and 

back-up plans), interpersonal growth, and work 

ethic. Both active-duty and DoD civil service are 

good employment opportunities, each with their 

distinct pros/cons list. And, both are necessary to 

supporting our nation. 

Active and retired family military members - January 2022, attending the US Marine Corps Boot Camp 

graduation ceremony for Landon Baker. Pictured are Brad Baker, Ken Nesbitt, Trevor Baker, Suzanne 

Wheeler, Landon Baker, Tessa Wheeler, and Todd VanderDonck 

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feature 

Observing Elections to 

Strengthen Democratic 

Institutions and 

Human Rights 

Connie Phlipot served 32 years as 

a US diplomat with posts in 

Central and Eastern Europe, 

including Russia, Belarus and 

Myanmar. She has also taught 

international relations and 

political economy at the US Army 

War College, at private graduate 

schools in Warsaw and for adult 

learners in Arlington, VA. She 

currently lives in Vienna, Austria, 

with her husband, Doug Wake, who 

has a long-time affiliation with 

OSCE and ODIHR and whom 

Connie thanks for getting her 

involved in election observation. 

She is a member of AWA Vienna 

and Features Coordinator of 

Inspiring Women. 

Oleksandra 

Matviichuk, 

Nobel Peace Prize 

winner from 

Connie with her favorite SDG at Region 5 Meeting, 

Vienna 2021 

38 

Ukraine, speaking 

on Europe Day in 

Vienna, May 2023 

INSPIRING WOMEN INSPIRING WOMEN 39

During a diplomatic career that spanned the 

collapse of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact, 

I became passionate about sustained 

democratic change in Eastern and Central 

Europe and developed a love for the region. 

Still committed to democracy when I 

retired, I decided to pursue my interests by 

observing elections for the Office of Democratic 

Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the 

Organization for Security and Cooperation in 

Europe (OSCE). I had some limited observation 

experience already as a diplomat, but 

retirement gave me the opportunity to observe 

much more frequently. In the past decade, 

I’ve observed nearly a dozen elections in the 

OSCE region. 

The OSCE, established initially as a forum for 

dialogue and negotiation between East and 

West, expanded its mission to include concrete 

measures for ensuring European security after 

the collapse of the Soviet Union. The 57-nation 

member organization is headquartered in 

Vienna, but the institution most closely 

concerned with guidance and assistance on 

Page 40 

Polling station and grade school attended by former 

Soviet Foreign Minister and President of Georgia (top) 

Demonstration in support of Iranian women, Vienna 

2022 (bottom) 

Campaign rally, Shkodër, Albania, 2023 (above) 

democratic transition, ODIHR, is based in 

Warsaw. Member states have committed 

themselves to inviting ODIHR observers to 

their national elections and many also fund 

the participation of their nationals in election 

observation missions. 

ODIHR has several formats for election 

observation, from a small team in the capital 

to a full-scale observation mission with up to 

several hundred observers across the entire 

country. A typical full-scale observation includes 

both long-term (LTOs) and short-term 

observers (STOs). Long-term observation is 

seven to eight weeks in a regional hub – about 

five weeks before the election day and a week 

afterwards. Short-term observers spend a week 

in-country. An LTO is charged with assessing 

election issues such as media coverage, 

campaign financing, use of government 

resources, inclusion of women and minorities. 

By talking to candidates, NGOs, election 

officials at various levels, regional newspapers 

and visiting out-of-the way places, you 

understand the country in a way few foreign 

visitors can. 

The STO experience is also rich and varied, but 

concentrated on election-day procedures. After 

orientation in the capital, STOs travel to the site 

where their relevant LTO team is based for a 

regionally focused briefing and first meeting with 

the locally recruited interpreter and driver. STO 

as well as LTO teams consist of two foreign 

observers from different countries and two 

local staff members. An important LTO function 

is preparing the briefing and making other 

arrangements for the STOs, including hiring 

driver and interpreter. The LTOs also decide in 

which geographical area each team will observe, 

and whether or not they be will re-deployed to 

that area, depending on the size of the region, 

quality of roads and availability of hotels. 

Election day begins very early with observation 

of a polling station opening and ends late at night 

(or early the next morning with the count at the 

precinct level and, if time permits, tabulation at 

a district election commission). In between, the 

STOs visit 10-15 polling stations, assessing how 

the election is proceeding. The ODIHR 

methodology has been developed over the past 


forty years to be as objective as possible. The 

team members answer questions to assess 

whether the election commission members are 

following the legal procedures (similar from 

country-to-country but not identical) and 

whether signs of such improper activities as 

intimidation of voters, presence of 

unauthorized persons in the polling station, 

evidence of ballot box stuffing, or voters taking 

photos of their ballot have been observed. STOs 

are also asked about the gender composition 

of the election commission and whether or not 

the site is accessible to persons with disabilities, 

reflecting ODIHR’s concern for inclusiveness. 

The answers are recorded on specially designed 

forms and transmitted electronically. By the 

next morning, the analysts are able to prepare 

a graphic description of the assessment based 

on the data sent by the teams all across 

the country. 

The afternoon of the day after the election, the 

head of the ODIHR Observation Mission holds 

a press conference and releases a preliminary 

assessment. The work continues, however, as 

counting and tabulation is rarely completed 

by then. After a few hours of sleep, STOs often 

return to the tabulation site, where they observe 

until it is finished or it is time to return to their 

capital for a de-brief and – in pre-COVID-19 days 

– a wonderful end-of-mission party and 

the chance to exchange experiences with 

fellow observers, many of whom become longterm 

friends. 

In my view, election observation can promote 

democratic change even in countries where 

elections continue to be non-competitive 

and highly flawed. Observation adds an 

international voice to that of the domestic 

democratic forces fighting for fair elections and 

underscores the importance of elections 

in the democratic process. Moreover, it 

provides direct engagement with citizens 

who might otherwise have little or no 

contact with outsiders. 

Election observation is open to citizens 

of all OSCE participating states, as well as 

some partner countries, but recruitment 

and selection differs among countries. 

In the US and several other countries, 

recruitment, selection and other logistical 

details are handled by a contractor. (The 

US contractor is Amentum, formerly 

called PAE. More information is available 

at https://www.amentum.com/speo/.) 

Entertainment in the polling station near Pinsk, Belarus, 

2019 (above) 

Ancient grave marker in Jewish Cemetery near Vinnitsa, 

Ukraine (below) 

Taking a break from observation for sightseeing 

Jewish Cemetery near Vinnitsa, Ukraine, 2019 (left) 

Village water system, North Macedonia, 2018 (below) 


profile 

Ensuring Overseas 

Americans Will Always 

be Part of 

“We the People” 

Mary Stewart Burgher, AWC Denmark and FAWCO US Voting Chair, 

explains how overseas Americans voting in every election preserves 

democracy and why it is so important now. 

Although I was born in Louisiana (my 

father was on the Oil Company Merry-Go- 

Round), my parents were Texas natives and we 

moved to Houston, my mom’s hometown, when 

I was 10. My family still lives there, so that’s 

where I go to visit them. 

Until January 6, 2021, the most frightening times 

in my life were the summer of 1968, when 

Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were 

murdered and riots resulted, and the hours in 

1974 when America waited to find out whether 

the President would obey the unanimous ruling 

of the Supreme Court and sustain the rule of 

law. Watergate shattered my illusion that 

holding elected office was a guarantee of virtue, 

but a member of the House Judiciary Committee 

gave me a mantra for my life: in July 1974, fellow 

Texan and Houstonian Barbara Jordan said, “My 

faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; 

it is total. And I am not going to sit here and 

be an idle spectator to the diminution, the 

subversion, the destruction, of the Constitution.” 

Everyone should read and watch the speech; Flying the flag and 

Mary Stewart Burgher 

among other things, it convinced me that God 

fanning voting fever! 

sounded exactly like Barbara Jordan. Her speech Mary Stewart with 

contains another statement that has stayed 

Judy Furukawa at a 

FAWCO Conference 

Face2Face event 


elevant: she noted that, as a woman and an 

African American, she had originally been 

excluded from participation in the governing 

of the nation. "But through the process of 

amendment, interpretation, and court decision, 

I have finally been included in 'We, the people.'" 

Overseas Americans of all genders should recall 

that we were excluded from “we the people” 

until 1976. 

After graduating from college, I became a 

public school English teacher in Houston, where 

I learned a great deal. After three years, I 

suffered a classic case of burnout and “took off 

for a year abroad.” Except I never went back, 

finding a good job with the WHO Regional Office 

for Europe, starting in 1985 and retiring from 

it in 2016. I worked in the publishing unit, and 

what started out as a way to get a paycheck and 

stay in Denmark turned into a commitment to 

health and especially women’s health, the key 

to development for every country. 

I first came to Denmark to meet a friend of a 

friend. I stayed friends with everyone 

concerned, but, the more I looked around 

Copenhagen, the more I fell in love with it. It is 

an old, compact city, strewn with history and 

cultural opportunities, easy to move about, with 

easy access to multiple parks and green spaces 

and good public transport. The year had four 

distinct seasons, during all of which walking was 

a pleasure. Importantly, I always felt physically 

safe, day or night. All of this was a strong 

contrast to Houston, particularly the climate. 

Somebody once asked me if I didn’t find 

Copenhagen very humid; “Compared to what?”, 

responded Gulf Coast Girl, amazed. 

Wanting to stay “for a while,” I sought work and 

was lucky enough to get my job in the UN 

system. I did my best to learn Danish (not 

assisted by Danes’ eagerness to practice their 

English) and, when I settled in, started to look 

around for opportunities for service. After first 

attending an AWC Denmark Halloween party – 

they knew what Halloween was! – I gradually got 

sucked into the club’s charity work and then, of 

course, its Board, on which I have served for a 

couple of decades. That led to FAWCO, FAWCO 

fever and one of the passions of my life: voting 

from overseas. 

Mary Stewart was the Secretary on the 2017-2019 FAWCO Board. 

To her right: Laurie Brooks (FAUSA), Martha Canning (AWC Amsterdam), Sallie Chaballier (AAWE Paris), Alisa Cook-Roehs (AIWC 

Düsseldorf), Judy Furukawa (FAUSA), Hope Moore (Munich IWC) 

I’ve tried to contribute to US democracy through 

club activities and FAWCO’s US Voting 

Committee, under the leadership of such 

legends as Kathy Webster, Louise Greeley- 

Copley and of the US Liaison: the much-missed 

Lucy Laederich and current Liaison Johanna 

Dishongh. I also do what I urge FAWCO 

members to do: get ready to vote; know and 

contact my elected representatives in the US, 

combat misinformation and support prodemocracy 

candidates. And, in my adopted 

country (Denmark), I try to keep up with the 

news, and will vote when I am able to. 

I wish all overseas Americans would know and 

follow the Committee’s mantra: “As soon as you 

get up, or sober up, on New Year’s Day, go to a 

safe, secure nonpartisan website – such as those 

of the US Vote Foundation and the Federal 

Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) – and register 

to vote/request a ballot.” 

No American anywhere will be safe from the 

effects of the collapse of US democracy, if it fails; 

it’s up to all US voters, everywhere, to protect it 

in 2024 – and for as long as it takes – by voting. 

Page 46 

Mary Stewart with AWC Denmark member Michelle Taube, 

at a registration event in Copenhagen 


promotion of democratic ideals/human rights? 

Three things drew me to activism. First, my 

maternal grandmother turned 21 in 1920, and 

she voted in the first US national election in which 

women could participate. Grandmama told my 

mom always to vote; she told me, and my niece 

is carrying the torch forward. Second, my job 

showed me how necessary a healthy political 

system is to a healthy, thriving society and 

population. Third, I attended my first FAWCO 

Conference (Florence, 2001), stumbled into a 

voter-registration workshop led by Polly Brunelli, 

head of the Federal Voting Assistance Program 

(FVAP), and my passion was born. 




Governments make decisions that directly affect 

how the governed lead their lives: the work 

(conditions and pay) they can get, what health 

care they can access and how, what human rights 

they have, even what bathrooms they can use. 

While everyone should vote (you are the best 

person to determine how you will lead your life), 

it’s particularly important for young people. They 

will have to live longer than anyone else with the 

decisions their governments make, and the 

sooner they start helping to make such decisions, 

the better. 


What keeps many Overseas Americans from 

registering to vote? Is it lack of information, 

complications in the system, apathy? 

Overseas Americans may fail to vote because 

(a) we don’t know why it matters so much; 

(b) we don’t know we can or how to do it; and 

(c) we have a shorter time to act and face higher 

obstacles than voters in the USA. Federal law 

requires us to re-register in every election year, 

and practicalities mean that we must submit our 

ballots about a month before Election Day to 

ensure our votes are counted. For example, 

Texas’ new voter suppression law kept me from 

voting in 2023; I’m hoping to do better in 2024, 

when federal law applies. 

Mary Stewart relaxing and enjoying Danish life 

Because the US doesn’t count us in the US 

Census, overseas turnout rate is hard to 

determine. FVAP estimated it at an uninspiring 

7.8% in 2020, though that’s an improvement from 

4% a decade earlier. (No wonder officeholders 

ignore us, if it’s as low as that!) 

Members of the AWC Denmark celebrating women’s right to vote at their annual Chinese New Year’s Lunch in 2020 

Democratic Society: Problems, Challenges 

and Solutions 

One problem with politics in general is the 

short-term nature of its vision and decisionmaking. 

That has meant that governments 

have not really grappled with today’s central 

problems: wealth inequalities and climate 

change. Although a healthy democracy is the 

best way to tackle them, people can be tempted 

by populists offering easy (and fake) solutions. 

In addition, structural problems with democracy 

in the United States – which permit 

gerrymandering, voter suppression and the 

election of presidents who won the Electoral 

College but not the popular vote – mean that, 

in some states, the people do not actually freely 

choose those who govern them in their name. 

In such circumstances, cynicism about the value 

of democracy seems justified. In addition, some 

candidates and office-holders actively threaten 

democracy and the rule of law in the USA. Sadly, 

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is again applicable 

here: we’re going to find out whether “that 

nation … can long endure.” Everyone who 

remains dedicated to the notion that everyone 

has equal rights and “government of the people, 

by the people, for the people, shall not perish 

from the earth” needs to act to preserve US 

democracy. That means staying accurately 

informed about current events, and actively 

supporting democracy wherever you live, 

including voting in every election in which you 

are eligible. See the FAWCO website for details 

about voting from overseas. 

Why is it important to get Americans who have 

decided to live abroad to vote? 

Voting benefits overseas Americans in several 

ways: promoting our interests and our children's 

in a government that affects our lives, no 

matter where we live, serving our country/ 

countries; exercising and protecting our own 

rights; and helping to preserve democracy in the 

USA. From the most selfish standpoint, the US 

Congress’ interest in issues that affect overseas 

voters is directly related to those voters’ ability 

to determine whether members keep their jobs. 

Overseas Americans often complain that US law 

ignores or unintentionally harms us; we can prod 

our representatives to repair such damage and 

promote our interests, but only if we vote. 

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profile 

A Voice in DC for 

Americans Living Abroad 

FAWCO US Liaison Johanna Dishongh advocates for expats at Americans 

Overseas Week. From 2013 to 2016 she chaired the FAWCO Human Rights 

Target Program. 

I 

was born in Japan (when my eldest 

brother was a junior in high school) to a 

very patriotic military family. After three 

years, my father retired from the Air Force and 

went to work in Seattle, Washington for the 

private airline industry. There was unrest in the 

Pacific Northwest, as there was in many parts 

of the United States during this period of the 

Vietnam War. Although I was young, I distinctly 

remember the “world news” being turned on 

every night for updates on the Vietnam War. It 

was personal. My brother had returned to the 

US before us and started university in Texas. 

When we moved to Seattle, he wanted to join 

us and was drafted when he took a semester 

off to relocate. He was wounded twice while 

in Vietnam. My conservative parents did not 

appreciate the "draft dodgers" drifting through 

our city traveling to Canada or the anti-war 

protests shutting down the freeway. My father 

was a veteran of WWII and two other foreign 

conflicts. They moved to Texas. 

Johanna Dishongh 

I stayed in Texas through university and in 1983 

married a native Texan. We took our first 

“foreign assignment” to upstate New York in 

1987 two weeks after our first daughter was 

born. It was quite the adventure to shovel 

snow before you could leave for work in the 

morning. We stayed for three years before 

returning to our home base in Houston, TX. 

Two more daughters and eight 

years later, we embraced our 

first expat experience, moving to 

Leipzig, Germany. We moved to 

an area of former East Germany 

In the halls of 

Congress 


Memorial Day with husband Frank at Maargraten 

less than 10 years after the reunification of 

Germany. I made friends with people near my age 

who grew up under communism, became young 

adults under communism, didn’t know if they 

would ever be allowed to travel outside of any 

communist countries, who were suddenly living 

in the free democratic world. I was mesmerized 

by the stories of their lives before vs after the fall 

of the Berlin Wall. Ironically, they often said they 

didn’t really know what they were missing 

because “the west” was always presented in a 

negative context – distrustful and greedy. 

Capitalism and democracy were the enemy. 

In 2000, we returned to the US, only to be asked 

shortly after to return to Germany. Once again, 

we landed in a city in the former East Germany, 

this time Dresden. I was intrigued by how much 

they seemed to enjoy protesting. If they were 

unhappy with government decisions or new 

legislation, they applied for a permit and 

protested. With Dresden being the capital of 

Saxony, there was more political activity than we 

had previously seen. I learned that Germany has 

many political parties, not just two as we do in the 

In London at Doctor Who filming with daughters 

US, and mostly letters for their names. I began 

asking questions and was shocked that you voted 

for the party. All discussions were of the party 

platform, not the candidate. I grew up in a family 

with no strong party affiliation, who voted for the 

candidate. Then it became even stranger when 

one party would not have the majority in their 

legislature (which is often the case) and would 

have to get other parties to join them in coalition 

to gain control and elect the legislative leader. 

We continued our expat journey from Germany 

through several years in the Middle East, before 

landing in the Netherlands in 2010. The next year, 

our youngest daughter, who attended the British 

School, was asked to speak at the annual Martin 

Luther King Tribute Dinner. She did not 

understand the fight against segregation in 

the US. It was at that moment I realized that, 

having attended international and British schools 

her entire life, she had no American roots. I 

became heavily involved with the American 

Women’s Club of The Hague and ultimately 

FAWCO while we lived in the Netherlands. 

Getting involved with FAWCO 

In 2013, I became the chair for the FAWCO 

Target Program on Human Rights for Women. 

During this time, I became very passionate 

about protecting marginalized populations, 

particularly women and girls, from exploitation. 

I checked workers at vacation resorts, asked 

them if they were treated nicely and received 

their pay on time. When back in the US, I asked 

technicians at the nail salon if they received their 

tip if I paid with a credit card. I watched women 

with children begging on the streets to see if 

anyone was watching over them. 

While chairing the FAWCO Target 

Program, I was planning my trip 

to New York to attend the 

Commission on the Status of 

Women (CSW) meeting at the UN 

when Lucy Laederich (former 

FAWCO US Liaison) asked me if 

I would come with her to 

Washington, DC for Americans 

Overseas Week on my way to New 

York. At the time, I had not been 

impacted by the adverse US 

legislation affecting many 

Americans living abroad as we 

were insulated from it by my 

husband’s company. Although I 

had been a voter since the year I 

turned 18, this trip made me 

realize the importance of 

Americans abroad raising their 

voice through voting. I became 

more active in promoting voter 

registration and requesting 

ballots from abroad. I questioned 

my eldest daughters, who were 

back in the US by then, as well as 

friends and family at home, which 

candidates they were supporting 

and why. 

Advocating for Americans at 

Americans Overseas Week 

I have continued advocating for 

Americans abroad through my 

role as FAWCO US Liaison. I have 

traveled to Washington, DC almost 

every year since 2015 (with the 

exception of the COVID-19 years). 

There is a process we follow. 

First, I try to meet with my own 

legislators, then the legislators 

with any personal stories I have 

received. We always meet with the 

leaders of the Americans Abroad Caucus. 

Following that, we comb through the 

Congressional Guidebook to find chairs and 

members of key committees (Ways and Means, 

Appropriations, Finance, Tax, Banking, Joint 

Committee on Taxation). Outside of Congress, 

we always try to include the State Department, 

With John Lewis in the basement halls of Congress (top) 

OAW with Cora Lee Findley (bottom) 


Federal Election Commission, Treasury, US 

Taxpayer Advocate and the American 

Banking Association. I am beginning to see 

acknowledgement instead of blank faces when 

discussing issues when I am in congressional 

offices. Washington is also becoming more 

global. This past year, for the first time, several 

of the staffers I met with had a connection to 

life abroad – a relative, a friend or even personal 

experience. This brought home the fact that we 

have experienced in previous trips. You must 

find a way to make the issues personal, with 

stories from real, live American citizens living 

abroad explaining the hardships they 

experience when going through normal daily 

life because of the adverse impact of US 

legislation. You are bringing that person and 

their story to life and making it real. 

What democracy means to me 

Democracy to me means the country is 

governed by the people through officials they 

choose (elect). Although by definition the US is 

probably not a true democracy, the people of 

the United States have the opportunity to voice 

their opinion on laws, policies, and leadership 

through their vote. 

After living in so many countries and seeing 

those that were newly embracing democracy 

and those who lived under the guise of a 

democracy with an elected parliament but run 

by an emir with appointed judiciary and 

government officials, I realized we cannot 

take for granted the representative form of 

democracy we have in the US. I also think we 

must engage the young in the political process. 

They cannot assume our current form of 

government is safe from attack. We need more 

women involved in elected positions. We are 

50% of the population and are completely 

underrepresented in elected positions through 

all levels of government in the US. As with all 

things, one person’s small effort can impact 

change. I began with my daughters, who did 

not want to hear me at the time but are now 

following political writers on Instagram and 

other sources who speak to them. They, in 

turn, have gotten others more interested in 

what is happening with our government. It only 

takes one … 

The 2019 OAW Team 

Maargraten Memorial Day (top) 

With Commissioner Tom Hicks 

(center) 

Listening to translations at the UN 

(bottom left) 

UN General Assembly (bottom right) 


feature 

A Club Inspires: 

Hamburg 

AWC Hamburg hosted a 

hugely successful Region 5 

Meeting in November 2023. 

We asked Club President 

Stephanie Matlock Allen 

and FAWCO Rep Jordan 

Beck Wagner to tell us more 

about their club and their 

beautiful city. 

Club booth at the Day of German Unity 

The American Women’s Club of Hamburg (AWC Hamburg) was 

originally formed in the 1930s and joined FAWCO in 1935. 

However, in connection with World War II, it was disbanded in 

1939. The current club’s official founding date is January 1956, 

when it was re-incorporated as the American Women’s Luncheon 

Club. The club’s mission is to support each other in making 

Hamburg feel like home, to promote cultural exchange and 

awareness of global issues, and to make a difference. 

Hamburg's 

Botanical 

Garden in 

October 


Tell us about your members. 

We reached 200 members this year, with 

members from at least 25 different 

countries. Hamburg is a cosmopolitan city, 

and our club reflects that diversity, with 200 

members joining for 200 different reasons! 

How is the club run? 

We have an elected board with a president, 

vice president, treasurer, and secretary, plus 

five positions with additional responsibilities. 

We also have board-appointed positions, 

such as magazine editor, webmaster, and 

philanthropy liaison. Our board meets 

monthly, and our annual general meeting is 

held every January. Membership dues are 45 

euros per year. 

Tell us about your club events. 

We host around 150 activities every year. 

Our largest events are Thanksgiving dinner, 

annual holiday party, annual general meeting, 

and Women’s History Month celebrations, 

which are open to the public. We have about 

15 “clubs within the club,” which organize 

their own monthly or weekly events. Some of 

the most active groups are book club, Stitch 

‘n’ Bitch crafting group, Opera Club, and Art 

Group. Of course, our regular social hours at 

restaurants, cafes, and brunch spots always 

fill up quickly! 

www.awchamburg.org/activities/club-groups 

Page 58 

Mahjong group (top) 

Opera Club with singer Olivia Boen 

(middle) 

Group Photo Region 5 Meeting 2023 

(bottom) 

This page 

AWC Hamburg Women's History 

Month event organized in 

collaboration with the 

Amerikazentrum Hamburg, the US 

Consul General's office, and author 

Alisa Holland, March 2023 

(top) 

Cookie Exchange group (middle) 

Art Group Femme Fatale (bottom) 

Do you support a particular 

cause or social organization? 

Every two years, our 

membership votes on a local 

non-profit to support. Hanseatic 

Help has been our choice for 

the last two cycles. This is an 

incredible organization that 

collects used clothes for 

distribution to people in need, 

including refugees, women 

and children in shelters, and 

homeless people. But their 

impact goes far beyond 

clothing, with support programs 

to empower people, reduce 

waste, provide international 

emergency assistance, and 

encourage volunteerism. AWC 

Hamburg hosts fundraisers and 

organizes regular Friday 

morning volunteer groups, 

as well as stepping up to help 

whenever needed. 

In addition, members of our 

From the Heart Pillow Project 

provide heart pillows and 

drainage bottle bags to breast 

cancer patients in local 

hospitals. We also support our 

local foodbank, Hamburger 

Tafel, and a domestic violence 

shelter for women and children. 


Tell us about Hamburg. 

Hamburg is a city of water. A massive 

shipping port – the second busiest in 

Europe – is located at the southern edge 

of the city on the Elbe River. The River 

affords residents sandy beaches, incredible 

viewpoints, ferries as public transit, and a 

bustling maritime feel. There is also a vast 

system of canals throughout the city, 

centered around the Alster lakes in 

downtown Hamburg. All the best 

restaurants, shops, and offices have 

waterfront locations, and the lakes and 

canals are always filled with rowers, 

sailboats, tour boats and swans. 

Hamburg canals, Hafen City 

What places do you recommend for cultural 

activities, dining, shopping, sightseeing, 

nightlife, sports and nature. 

If you are planning a trip to Hamburg, begin 

with Jordan’s travel website with 25 things to 

know about Hamburg. 

https://hamburgandbeyond.com/25-things-toknow-before-visiting-hamburg/ 

Some of our favorite places to take tourists 

are Miniatur Wunderland, the largest model 

railway in the world; a ferry ride through the 

harbor; concerts at the eye-catching 

Elbphilharmonie; a walk through the old 

warehouse district (a UNESCO World Heritage 

Site); exploring the botanical garden (free 

admission); bike-riding along the Alster; City 

Hall and window shopping along the nearby 

luxury streets; the fish market on Sundays; 

strolling through Planten un Blomen park; 

and eating at a cafe with sidewalk seating (all 

year long!). 

Not surprisingly, our most famous 

water feature is … the rain! It rains 

nearly 200 days per year, all year 

long, even in the summer. But as 

the Hamburgers say, there’s no bad 

weather – only bad clothes. So we 

zip up our raincoats and head out 

to the bakeries, the sailboats, the 

walking paths, the flea markets, and 

the ice cream shops. Lots of people 

ride their bikes nearly everywhere, 

all year long. 

Although the population is nearly 2 

million, Hamburg feels more like a 

cluster of unique towns than a giant 

metropolis. You can live in a tightly 

packed urban neighborhood or a 

lush green country village, yet 

everything is nearby and easily 

connected with public transit. 

According to the city’s information, 

more than 30% of the population 

has an “immigration background.” 

Even as newcomer you can easily 

make yourself at home in a city so 

full of life and diversity. 

Hafen City from porthole on Elbe tour 

Elbe sunrise 

If you’re looking to go out in the evening, look 

no further than the Reeperbahn, Hamburg’s 

party and red-light district. Fun fact: this is 

where The Beatles got their start professionally 

in the city! Hamburg is also home to two soccer 

teams – HSV and St. Pauli. Take in a game on 

the weekend and enjoy the lively atmosphere 

of these teams. 

The first weekend of May, Hafengeburtstag 

(Harbor Birthday) is not to be missed. This 

festival is celebrated along the Elbe River and 

Hamburg’s harbor with hundreds of ships – 

sailboats, tall ships and cruise ships from all 

over the world come into port. 

What’s the climate like? 

We sometimes get a bit of snow in the 

winter and a few sweltering days in the 

summer, but it’s generally mild with a chilly 

breeze blowing in from the North Sea. One 

of the best times to visit is the summer, 

when the city and neighborhoods host 

various events and street festivals. There 

are also great day trip options to 

Germany’s North Sea and Baltic Sea. If 

you’re looking for some Christmas spirit, 

Hamburg is also wonderful in December 

with over 25 Christmas markets featuring 

different themes and specialties. 


City Snaps 

Hamburg Rathaus 

Hamburg Cruise 

Days on the 

Elbe River 

Hamburg from 

the Alster 

Rowing on the Alster at sunrise 

Page 62 

Elbphilharmonie, 

concert house 

(bottom left) 

Fischbrotchen, 

classic Hamburg food 

(bottom right) 

Page 63 

St. Nikolai Memorial 

as seen from 

Deichstrasse 


profile 

League of Women Voters 

in the US and Abroad 

Barbara Tengtio lives in Bellevue, Washington and is an active member of 

FAUSA. She is currently serving her second term as 2nd VP for the Board of 

League of Women Voters Seattle King County. 

Barbara Tengtio 

I 

grew up in New Jersey, the youngest of 

four. We had the same vacation every 

summer – a week at the shore, Long 

Beach Island. I went to college in New Jersey 

then got a job in New York City with American 

Express upon graduation. This job took me to 

Salt Lake City, Utah, where I met my future 

husband at work. He, however, transferred to 

San Francisco, California and I transferred 

back to New Jersey/New York. It was then, on 

opposite coasts, that we decided to date, fell in 

love and married. I got a job in San Francisco 

and moved there after we were married. We 

moved several times within the States and then 

lived abroad for 11 years in London, where I 

was a member of AWC London, Zurich, where I 

was a member of AWC Zurich and Hong Kong. 

We raised three kids. My husband retired a year 

ago. I did a variety of volunteer work growing up 

and was involved in philanthropy when I was a 

member of FAWCO clubs. I currently volunteer 

with League of Women Voters Seattle King 

County (LWVSKC). 

What does democracy mean to you and why 

do you value it? 

Democracy means that we all have a voice in our 

lives and that we exercise that voice when 

we vote. I very much value 

democracy because I believe that 

we all should have an equal say 

in how we are governed and live. 

I am also a Libra, scales of justice! 

Voices of 

Democracy, spring 

2023. One of our 

guest speakers 

from the 

Washington 

64 INSPIRING WOMEN Latino 

Community Fund. 

INSPIRING WOMEN 65

Encouraging youth 

to participate in the 

democratic process 

I encourage youth 

at high schools and 

community colleges to 

engage in voting – first 

by helping them 

register to vote. We 

visit schools to register 

students on National 

Voter Registration Day 

in September, Good 

Temperance/ 

Citizenship Day in 

January and at various 

other events. 

Additionally, I have 

worked with other 

League members to 

provide civics training modules for teachers to use and 

further their civics teaching. I also initiated the first student-led 

candidate forums this past fall for two city council races. Finally, 

I worked with our County Elections Department to create a mock 

ballot so the students could practice voting and become 

comfortable with filling out a ballot. 

Challenges to building and maintaining a democratic society 

The biggest challenge to building and maintaining a democratic 

society is getting more people engaged in voting. If we want a 

representative government, we all must exercise our voice and 

our voice is our vote. “Be a Voter” campaigns are a great way to 

get out the vote – especially with young adults. Voting is a habit 

and if young adults start voting at an early age, they will most 

likely be voters their entire adult lives. 

The biggest threat to voting rights in the US is the actions 

being taken to chip away at people’s ability/access to vote – 

closing voting stations, limiting hours, 

requiring specific ID(s), intimidation, 

purging voter lists. To protect voting rights 

(in addition to legislation) we need to focus 

on young adults and encourage their civic 

engagement. If they stay active, recognize 

their voice is their vote, they will grow the 

voting population and demand equal access. 

LWV at the Colorado State Capitol protesting the 

day Roe vs Wade was overturned, June 2022 (top) 

Mock ballot developed for high school students to 

practice voting - a huge success! (middle) 

You're Being Watched signage – an example of 

voter intimidation (bottom) 

Promoting democratic values 

To promote democratic values, I help organize 

candidate forums in our county (and sometimes 

I am the moderator), organize League members 

to observe at King County Elections to help 

ensure safe and secure ballot processing, 

organize our League members that do voter 

registration at Naturalization Ceremonies, and 

co-chair our League’s Youth Committee that 

focuses on energizing young adults around civic 

engagement. I believe my biggest contribution 

has been working with the high school students 

to have them organize and conduct the 

candidate forums, and then be able to vote with 

the practice ballots in a mock election. 

Tell us a bit about the League of Women 

Voters (LWV) and your involvement with 

the organization. 

The League of Women Voters' mission 

is to empower voters and 

defend democracy. The 

League was founded 

over 100 years ago to 

empower women to 

fully participate in our 

democracy. Today, we 

continue that work to 

empower voters, 

especially our young 

adults and those in 

communities that have 

been historically 

marginalized, to create 

a more inclusive, 

equitable democracy. 

In Hong Kong, I realized 

there was a League of 

Women Voters 

organization (one of only 

two abroad) and joined 

to help register US voters 

to vote absentee. I always 

voted and felt strongly 

that, even though we 

were living abroad, we 

had an important duty to 

continue to vote. When I 

moved back to the US 

I joined as a way to 

assimilate back and 

realized how critical this work 

is to continuing our democracy. 

Since we were in a pandemic when I joined, 

summer 2020, I was first involved in Observer 

Corps - observing city, county government 

meetings (all via Zoom) to learn about the issues 

affecting local cities and the county. From there I 

got more involved in voter services and in-person 

activities. Serving as 2nd VP for the Board of 

League of Women Voters Seattle King County 

enables me to be involved in many different 

League activities in addition to voter services, 

observer corps, and Board work. I am also 

involved in League development. We have a very 

“mature” League and are challenged - as so many 

NGOs are - with engaging younger adults who 

work full time and manage family/other personal 

responsibilities, etc. League is open to all people 

(she/her, he/him, they/them) age 16 and up – 

won’t you join us? 

LWVSKC's Voices of Democracy Spring 2023 Celebration Fundraiser 


feature 

In Pursuit of 

Democracy - Story of a 

Vietnamese Refugee 

by My-Linh Kunst, AWC Berlin 

At a recent Salon discussion on refugees, we were asked “What would you bring if 

you had to leave your home today, not knowing if you could return?” While others 

pondered this hypothetical question, I reached back 48 years and remembered my 

family's harrowing escape from Vietnam with nothing except the clothes on our back – 

in pursuit of freedom and democracy. 

I was 12 years old. My mother pulled me aside one day and informed me that we would 

be leaving our home that night to go into hiding for a while and I was not to tell anyone – 

not even my best friend. 

My mother, my two brothers and I were picked up that night and brought to a fishing boat 

captained by an American and crewed by three Vietnamese. I had packed one bag with 

clothes, which was promptly left behind because “we had too much baggage.” Our 

baggage consisted of my mom’s purse filled with gold ingots and the boom box which 

my 18-year-old brother insisted on bringing. I, on the other hand, left with only the 

clothes I was wearing. 

My-Linh and 

mother on her 

wedding day 


This was April 5, 1975, 25 days 

before the communist North 

Vietnamese marched 

triumphantly into Saigon, the 

capital of democratic South 

Vietnam, marking the end of 

the Vietnam War. My parents 

were academics and 

entrepreneurs. In 1975, their 

fortune included ownership 

of an international school, a 

university, a Ford import 

company, an insurance 

company and a bank. among 

other holdings. Since my 

father also had served in the 

democratic government of 

South Vietnam as 

communications minister, 

my parents were considered 

in the top echelon of South 

Vietnam society. My parents 

spoke flawless English, which 

they had perfected during 

their university and graduate 

school studies in America, and they had 

many American friends and business 

partners. My father had direct political 

relations with the USA and there were 

rumors that he had been cooperating 

with the CIA, who later aided our escape. 

Because of these close relations with the 

Americans, ten minutes after the North 

Vietnamese arrived in Saigon, soldiers were 

at our house looking for my father. He would 

have been arrested, interned in a re-education 

camp like many of his colleagues and probably 

not survived. 

On the boat, we spent a night hiding under the 

floorboards, holding our breath listening to the 

stomping of the coast guards’ boots above our 

heads searching the boat for stowaways. Then 

we traveled for four days at sea and arrived 

in Singapore. 

In Singapore, after two weeks of on-boatquarantine 

with 24/7 police escort, we received 

papers that allowed my American-born sister, a 

freshman at American University, to sponsor us 

as political refugees. We boarded the plane to 

Washington, DC. Freedom was in sight. 

I remember arriving in Virginia on Thursday and 

going to school the following Monday without a 

word of English. My parents believed in the “sink 

or swim” philosophy. That first day of school 

was a blur of hand motions, people staring and 

smiling, and me realizing that I didn’t know how 

to walk home. But kids are resilient, as they say. 

After two months in sixth grade, I went to 

summer school to learn English, and that 

My-Linh and her family (above) 

Page 70 

One country, two halves (top) 

My-Linh and her mother (bottom two photos) 

September, I attended seventh grade as a 

normal student. My parents had to start their 

lives over at 45 years old, with literally nothing 

except for a few gold ingots. They had a few 

false starts, eventually settling into the fast food 

franchise business, standing on their feet from 

morning to night selling burgers and baked 

goods. It’s hard to imagine that they used to 

have a whole empire in Vietnam. I sometimes 

wonder if they regretted leaving. However, 

staying in communist Vietnam was not an 

option. They would have been persecuted and 

lost their fortune anyway. 

Defending Democracy in Exile 

Many Vietnamese in exile still fly the flag of 

democratic South Vietnam (yellow flag with 

three red stripes). My father along with his 

brothers were among those who dreamed of 

and planned for the day when Vietnam is 

democratic again. My father published a 

Vietnamese-language national newspaper, which 

was anti-communist; my uncle Bich worked for 

Radio Free Asia and counseled American 


feature 

Inspired Reader 

presidents on Vietnamese affairs; and my uncle 

Phach wrote books on Vietnamese democracy. 

Because of their very vocal criticism of the 

current communist regime, my father and his 

brothers were never allowed to visit Vietnam. 

They have all passed without ever seeing their 

native land again. 

Though I am sure my father yearned for his 

motherland, I know he appreciated his life in 

the US - the land of the free, the land that gave 

him and his family education and opportunity. 

I once asked why he did not wear a seatbelt in 

the car, and he proudly (and stubbornly) said: 

“I am a free man in a free country.” 

My-Linh Kunst is a university 

lecturer, photographer, and 

women’s rights advocate. A native of 

Vietnam, she immigrated to the US 

at the end of the Vietnam War. She 

has served two terms as FAWCO 

president (2011-2015), received 

FAWCO’s Circle of Honor Award in 

2022 and is currently president of 

AWC Berlin. My-Linh has lived in 

Berlin since 2008 with her husband 

Matthias and has two grown sons. 

My-Linh and her father (top left) 

Wedding pictures of My-Linh and her husband, Matthias 

(above) 

We are delighted to announce that our Inspired 

Reader for our "Women Embracing Culture" issue is: 

Shaza Gahiga Bwakira, member of AWC Madrid!! 

This was our final Inspired Reader quiz. Thank you 

to everyone who participated and congratulations 

to those who earned a donation made in their name 

to the FAWCO Target Project! 

A $50 donation has been made to the 

Target Project in Shaza's name. 


feature 

Inspiring Reads: 

Exile Music 

Jennifer Steil is the 

British-American author 

of the award-winning 

Exile Music. Her previous 

books include the novel The 

Ambassador’s Wife and the 

memoir The Woman Who 

Fell From the Sky and her 

work has appeared in 

numerous publications 

including The New York 

Times, World Policy Journal, 

Best Women’s Short Fiction 

2023, Gay & Lesbian Review, 

Time, Life, and Vogue UK. 

She is a member of the 

Association of American 

Women in Europe (AAWE). 

Ashort summary of the book 

Exile Music explores an overlooked slice of 

World War II history, following a family of 

Jewish musicians who flee Nazi-controlled Vienna 

in 1939 to seek refuge in the Bolivian Andes. Orly, 

my young protagonist, is heartbroken to leave her 

soul-friend Anneliese behind, as well as her beloved 

brother. As she grows up in La Paz, her journey 

speaks to the plight of immigrants and refugees 

worldwide, faced with having to reimagine their 

entire lives in a new country, culture and language. 

When Orly stumbles upon the queer German 


trilogy The Scorpion, she recognizes her sexuality 

in its pages, while simultaneously recognizing 

its impossibilities. 

The novel’s structure mirrors that of Mahler’s 

Third Symphony, underscoring the ways in which 

each character uses music to help find a way 

through grief and loss. The novel won Grand 

Prize in the Eyelands 2020 Book Awards; the 

Multicultural and Historical Novel International 

Book Awards; and was a finalist for the Lambda 

Literary Lesbian Fiction Award, the Bisexual 

Book Award, and the Annie Award. The Jerusalem 

Post called it “one of the best novels I have 

read in a long time,” and the Pittsburgh Jewish 

Chronicle wrote, “In a sea of Holocaust 

literature, Exile Music stands out as wholly 

original and engaging.” 

What was your inspiration for the book? 

I lived in Bolivia for four years. Early in our time 

there, I discovered that some 20,000 Jewish 

refugees lived in Bolivia during and around the 

years of World War II. Yet almost nothing has 

been written about this part of the Jewish 

diaspora. I read many memoirs, but no novels 

existed in English. It seemed too important a 

story to allow to fade from our consciousness. 

Also, early in our time in Bolivia I met a man 

named John Gelerntner whose parents had 

been among the refugees fleeing Europe. He 

introduced me to other survivors, who were 

the true inspiration for this book. I was also 

inspired by the Jewish musicians of the Vienna 

Philharmonic, all of whom were either sent to 

their deaths or to exile. (And I was shocked to 

discover that the Vienna Philharmonic continued 

to employ Nazis until 1967.) 

How long did it take you to write the book? 

It took me five years to research and write 

the book. I had to do both at the same time, 

because I never know what research I will 

need until I know the story. So I went back 

and forth between research and writing over 

those five years. 

What kind of research did you do, and how 

long did you spend researching before 

beginning the book? 

I did both at the same time. I began with the 

survivors and their stories before moving on 

to researching the history of the Vienna 

Philharmonic and reading everything available 

about the lives of European Jewish refugees in 

Bolivia. I had a million questions: How did 

people cook in La Paz, at 3000 meters of 

altitude, in 1939? How does a kerosene stove 

work? What kinds of food were available in La 

Paz in 1939? What schools did the refugees 

attend? How did Bolivians treat the refugees? 

What was their social life like? What kinds of 

jobs did they do? What movies were playing in 

the cinemas? What color were the streetcars 

in 1941? What happened when Jews realized 

they were living next door to Nazis? I constantly 

came up with new questions as I continued 

writing my story. 

I also conducted research in the Holocaust 

museums of the US and the UK; spent weeks in 

Vienna researching in archives and museums; 

and traveled to Genoa, so that I could see what 

my characters saw as they left Europe for the 

last time. And I studied music, a lot of music! I 

studied the classical and popular music of the 

1930s and '40s in both Austria and in Bolivia, 

learned how charangos were constructed, and 

read biographies of Mahler, his wife Alma, and 

other musicians, composers, and conductors of 

the time. I contacted experts on the Holocaust, 

as well as experts on Austrian and Bolivian 

holidays. I had Bolivian and Aymara readers 

check my facts. I studied Aymara mythology. I 

read as many books that my characters would 

have read as possible - anything published in 

the 1930s for which I could find an English 

translation. I wanted to know what they knew. 

Read what they read. I could go on ...! 

What is the most important thing you want 

readers to take from your book? 

I would like readers to come away with an 

understanding of how we can use music and 

other arts to find our way through sorrow. I 

would like them to come away with a better 

understanding of how people like Hitler came to 

power, and about the lives of the people forced 

to flee Europe. I would like people to come away 

with a deeper understanding of the immigrant 

experience, as well as an understanding of 

Bolivia and its people. 

When did you start writing? 

I kept a journal my entire life, starting as soon 

as I could write. But I never thought of myself as 

a writer until I was in graduate school. My first 

career was in the theater, working as an actor. It 

was frustration with the kinds of roles available 

to young women that drove me to write. 

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel? 

I adore America Is Not the Heart by Elaine 

Castillo. I believe it is appreciated, but perhaps not 

enough! It's just gorgeous, riveting storytelling. 

Also Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis. 

What is your favorite childhood book? 

There are so many it's hard to choose. But one of 

the most memorable was Osprey Island by Anne 

Lindbergh Theyde. I used to stand in front of the 

paintings in my parents' house and 

patiently wait for them to come to 

life so I could step inside. 

What are you reading now? 

I'm reading The Gathering by Anne 

Enright. I've been preoccupied with 

Irish writers for a long time. 

If you could tell your younger 

writing-self anything, what would 

it be? 

Leave the US earlier. 

Decades earlier. 

What’s next for you? Are you 

working on anything new you’d 

like to share with our readers? 

I've just finished my fourth book, 

a novel set underground in Bolivia. 

It features a community of LGBTQ 

people who have been evicted 

by their families, who come 

together underground to find 

ways to change their situation. I'm 

also about halfway through a book 

set in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, 

that features both artists and a 

dying sea. I lived in Uzbekistan for 

several years, which is where I 

uncovered these stories. 

Jenny in front of her cottage 

Books presented in the 

Inspiring Reads feature 

are available for purchase 

via the FAWCO website in 

the Books by Members or 

Books by Clubs sections. 

Enjoy! 


profile 

“Without Choice, There 

is No Democracy” 

Janel Schermerhorn, FAUSA, moved back to the US from Berlin and ran as 

a candidate for the School Board to support her community. She tells us her 

views on democracy, voting and running a political campaign. 

I 

grew up in La Crescenta, CA, which is in 

Los Angeles County. As a child, I had 

immense freedom to wander my 

neighborhood from about age seven. This was 

normal back then. My friends and I would run or 

bike around all day in the warm California sun. 

My home backed up to Two Strike Park, which 

had all the basics and sprawls about three times 

its actual size in my memories. Any kid who grew 

up near Two Strike in those days would tell you 

they spent summers sliding down enormous 

dirt hills on flat cardboard. It was terrifying and 

filthy fun. I sometimes stop by the park when 

I’m visiting, but mostly peer from the parking 

lot. I want to preserve the excitement of those 

hills, along with the water fountains that tasted 

like hot metal, the slides that burned the back of 

my legs, and the merry-go-round that recklessly 

flung me into the sand over and over. The 

freedom was delicious and it came with 

responsibility. It was on me to take care of 

myself, to watch out for my friends, to make 

smart choices and learn lessons, and to make 

it home by dinner without knowing the time. 

Those years shaped my independence and a 

lifelong desire for adventure. 

My college experience started at Humboldt State 

in northern California, but I knew it wasn’t the 

right place for me, even before I arrived. So I 

crammed through as many units as I could and 

Janel Schermerhorn 

eventually made my way to UC 

Santa Barbara, where I’d wanted 

to go from the start. After With her name 

graduation, my friend Beth and on the ballot, 

I spent two months wandering Janel casts her 

vote in the 2023 

King County 

78 INSPIRING WOMEN General Election. 

INSPIRING WOMEN 79

through 13 countries in Europe with an 

outdated guide book and no schedule. We had 

a great time, but I couldn’t have understood the 

impact until years later. My parents had moved 

to the Seattle area during my travels, but by the 

time I’d returned they’d sadly split. As an only 

child, I tried moving to the area to be near them 

both, but the heartbreak and constant 

rain ended up driving me to flee to San Diego, 

CA, to start my own life. There, I started my 

professional life, continued my education, met 

my wonderful husband, Vaughn, and welcomed 

our daughter Claire into the adventure. 

Vaughn and I loved San Diego, had successful 

careers, and thought we’d never leave. But as 

a few of you may know, having a baby changes 

everything. Housing was expensive and my mom 

was still in the Seattle area, so we picked up and 

moved closer to her. It was tough 

saying goodbye to friends – this is 

always the hardest part for me – 

but we eventually filled our closet 

with enough coats to survive the 

weather and made new friends. 

When Claire was eight, we decided 

to have an international adventure. 

My husband had access to many 

choices through his work, and next 

thing you know, we were headed 

to Berlin, Germany. 

In the fifth year of our two-year 

adventure, we called it a wrap and 

headed back to the Seattle area. 

Claire is now in 9th grade, I am 

working on an MSc Data, 

Inequality & Society through the 

University of Edinburgh, and 

Vaughn is with the same 

company, so who knows what 

our next address will be. 

This past year, I decided to throw 

myself back into American society 

by registering as a candidate for 

public office, launching a six-month campaign 

for a public school board position. The public 

school board position wasn’t quite the right 

timing, but the seat in my area was opening 

up, and the incumbent encouraged people to 

run, including me. My daughter is currently in 

high school, and community starts with our 

public schools, so I went for it. The board’s 

responsibility is to set policy and goals, 

monitor performance and oversee budget. I 

believe my background in business, policy, 

human performance and equity positioned 

me as a well-qualified candidate. My platform 

centered on significant changes in our 

district in recent years: diversity, emerging 

technologies (like AI) and student mental 

health.The role was an opportunity to support 

my community at the infrastructure level, 

using my past professional skills and new 

academic knowledge. 

Campaigning is an incredible amount of work 

and challenging in a hundred ways I did not 

expect. I did not win the race, but met many 

people, learned hard lessons and have 

greater awareness of how our democracy 

functions. A loss is tough, but I am proud to 

have knocked on over 5000 doors, run an 

honorable race and given my community a 

choice. Without choice, there is no democracy. 

I do not intend to run for office again. Not 

because I lost, but because politics is not the 

right fit for me. 

What does democracy mean to 

you and why do you value it? 

Democracy is the recognition that 

each of our values and voice is 

worth being considered. It is what 

gives us some amount of equal 

footing with those around us, and 

gives us ongoing hope that society 

can always be just a little better 

tomorrow than it is today. 

The night Janel and Vaughn met, 

downtown San Diego. “I thought it would 

be a fling. We were engaged 10 months 

later.” (top) 

Janel, her husband Vaughn, and 

daughter Claire play tourists in 

Rothenburg, Germany. (bottom) 

Edinburgh, where Janel spent some 

time studying at the university (top) 

Janel revisiting her beloved Two Strike 

Park (bottom) 



promotion of democratic ideals, human rights? 

I was active in Youth & Government in high 

school and have been a consistent voter most 

of my life, but there are two main drivers that 

brought me to my current values and focus. 

First, the experience of living away from my 

home country gave me the opportunity to 

closely observe other societies and take a 

more careful look at my own. Second, I became 

intensely involved in working with young Afghan 

women refugees while living in Berlin. Their 

circumstances, both what they left behind 

and the challenge they faced ahead, turned 

my attention toward systemic barriers and 

support structures in society. These combined 

experiences led me to my current studies and 

professional pursuits. 




I recently joined the League of Women Voters 

and am learning about their work with youth 

and schools. Their nonpartisan focus on 

registration, turnout and rights drew me to the 

organization. During my time with AWC Berlin, 

then VP, Lissa Rosenbloom, educated us about 

(particularly overseas) low voter turnout – which 

I believe is around 4%. Between this and my 

increased interest in equity, I’m motivated to 

help improve this critical piece of democracy. 

Last May, I spoke with a young man working at 

a bagel shop that hadn’t registered, wasn’t sure 

how, and didn’t realize he could vote for school 

board candidates if he didn’t have children. 

What we are doing in our schools isn’t sticking. 

This May, I intend to help register high 

schoolers on campuses. Tell every teen you 

know that 17-year-olds can register and vote 

in a primary, if they will be 18 in time for the 

general election. 

How do you feel democratic government as 

practiced today falls short of meeting its 

ideals? What can all of us as individuals do to 

help overcome these problems? 

I believe there are two primary failures. First 

is power choosing power. This ranges from 

gerrymandering to making voting difficult, to 

those with power, money or social capital 

hand-picking candidates that will serve their 

interests. The second failure is community 

apathy/learned helplessness. I believe that 

breaking through these barriers begins with 

local involvement. Personally, I regularly attend 

local council meetings and meet with city 

leaders to understand their challenges, 

priorities and decisions. I mostly listen and 

learn, but I always ask about their ongoing 

efforts to engage a diversity of stakeholders in 

their work. Democracy isn’t limited to the ballot 

box. Most people have limited time, but reading 

local government newsletters, attending local 

events, or even talking to businesses and 

community members about what is or isn’t 

working while you’re out running errands gets 

us all closer to being in the driver’s seat. 

This page 

Reunion with Afghan refugees at the Frankfurt airport 

Page 83 

Janel with friends from AWC Berlin (left to right: Jennifer 

Cripe, Janel, Bridget Shaughnessy and Karen Castellon) at 

a campaign event in King County, 2023 (top left) 

Passing the AWC Berlin President baton to Shweta Gupta, 

2019 (bottom left) 

The family at campaign kick-off event (top right) 

Janel loves to tell stories! Here performing at the AWC Berlin 

Artist Showcase (bottom right) 


profile 

Educating and Assisting 

US Citizens Abroad 

Long-time AWC Madrid member Diane Bucy has been actively involved 

with the Federal Voting Assistance Program since the early 1980s. 

Iwas born in Lubbock, Texas, in 1946 

near Maple, Texas, a few miles from the 

New Mexico state line, on what had been my 

great-grandfather’s ranch land. The tiny town 

had been named after my grandfather´s given 

name since he helped homestead in the area 

as a teenager. My great-grandmother, a real 

pioneer on the Plains, lived with us and told 

us many stories about moving from Missouri 

to a dugout on the Llano Estacado, the Staked 

Plains, a name given to the area by the Spanish 

explorers. Maybe my interest in the Spanish 

language and history started there, or was it a 

copy of Don Quijote that was on a coffee table 

at home? My mid-60s high school years were 

a reflection of the times: desegregation, 

incorporation of the Latinos in college-level 

education, economic growth, atomic bomb 

drills, etc … 

Diane Bucy 

For higher education, I chose H. Sophie 

Newcomb College of Tulane University, 

New Orleans, Louisiana, which offered the 

opportunity to participate in the excellent 

Junior Year Abroad Program in Madrid, Spain. 

After graduating with Honors, I went to study 

for my MA in Spanish at Middlebury College. 

However, the difficulties faced by the 

integrating students at Newcomb- 

Tulane made me grasp what a long 

road they faced. I realized how 

fortunate I was to have friends from 

diverse cultures. I returned to Spain 

for work and studies in Art History. 

Diane at 

AWC Madrid 

clubhouse 


Page 86 

Diane as a toddler and 

today in Spain 

This page 

Queen Sofia at the 

reception for the FAWCO 

Madrid Conference, 1987 

(left) 

I married a Madrileño, a Madrid native. We 

have mostly lived here except for a few 

months in Bavaria, Germany. We also have 

two adult children and two granddaughters, 

all living in Spain. They are all bilingual, or 

rather multilingual, since the one 

granddaughter started studying Korean, and 

the other one Japanese via Zoom during the 

quarantine. After almost 25 years, I retired 

from the position of Resident Director of the 

Newcomb-Tulane Study Abroad Program 

Spain at the Universidad Complutense de 

Madrid, where I had studied as a junior. Being 

in contact with both the American and Spanish 

universities was inspiring and challenging, as 

was the work with honors students from my 

alma mater. Seeing Spain through their eyes 

every fall never ceased to amaze me. 


America is based on democracy, through 

our Constitution, Bill of Rights and the idea 

of justice without discrimination. Having lived 

in Spain, which transitioned from an 

autocratic state to a democracy, I have seen 

progress, debates and still notice situations 

that must be resolved, all deserving of 

thought, dedication and hard work. A 

democracy is never perfect, but it surpasses 

other more problematic types of government. 

My influences were my education, government 

professors, and a family that believes in 

democracy, equality and rule of law. 

Inequality and lack of human rights have 

inspired me to analyze events and situations 

that challenged the democratic ideals in which 

I believe. This would pertain not only to 

the US, but the whole world, historically 

and comparatively. 

Challenges to Democracy 

Getting youth, especially young women, to 

participate actively in the democratic process 

is a difficult, but important challenge. 

Encouraging the study of government, law, 

international relations and American Studies are 

ways of getting a background to aspire to active 

participation in the democratic process. Women 

still face discrimination, and as we have seen in 

different countries, are insulted even in major 

government bodies. The main political parties 

have realized that voters want to see more 

female candidates. Hopefully, some will find 

good mentors as well. 

One problem is apathy, and another is lack 

of knowledge of the democratic system. Our 

mayors, city council members, governors and 

Congress representatives should be held 

accountable to their voters. Do citizens check 

how they have voted? Do they represent the 

platform on which they were elected? Today, 

the democratic system in the US and the whole 

world is challenged in terrible ways, especially 

by weaponized, aggressive and distorted 

misinformation. The movement to question 

the validity of the absentee voting system is 

definitely a concern. And with AI, who knows! 

Getting Involved with the Federal Voting 

Assistance Program 

The US Embassy in Madrid asked the local AWC 

for a candidate to work with the Federal Voting 

Assistance Program (FVAP). I was contacted 

and accepted. My long experience in absentee 

voting through my hometown county clerk's 

office may be one reason I was called. I knew 

the procedure, but was unfamiliar with that of 

other states. 

Over the years, I have seen the Federal Voting 

Assistance Guide grow to the dimensions of a 

mid-sized city´s telephone book. Around March, 

in the year of a presidential election, those 

participating receive an invitation to spend a 

morning at the Madrid Embassy, where the vote 

from abroad information guide, posters and 

flyers are distributed. Among those invited are 

representatives from the two major US political 

parties, American universities, the American 

Club and the joint Spanish and American 

Naval Base in southern Spain. The Federal 

Government sends a voting specialist to this 

information session. At our club, I display the 

posters and hold two or three sessions at the 

end of spring, then put out information early 

during the fall re-registration and prior to the 

deadlines for requesting ballots. 

Granddaughter 

reading to stuffed 

animals (below) 


Study Abroad reunion 

Thesis award 2023 

The program originally began for the US 

military abroad and their families, and was 

extended to include all US citizens residing 

outside the US. The instructions are very clear; 

however, they also vary from state to state, so 

the guide is very important. Under the heading 

of each state, county names are listed with the 

address, telephone and email of the County 

Clerk. This program has grown in size and 

dedication of County employees. The last 

address where a voter lived is required, but 

in some cases, it could be the hospital where 

they were born, if they had lived abroad since 

childhood. Some US citizens born abroad may 

have lived or studied in the US but never 

registered to vote, but they are eligible. 

Helping them go through the process has 

been most rewarding. For example, it was fun 

to help a mother who had last voted 30 years 

ago in the States and her daughter who had 

never been to the US during an election year, 

to cast their ballots. As the COVID-19 

Giving awards to Franklin Institute students 

quarantine began in March 2020, the 

information meeting at the Embassy had to be 

canceled. Copies of the Guide were sent to the 

Embassy and could be picked up by those 

assisting in the program. We did it all through 

telephone and email consultations! 

The use of modern technology – email, fax, 

website – have made the process much easier. 

The staff in the County Clerks’ offices are 

knowledgeable about the voting from abroad 

process and are prepared to answer questions. 

More and more American citizens abroad realize 

that they are eligible to vote and are aware of 

the timelines. The support of the federal, 

state and county officials has been a great 

contribution to this program. 

You can get more information at: FVAP.GOV. You 

can also call 1-800-438-VOTE, or send an email 

to VOTE@FVAP.GOV. 

Additional voting assistance 

for students 

AWC Bazaar Treasurers at work 

The Association of American 

University Programs in Spain 

(in Spanish Asociación 

Programas Universidades 

Norteamericans en España or 

APUNE) sends information to 

member programs regarding 

orientation events in the US 

about voting from abroad 

for first-time voters who will 

be in Spain. It is highly 

recommended that the 

interested students register 

to vote before they leave the 

US. This saves time while they 

are busy adapting to Spain and 

studying. For many of these 

students, it is their first time 

voting and exercising this 

precious right. Some groups 

hold election night parties 

as well. I can offer information 

to individuals, such as their 

state requirements, procedures, and County Clerk addresses. I am a past 

president of APUNE, founded in 1968. It has been fundamental in resolving 

issues that have arisen over the years, such as the procedure for student 

visas and legal matters faced by the different member programs. 


feature 

Adventures of a 

Precinct Committee 

Leader 

by Leslie Nelson, FAUSA 

I’ve been involved in politics for 20 years and it 

has really been a ride! I started volunteering in 

the local office of the “John Kerry for President” 

campaign, where I made phone calls, entered data, and generally just helped wherever I 

could. Back then everything had to be printed out, filled in by hand and then entered in 

a database. It was so time consuming! But in the process I learned a lot about campaigns 

and all the nitty gritty back office stuff. 

In 2009 I moved to Dubai, bringing me to the American Women’s Association of Dubai 

(now defunct). During that time, I tried, and mostly failed, to vote as an expat. My local 

election board was not savvy enough to help me with the process and eventually stopped 

answering my emails. My understanding is this process has gotten better over the years. 

After I returned to Kansas I decided to step back into local politics, mostly as a way to 

re-engage with my community. What follows is based on my experience in Johnson 

County, Kansas. Practices vary among regions, but there are some elements common 

to all US localities. 

I signed up to be a Precinct Committee Leader. Once in the position, you must be elected, 

but as generally nobody else signs up, you assume the role until the next election, when 

you are placed on the ballot. You undoubtedly win, and you continue as before. It is kind 

of fun to get the “you won” letter in the mail, however. 

Leslie with 

friend Anne Shields. 

They have a longstanding 

tradition 

of early voting 

followed by lunch. 

Here’s how the precincts are organized in Kansas: 

The precincts across the state are divided by state senate districts. I live in the 

Eighth Senate district. 

Within that district, I live in the Overland Park City Council second ward. 

Within that ward, I live in the fourth precinct. Within the party I’m considered 

Precinct Leader for 2-04 (second ward, fourth precinct). 


For each election cycle, it is my job to get out 

the vote. I don’t try to persuade people and I 

only approach members of my party. When 

either a primary or general election is coming 

up, I get assigned a “turf” or a list of doors to 

knock on or to “lit drop” (leaving written 

materials), broken up in segments I can finish in 

a reasonable amount of time. The process varies 

quite a bit by the geography of the precinct. My 

area is dominated by apartment-style condos 

with lots of stairs to climb. As such, I knock on 

10-15 doors at a time. Other precinct leaders 

might knock on 30 or 40 doors. 

I bring along my “literature,” which might be an 

explanation of an upcoming ballot initiative or 

the list of Democratic candidates on the ballot. 

It will also note election day and when early 

voting starts. 

I knock on the door. Most of the time no one 

answers. In that case I leave the literature on 

the door with a rubber band or painter’s 

masking tape (so as not to take off any paint), 

note in my electronic database that there was 

no answer, and move on to the 

next door. If someone does 

answer the door (which happens 

more frequently as they get used 

to seeing me a couple times a 

year), I’ll hand them the literature, 

remind them there’s an election 

coming up, stress the importance 

of their participation, ask if we 

can count on their vote, note that 

in the database, and then move 

on to the next door. During a 

typical election cycle, I’ll knock 

on a couple hundred doors, 

approximately 100 of my own 

precinct and then about another 

100 in “orphan precincts,” or 

precincts that don’t have a 

precinct leader. 

When we are between election 

cycles, we meet monthly to 

either learn about an important 

topic (what our Water Board 

does, changes in the local school 

boards) or hear from local elected 

officials or from candidates in 

upcoming elections. 

In the rare case where a state representative 

or state senator leaves office, the Precinct 

Committee Leaders select the replacement 

who holds the seat until the next election. 

Here are some things you can do if you would 

like to get involved locally: 

• z Reach out to your local or county party 

and ask how you can volunteer. 

• z If someone knocks on your door to get 

out the vote, ask how you can volunteer. 

• z If you’re afraid to knock on doors, don’t 

be. The scary is in your head. You’re 

knocking on doors in your neighborhood, 

and only those of your party. 

If you really can’t make yourself go door-to-door, 

there are other ways you can help: 

• z Send texts 

• z Make phone calls 

• z Write postcards 

• z Write a check 

And yes, all these things have been proven to be 

successful, but door knocking is by far the most 

successful for getting out the vote. 

Page 92 

Certificate of election. Leslie's second 

successful re-election campaign. (top) 

Leslie with Courtney Eiterich, Olathe 

Kansas City Councilwoman (bottom) 

This page 

Leslie with Congresswoman Sharice Davids 

of Kansas. She was one of the two first 

Native Americans elected to Congress. 

Finally, do you hate the phone calls 

and door knocks? The best thing you 

can do is talk to the person and 

answer the questions definitively. 

Do you support Mary Sue for 

Congress? Say whatever you want, 

but a solid yes or no will remove you 

from a list. Any sort of I don’t know, 

I’ll decide later, I don’t want to tell 

you, will keep you on the list. They 

will note you on a scale of 1-5. 1s and 

5s get you taken off the list. 2, 3 and 

4 do not. Also, once you vote you get 

taken off the lists, so if you can vote 

early, either in person or by mail, 

do it as early as you can. You’ll get 

removed from the lists that way too. 

Voting is the one thing most of us 

can do to maintain our democracy. 

It takes so little time! Do your part 

and you can see the change that you 

want in our government. 

A travel agent for over 35 

years, Leslie Nelson, FAUSA, 

lives for her next adventure. 

She resides in Kansas, grew up 

in Iowa, and has lived and/ 

or worked in 13 other states, 

plus Toronto, Paris and Dubai. 

Throughout her travels, she 

has maintained a passion for 

local politics. 


our next issue 

inspiring you 

To nominate candidates for profiles, please send the candidate's name, candidate's email 

address and a brief description (50-100 words) of why you think they are inspiring and fit the 

theme for the issue. Send the information to: 

Profiles Coordinator Shaza Gahiga Bwakira, inspiringwomenprofiles@fawco.org. 

To submit a feature: Features are used to complement the theme. This can be broadly 

applied; let us know what you'd like to write about! Our features are 700-800 words plus 

photos. Contact Features Coordinator Connie Phlipot, inspiringwomenfeatures@fawco.org. 

Deadline for Nominations 

The deadline for submitting 

nominees and feature topics for 

our next issue is ... 

Friday, March 22, 2024 

Call for 

Nominees! 

Calling all poets, authors, editors, educators, playwrights, screenplay writers, librarians, 

composers, translators, copywriters, lyricists, bloggers, journalists, book clubs, bookshop 

owners, writing groups! 

FAWCO and FAUSA are overflowing with talented writers and others whose passion is words 

and we want to share their lives and their work with our readers. What inspired them to begin 

writing or other involvement in the written word? How and where do the writers find ideas and 

how do they stay motivated? How did they choose their “medium” or genre? How do editors, 

publishers, copywriters and others work directly with writers to support and encourage them? 

We also want to hear about your FAWCO or FAUSA book clubs and writing groups. 

Founded in 1931, FAWCO is a global women's NGO (non-governmental organization), an 

international network of independent volunteer clubs and associations comprising 58 member 

clubs in 31 countries on six continents. FAWCO serves as a resource and a voice for its members; 

seeks to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide, especially in the areas of human rights, 

health, education and the environment; advocates for the rights of US citizens overseas; and 

contributes to the global community through its Global Issues Teams and The FAWCO Foundation, 

which provides development grants and education awards. Since 1997, FAWCO has held special 

consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council. 

our mission statement 

FAWCO is an international federation of independent organizations whose mission is: 

• to build strong support networks for its American and international membership; 

• to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide; 

• to advocate for the rights of US citizens overseas; and 

• to mobilize the skills of its membership in support of global initiatives for 

education, the environment, health and human rights. 

Advertising disclaimer 

FAWco receives financial remuneration for page space from advertisers. Views expressed or 

benefits described in any display advertisement, advertorial or in any webpage visited online 

directly from these adverts are not endorsed by FAWCO. 

copyright 2024 fawco 

Inspiring Women© Magazine is owned and published electronically by FAWCO. 

All rights reserved. All bylined articles are copyright of their respective authors as indicated herein 

and are reproduced with their permission. The magazine or portions of it may not be reproduced 

in any form, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means – electronic, 

mechanical, photocopy or otherwise – without written consent of the publisher. 

Photographs are integral to our magazine. 

We end each issue with a full page photograph 

that offers a unique perspective on its theme. 

The photo can be provocative, amusing, 

entertaining and/or a photo that you think says 

"That's Inspired!" for each issue. 

Please contact: inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org 

Our photo-centric feature "Through My Lens" is a 

compilation of photos and short captions 

in keeping with the issue’s theme. 

Please contact: 

inspiringwomenfeatures@fawco.org 


more about 

this issue 

The Inspiring Women Team 

That's 

Inspired! 

Michele Elsie Kristin Connie Shaza Hollis 

For more information about this magazine, please contact a member of the Inspiring Women team: 

Editor in Chief Michele Hendrikse Du Bois: inspiringwomen.editor@fawco.org 

Advertising and Sponsorship Manager Elsie Bose: advertising@fawco.org 

Layout Coordinator Kristin D. Haanæs: inspiringwomen.layout@fawco.org 

Features Coordinator Connie Phlipot: inspiringwomenfeatures@fawco.org 

Profiles Coordinator Shaza Gahiga Bwakira: inspiringwomenprofiles@fawco.org 

Marketing Manager Hollis Vaughen: iw.marketing@fawco.org 

Acknowledgements: 

Thanks to our profilees (Georgia, Ellen, Suzanne, Tessa, Mary Stewart, Johanna, Barbara, Janel, 

Diane) and our feature contributors (Anitra, Connie, Stephanie, Jordan, My-Linh, Jennifer, Leslie) for 

their work on the articles and also for the use of their photos and those of their friends and families. 

The cover photo is of the 2015 Overseas Americans Week, Washington DC. Pictured left to right, 

Lucy Laederich (AAWE Paris), My-Linh Kunst (AWC Berlin), Therese Hartwell (FAUSA), Johanna 

Dishongh (AWC The Hague/FAUSA). Lucy Laederich passed away in 2019 and, among other major 

contributions to FAWCO, she is remembered for her unstinting advocacy for overseas Americans, 

which made her greatly admired and appreciated far beyond FAWCO. She was instrumental in 

setting up the Americans Abroad Caucus in Congress and was the motor behind establishing the 

annual Overseas Americans Week. 

Special thanks to the proofreading team of Laurie Brooks (FAUSA), Mary Stewart Burgher (AWC 

Denmark), Sallie Chaballier (AAWE Paris), Carol-Lyn McKelvey (AIWC Cologne/FAUSA), 

and Jenny Taylor (AIWC Cologne and AIWC Düsseldorf), Teddie Weyr (AWA Vienna), Roberta Zöllner 

(Munich IWC). 

Please note: images used in this publication are either sourced from our team, the authors 

themselves or through canva.com, commons.wikimedia.org or pixabay.com. 

Please post a link for this issue of Inspiring Women, 

"Women and Democracy," in your club 

publications until "Women Working with Words" 

is published on May 23, 2024. 

Inspiring the next 

generation: Georgia 

Kallis and her daughters 

looking to the future.

Inspiring Women, Women and Democracy, February 1, 2024

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