Betsy Crites, Executive Director director@ncpeaceaction.org (919)381-5969
Betsy’s career began in Latin America as a college student in Peru. With this experience it was a natural step to the Peace Corps in Honduras and later a public health educator in Guatemala, where she lived four years with her husband and 2 children. In 1981 they moved to North Carolina so she could study Public Health Education at UNC Chapel Hill. In 1983, Betsy helped launch Witness for Peace, first as the Coordinator for Delegations to the war zones of Central America, and later as Executive Director. In the mid 90s chronic fatigue syndrome forced her in to hibernation for several years. Her passion for peace and nonviolent civilian protection was re-awakened in 2006 on a tour to India led by Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP). Six months later she was back in Guatemala coordinating NP’s Rapid Response Team, providing accompaniment for human rights defenders. Betsy’s primary interests are nonviolence as taught by Gandhi and King, Buddhist philosophy and practice, the process of democratic social and economic change, and nonviolence education."
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Wally Myers, Vice Chair Vice-Chair@ncpeaceaction.org (919)789-9056
After his tour in the Air Force during the Vietnam era, Wally became disenchanted with the goals and mission of the U.S. government and took to the streets to protest it. Returning to his studies in philosophy, he recognized that there was a deeper problem with the prevailing militaristic mentality and sought out peace cultures to provide an alternative. He went to live with the Hopi Tribe, the peaceful people in Arizona; and immersed himself in that culture. He continues to study the worldviews of other peaceful cultures and because of the proven peace record of the Tibetans, has converted to Buddhism.
With the rise of U.S. militarism after 9/11 he decided to join together with other vets to oppose the wars of greed and the occupations of empire. He helped start a Triangle Chapter of Veterans For Peace, where he is now their President. His feeling about war can be summed up with a quote by Eisenhower, “I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.”
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John Heuer, Chair Chair@ncpeaceaction.org (919)444-3823
John was born in Detroit in 1946. His father had come back from service in the US Army, and the young family picked up stakes to move from their New Jersey home. His mother lost both of her brothers in WWII. The young veteran dad took his family to Presbyterian Church. He was a deacon at Calvin Presbyterian, and one of the leaders of the Northwest Churches United for Human Rights, a fellowship dedicated to ending Jim Crow in the racially divided city. Observing his father’s courageous stand for first class citizenship for African-Americans was a great inspiration for young John, one that he carries with him to this day. More
Joe Burton, Treasurer Treasurer@ncpeaceaction.org (919)332-3171
Mike Howell, Secretary Secretary@ncpeaceaction.org (919)303-9923
Mia Austin-Scoggins, Media Coordinator Media-Coordinator@ncpeaceaction.org (919)828-9010
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