Student Opinion: Women Across America
Mary Knapp, an S-CAR graduate, and her 22 year old son, Chandler Fredenberg-Knapp are walking across America to raise awareness of the need for greater participation by women, in partnership with men, in efforts to resolve global challenges. “With the world interconnected economically, technologically, environmentally and socially,” says Mary, “What is needed now are women with the skills to communicate, collaborate, share information, manage resources and weave together the well-being of families and communities.”
Mary and Chandler left Oceanside, California on March 8th and are walking across California, Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia and will arrive in Washington, D.C. on August 13th. The purpose of the walk is to mobilize women to take action and leadership positions in local, national and international affairs.
Mary is a trained mediator and obtained her Master’s Degree from S-CAR. Mary is also the author of Brushing the Cobwebs from the Sky: Awakening to Passion and Purpose, and has been a weekly columnist for a New York Times Regional News Group. Mary’s articles focus on political, social and family issues, as well as writing feature articles for various newspapers and magazines. A dual citizen of the U.S. and Sweden, Mary is married to her high school sweetheart whom she calls “the finest man on the planet.”
With a life-long passion for social evolution, she has worked over 30 years with marginalized populations in various community based organizations. “It’s not India, China or the Internet that are the keys to economic growth; it’s women. At this global crossroads between survival and extinction, what the world needs is a woman’s touch to bring security and stability to this beleaguered world that is in so much tears and trouble.”
Mary’s son, Chandler Fredenberg-Knapp, is a student in Peace and Conflict Studies at Malmö University in Sweden where he is a writer and co-host of a program addressing the challenges of living in today’s multi-ethnic Sweden. Chandler has worked on various humanitarian projects across the world; he is also a trained peer mediator and works with young people.
Local women and men are invited to join the walk; participate in the D.C. event; host them along the way; or donate funds to help offset expenses.
Mary can be contacted by email: [email protected], or by telephone: 646-410-7958.