How do you distill the experience of torture into a language that others can understand?
On June 17, artist and PTV Board Member Hector Aristizabal offered a riveting performance of Nightwind, which is based on his own imprisonment and torture in his native Colombia.
With over 100 in attendance, the event, which took place at Club Fais Do-Do, was one of the highlights of International Torture Awareness Month.
We would like to extend a big thank you to: Hector Aristizabal
Emma Bornstein
Virginia Classick and NRCAT
B.J. Dodge
Enzo Fina
Lyn Goldfarb
Cindy Gutierrez
Diane Lefer
Pink's Famous Hot Dogs
Takami Sushi & Robata Restaurant
Tyrone Washington & Wave Tech Media
Jake Weinheimer
Steve Yablock and the Club Fais Do-Do Staff
A week later, Burmese torture survivor Kyaw accompanied PTV Executive Director Julie Gutman and the California Consortium of Torture Treatment Centers to Sacramento. Kyaw and Gutman were introduced on the Senate floor and participated in a special Capitol press briefing urging legislators to adopt a resolution in favor of expanded treatment resources for torture victims in California, the state with the largest number of torture survivors in the country. Kyaw told his harrowing story of persecution and escape to numerous legislators, including Assembly Speaker John Perez and Assemblyman Kevin De Leon, and also was featured on a Capitol Public Radio broadcast (listen below).
View more photos of the Sacramento Advocacy Day on our Facebook page.
Listen to Kyaw and Julie Gutman on Insight-Capitol Public Radio.
To mark UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26, Julie Gutman joined the ACLU’s Stephen Rohde and Rabbi Aryeh Cohen in a special panel discussion about the legal, ethical and humanitarian dimensions of torture. The event also included dramatic readings from Reckoning with Torture: Testimonies and Memos from the "War on Terror."
To mark UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26, Julie Gutman joined the ACLU’s Stephen Rohde and Rabbi Aryeh Cohen in a special panel discussion about the legal, ethical and humanitarian dimensions of torture. The event also included dramatic readings from Reckoning with Torture: Testimonies and Memos from the "War on Terror."