Please join Faegre & Benson LLP and

Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights’

Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission Project for:

Volunteer Statement Taker Training

presented by

Massa Washington

Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Friday, September 29, 2006

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

at

Faegre & Benson LLP

Century Room
2200 Wells Fargo Center
90 South Seventh Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

Please RSVP to Kim Babine at kbabine@mnadvocates.org.  Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP.  For those unable to attend, a webcam of the presentation will be available for download at http://www.mnadvocates.org/Volunteer_Training_Materials.html after the event.

Commissioner Massa Washington Biography

Massa A. Washington is a journalist with more than twenty years of experience.  She holds a B.A. in Mass Communication with emphasis in Print Journalism from the University of Liberia and is currently a second-year graduate student with high honors at the Temple University School of Social Administration and Management in Pennsylvania.  She also obtained training in Broadcast Journalism from the Voice of America (VOA) and the Liberian Broadcasting System (LBS) in 1984.  Her past positions have included Public Relations Officer of the Liberian National Red Cross Society, Senior Reporter for the Ministry of Information New Liberian Newspaper, and News Editor for the Independent Inquirer.

Ms. Washington has covered the Liberian crises extensively, reporting often from occupied territories and creating a column in the Inquirer dedicated to Liberian women.  She is a women's rights and civil society activists and is a member of the Liberian Women Initiative (LWI) which has been at the vanguard of peace advocacy in Liberia. She has also represented the women of Liberia at peace conferences, such as both of the Accra Clarification Conferences and the Abuja Conference.

Ms. Washington has also worked with Liberians in the Diaspora, having represented and given sworn testimonies for Liberians seeking legal status in the United States.  She served as Chairman of the Association of Liberian Journalist in the Americas (ALJA), Delaware Valley Chapter, representing Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey and co-owned and published the Iwina Heritage Newspaper targeting the African immigrant community in the United States.

Ms. Washington has received honors including; Press Union Reporter of the Year Award, Inquirer Reporter of the Year Award 1994, The Association of Liberian Journalist in the Americas Appreciated Award in 2003, Liberian Community Association of Pennsylvania Award in 2003 and Special Recognition for distinguished leadership by the City of Philadelphia Welcoming Center for New Immigrants in 2004. Ms. Washington is also one of sixteen Liberian peace activists featured in a recent UN Peace Building Book.