Biography

Joan Gerig, an anti-apartheid activist living in Chicago. since 1981. Joan Gerig's connection to anti apartheid work in Chicago stemmed from her experience in Botswana with young South African exiles who fled to Botswana following the Soweto Uprising of 1976. She and her husband, Rev. Orlando Redekopp, were assigned to organize an educational resource center for the exiles in Gaborone, Botswana. The center had UN funding. The young exiles encouraged them to return to North America to stop the support for apartheid.

Upon moving to Chicago in 1981 Joan and Orlando joined local coalitions ( CIDSA/CCISSA) which focused on ending apartheid. Orlando was employed as Pastor at First Church of the Brethren, an integrated church on Chicago's west side. Joan worked as a teacher in a Latino alternative school. As people of faith, they connected with other North Americans who had international experience to found Synapses--a faith-based organization linking North Americans to justice issues around the world.

Through Synapses they found themselves more deeply connected to Southern Africa, and in 1987 the Church of the Brethren denomination provided a small grant for Joan to develop a program and newsletter for the denomination through the Synapses office. With Joan's leadership, Synapses initiated the annual Martin Luther King Day "Sing out Against Apartheid", held in front of the South African consulate in Chicago. and many other public witnesses. For over ten years Joan engaged in full time anti-apartheid organizing work with the Chicago-Alexandra Sister Community Project, Southern Africa Network of Evangelical Church of America (SAN-ELCA), Southern Africa Network of Chicago Churches (SANCC) as well as Church of the Brethren Southern Africa Network (COBSAN). Interview with Joan Gerig

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records: