Upcoming Events

On March 25, 2009, Gladys Monterroso’s life changed forever. After stepping out of a morning brunch with fellow lawyers, she was kidnapped, tortured and left drugged and confused in a park in Guatemala City. Monterroso is a lawyer and professor at Guatemala’s San Carlos University. She is the mother of two daughters. Despite her desire to bring those responsible to justice, the investigation into her case was dropped.

Monterroso is speaking out on behalf of the thousands of women in Guatemala who are victims of violent crimes. Many of them did not live to tell their story. In Guatemala, victims have limited access to services and victimizers are rarely brought to justice.

The Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA has organized and is accompanying Ms. Monterroso during a two-week tour, visiting 28 venues in 13 cities on the East Coast. Monterroso will share her testimony and address the issues of violence against women and impunity in Guatemala.

This powerful and important exhibit offers a window into the experiences of displaced people, those who had little choice but to move from their homes. We are profoundly grateful to the men, women, and children who, by sharing their words and images, not only reveal stories of adversity and suffering but also teach us about the remarkable capacity for healing and recovery present in individuals, families, and communities. We are grateful to Jesuit Refugee Service for sharing this exhibit with the community of Boston College. The ethos of the Jesuit Refugee Service, to accompany, to serve and to plead the cause of refugees and those forcibly displaced, echoes the core values of the profession of social work and of our school. We invite you to visit the exhibit located in our social work library from September 24th through October 15th and to read and reflect on the many lessons contained in the images and in the materials that accompany the display.