Throughout our fund’s 11 year history we have had a special focus on recognizing individuals working to end torture. We have often been inspired by the work done by the Center for Victims of Torture, where you have served for 16 noteworthy years as a social worker with a specialty in fostering community relationships. Not only have you been instrumental in the healing of hundreds of torture survivors, you have trained many co1nmunity and faith leaders, educators, care providers, lay people, and others on torture trauma and treatment; and advocated for improvements in meeting the needs of torture survivors locally and nationally.
Serving the needs of torture survivors has been a passion for you, not just a profession. Moreover, you have done so with a gentle and loving heart. You have taken extra time to get to know and mentor social work interns, many of whom have thereafter chosen to work for CVT. In this difficult work, you have been the person many staff 1ne1nbers have sought out when they were feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or sad. You have quietly and privately welcomed people to your office and listened and consoled behind a closed door.
Your compassionate work has borne fruit in many ways. You worked in refugee resettlement before you came to CVT. We have heard that about a year ago, a gentleman fr01n Southeast Asia came to CVT and asked to see you. You had helped hi1n resettle to the U.S. 1nany years ago. He proudly introduced you to his daughter, who had just graduated from college with a social work degree. She is now the first person from this community in Minnesota to have a social work license-and she is now a CVT social worker serving members of her com1ntmity in their language.
Your joyful and adventurous spirit has led you to seek new experiences outside of work. On your vacation time, you have served as an election monitor in several countries, including Kazakhstan, Macedonia, and Kyrgyzstan. You have accompanied individuals with mental illness on camping trips. We have heard of your latest overseas adventure, working as a caretaker at a pilgri1nage church site on an island off Scotland.
Thank you for all that you have done, for the many lives you have enriched, and for the quiet humility with you always act. It is an honor for us to be able to acknowledge you in this small way and to gain inspiration fro1n how you have been able to 1nake the world a better place.
Congratulations!
Elissa and Bruce Peterson, Founding Members