It is with sadness and deep appreciation that we bid adieu to two of our colleagues, Giselle Del Rosario and Ed Bianchi. Giselle Del RosarioSince 2011, Giselle has been an integral part of the KAIROS team, most recently as the Executive and IT Associate. Giselle provided invaluable support to our work in social and ecological justice, through admin, finance and IT support. We have valued her insights, professionalism, adaptability, consideration for others and humour, and will miss her very much. We wish her the very best in her next role. Ed BianchiEd Bianchi is retiring from KAIROS, after 28 years of dedicated service to social justice causes, particularly Indigenous rights. His social justice journey with the churches began with the Aboriginal Rights Coalition, as its National Coordinator in 1995. He coordinated and supervised the production of the first and second editions of the So Long As the Sun Rises and the River Flows resource, which included participatory workshops, specifically an early version of the KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE). With the creation of KAIROS in July 2001, Ed assumed the role of Indigenous Rights Program Coordinator and worked closely with the KAIROS Aboriginal Rights Committee, now the KAIROS Indigenous Rights Circle (KIRC). After his time as Acting Manager of the Dignity and Rights team, Ed joined the management team as Program Manager in 2012. In this role, Ed oversaw and contributed to various KAIROS justice initiatives, such as the KBE Expansion Initiative, the Philippines Learning Tour and the follow-up Our Land, Our Rights, Our Peace Philippine delegation to Canada, the Women of Courage partner tours and delegations, and the Reconciliation in the Watershed, Equal in Dignity, Equal in Rights, and Know Your Rights and Be Bold workshops. This touches just a few of Ed’s many achievements and contributions to KAIROS. Beyond his extraordinary work, it’s his dedication and desire to create change, positive attitude, humour, and compassion for others that establishes him as an inspiration for all of us. We are deeply grateful for his work and will miss him dearly. |