Ann Henebery
Biography: A 2013 graduate of Franciscan University in Ohio, Ann is currently splitting time between C-fam and the office of the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Buck McKeon. While at Franciscan, she earned both a B.S. and B.A. in Anthropology and History and was selected as a member of the 2013 Missions of Peace Ecuador team. After graduation, Ann headed to Ecuador again, this time with Mission Santa Maria (a non-profit based out of New York City). She spent her time there teaching and living (and generally loving every minute) at an orphanage on the coast. Once back in the States, she worked on one of the largest archival projects in the State of Virginia until gaining her position with Congressman McKeon and C-fam.
Thoughts: St. Catherine of Siena once said, “Be who you were meant to be and you will set the world on fire!” That pretty much sums it up for me. While I’m nowhere near where I should be, I’m doing my best and I’m so humbled to be given the opportunity to work and learn from the men and women of C-fam. I’m very excited to continue learning and to share my thoughts through the IYc blog!
Ginamarie Shaffer
Biography: Ginamarie is a junior at the Catholic University of America studying in a 5-year BA/MA program is sociology with a concentration in public policy. She is also pursuing minors in philosophy, theology, and a minor in gender and family studies. Ginamarie is also involved with student organizations such as Live Out Love, a group dedicated to promoting sexual integrity on campus through Theology of the Body and sharing the message of chastity with local middle and high school students. In Ginamarie’s spare time she enjoys rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles, participating in theater, visiting friends and family, and traveling to historical landmarks.
Thoughts: I am excited to be working at C-FAM to explore and study one of the things I am most passionate about – the family! While most of my experience is in American family issues, C-FAM allows me the opportunity to see and learn about these issues on a global scale. As part of the International Youth Coalition, I have the opportunity to raise awareness and discuss some of the most fundamental and controversial issues pertaining to human life. It is an honor and a blessing to be able to represent the youth of today and spread the message of the beauty and dignity of human life.
Mary Lastowka
Biography: Mary hails from the suburbs of Philadelphia and is looking forward to starting her Sophomore year at The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C, where she is double majoring in Politics (with a concentration in International Relations) and Spanish for International Service. Mary is an active member of both the “Students for Life” team and the “International Affairs Association” at CUA. Mary enjoys Irish dancing, playing soccer, singing in her University’s Sunday mass choir, and just all around praising God. Mary is excited to share her passion of protecting the life and dignity of the human person with C-FAM and the International Youth Coalition.
Thoughts: I appreciate this exceptional opportunity to witness first-hand the interactions with C-FAM and outside organizations, to promote the overall well-being of individuals on a global scale. I enjoy seeing in my research for the IYc all of the recent progress that has been made in observing, acknowledging, and protecting, every human life.
Teaghan Grayson
Biography: Teaghan Grayson is a rising senior at the College of William & Mary and is studying International Relations with minors in Philosophy and Economics. Working at C-FAM provides a fantastic intersection between two of his great loves: the Catholic Church and global governance. As a cradle Catholic, Teaghan became serious about his faith in his senior year of high school, and it continued to grow throughout college. The strong intellectual tradition of the Church and the peace and wholeness brought about by faith encourage him to keep diving deeper into it. He discovered his passion for the international system through years of Model UN and trips abroad to countries such as the UK and China. He has furthered his international education by studying abroad for a semester in Salzburg, Austria and managed to visit Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia as well. He is highly involved with the Catholic Campus Ministry at William & Mary, as well as Students for Life and the International Relations Club. When he isn’t doing those things, you can find him scouring the Catholic and secular news for the latest updates about the world, playing board games with his friends, drinking coffee, or re-watching his favorite shows and movies on Netflix.
Thoughts: I’m very excited to be working with C-FAM and the IYc to spread the word on issues of life and the family. The young people of our generation remain ignorant and misinformed of the pressing challenges facing the unborn, the traditional family, women, and the impoverished. Through the IYc blog, I hope to spread the truth about these issues and give anyone interested a leg up in explaining and defending our position to your peers.
Emma Langley
Biography: My name is Emma Langley, and I am an undergraduate student in my senior year at the University of Dallas. I am an avid disk golfer, pianist, painter, and occasionally I attempt to become a jogger. I take every opportunity to travel internationally and, as of yet, my exploits include a semester-long adventure in Italy and visits to thirteen other countries. My major is in Philosophy, a path I chose with confidence that an investigation into the fundamental principles of thought throughout history would be the best way to learn how to think rationally and critically. Philosophy promises an encompassing approach to learning, because every topic which concerns the lives of human beings is shaped by the way man understands himself and his reality. Together with the knowledge afforded by viewing the world from a philosophical perspective, my Catholic faith has brought me into ongoing engagement with ethical debates surrounding the beginning and end of human life. As modern technology and philosophy make the meaning of personhood seem opaque, I hope to help remind our world of the basic truths which demand recognition despite their present challenges.
Thoughts: Working at C-FAM is an exciting opportunity for me to engage my interest in bioethical issues in a way which actively supports the protection of the values which ground me. I am confident that through my IYC blogging and assistance with C-FAM operations here in Washington, D.C. I will find my place in the ongoing project to promote international human rights, life, and family issues.
Joseph Austin
Biography: My name is Joseph Austin, and I just finished my Junior year at Boston University, majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Biology. My father is military, so I grew up traveling the States and the world. Despite my lack of a geographical home, I have always found a “home” in the Eucharist: most places in this world have access to Churches, and the mass is celebrated almost exactly the same in every single one, despite cultural or lingual differences.
My father is a Methodist minister, so ecumenism is very important to me. I love meeting people, hearing their story, and asking them the question, “what drives your life? what motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?” I also love music and chess. I have been playing classical violin since age 3, but have recently been trying new styles: I play in a Praise in Worship band in Boston; I started learning banjo a year ago, and know some mandolin, guitar, piano, djembe, and trumpet. Most recently, I have been teaching myself how to Gregorian chant with an organ. As with most outdoorsy people, I also love to make things from scratch: bread, soap, cooking, carpentry, gardening, biodiesel, and the like.
Thoughts: I am working at C-FAM this summer because in all my discernment between the priesthood and marrying my wonder, God has pounded my head with one definitive unrelated answer: to protect the family. The family is so important to our world. In the Catechism, it states that the “family is the original cell of social life” (2207), and this family is under attack by the evil one in: abortion, euthanasia, divorce, domestic abuse, contraception, and so forth. I strongly feel God’s call to myself and to the youth of the next generation to stand up for the family and for the dignity of human life.
Audra Nakas
Biography: My name is Audra Nakas and I’m an undergraduate student at the Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, DC. I’m currently a Psychology major in the Honors Program with plans to double major in World Politics. I’ve been involved in the pro-life movement since high school and am currently Vice President of CUA’s chapter of Students for Life. My passion for life comes from my faith, while my Lithuanian heritage has taught me the preciousness of life and freedom. I’m active in the Lithuanian-American community and also belong to an international Lithuanian Catholic youth organization called Ateitis, which means “The Future.” I enjoy playing and listening to music, traveling, and exploring D.C. with my friends.
Thoughts: As a new intern at the Washington, DC office of C-FAM, I’m excited for the opportunity to have an active role in the International Youth Coalition. We often live in a bubble, not knowing or understanding what transpires in the global community besides whatever affects us personally. My hope is that by sharing what I learn as an intern, others will better appreciate the importance of defending the dignity of life and family at every level of society.
Zaid Chaaban
Biography: My name’s Zaid. I was born in Royal Oak, Michigan. My parents both came to this country after turmoil and conflict in their homelands in the Middle East. My dad is Syrian and my mom is Iraqi and Armenian. I grew up living a very simple life, was really quiet as a kid, however that did not last long until high school where I spoke at my school’s baccalaureate. During high school I won the award for most likely to Find World Peace. During my teenage years I signed up to be an altar boy at church and that is where my love for the priesthood and church really began. I am still involved in my church to the present day. During high school I discerned a vocation to the priesthood. I was blessed to attend World Youth Day 2005 in Germany and Sydney in 2008. Both trips were amazing outpourings of the Holy Spirit in my life. During high school, I was appointed president of a non-denominational Christian group we had at my school, I did this for two years and loved it. I recently graduated with my B.A. in History from Oakland University. I am seeking out a Masters program, Law school, or PhD. I would also like to be a missionary for I love helping others. I would like to further pursue studies in human rights, genocide and holocaust studies, or international rights. I love to travel and love learning about new cultures. I speak Arabic and studied four years of French. I would like to learn Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese one day.
Thoughts: I really didn’t know much about the CSW before this opportunity arose, but it has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid to participate in a UN conference. I’ve read about different UN conferences such as the Rio Summit, etc, but the CSW seemed of particular interest to me because of my firmly held views on role of the family and on human life. CSW is an important conference regarding the rights of women and youth around the world. Although many of the issues the conference deals with are specifically focused on women and development, the overarching themes are important to all of society. The youth are the future of the world and working. Working with the IYC would give me a opportunity to meet and work with other young adults who are passionate about the same things I am and are willing to stand up for the basic right to life at the international level. Working with the IYC would also help me meet other young people who are making a difference in other parts of the world and are willing to share their story as to how they are doing it. Working at the UN would allow me to work learn more about human rights at the international level and would allow me the opportunity to gain the experience to take what I learned and apply it to the local level of politics back at home. Working at the UN would allow me to use my talents to help others see the important of ensuring all people have equal rights the most important, the right to life, liberty, and happiness.
Bridget Littleton
Biography: My name is Bridget Littleton and I am a Junior at Ave Maria University in Florida, where I am majoring in Political Economy and Government and minoring in Family and Society. I enjoy my studies, as I always find myself admitting, though that is not necessarily the first thing that will come to my mind after poring over endless pages of books and staring at a computer screen for hours on end. Still, I love to learn, especially when what I am learning is so relevant to the issues facing society today. Both individuals and policy makers must recognize that a strong family, in which future generations are first oriented to the world and educated according to the morals and principles which will influence their entire lives, is the key to a healthy society. Greater attention must be given to the issues facing the family today, so that society can effectively advance the welfare and interests of all people. When I am not in school, you may find me exploring Michigan’s forests filled with white pines and fallen oaks, walking along the beach in search of abandoned lighthouses, adventuring in new cities that I had only ever before heard of, or spending time with by big Irish Catholic family back in the South-Side of Chicago.
Thoughts: Attending the Commission on the Status of Women gives me the valuable opportunity to spend five days participating in the international community’s efforts to address the issues and interests of women today. As a young woman myself, I not only have a personal stake in the decisions of the United Nations regarding these topics, but I also feel solidarity with other women around the world who do not have the opportunity to directly address representatives and decision makers . I hope to use my voice to help the international community make informed decisions, as well as sincerely analyze past initiatives and current goals, in order to truly and effectively benefit women. After working with the International Youth Coalition this past summer to represent and support the Vatican’s principles and teachings, especially in regards to the family, reproduction, and sexuality, at the United Nation’s High-Level Meeting on Youth, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to again work with the IYC at this Commission which specifically addresses issues in relation to women. With my team, I will energetically devote these five days to informing people inside and outside of the conference on the progress of the United Nations in truly bettering the status of women in the world today.
Maria Isabel Avila Lizaur
Biography: Isabel Avila is a junior at Ave Maria University. She was born in Mexico City and moved to the United States when she was 13. She attended high school and graduated in 2009. During that time, she figured skated and was a member of the debate club. Attending public school made her realize the importance of restoring a proper understanding of the human person to a society that has lost direction. Isabel is majoring in Political Science with a minor in Philosophy and plans to further her education in Political Philosophy after graduation.
Thoughts: There is a great need for individuals to defend a proper understanding of femininity today. The dignity of a woman is best upheld when she is allowed and encouraged to be a woman, not when she is encouraged to inorganically change her nature. It is important to provide women with health care and opportunities in all spheres of society, but these cannot be at the expense of what makes us different than men. Contrary to what the world believes, femininity is not a burden. What is decided at the United Nations about the opportunities that women should have is very important and much good can come of it, but it can also play a role in fostering erroneous beliefs about the dignity of women that have serious physical and emotional consequences for the women that these efforts seek to help. Working with the IYc is a great opportunity to bring to CSW the dialogue about what will actually benefit women.
Chris Kozak
Biography: I am a 20-year old undergraduate in Ball State University’s legal studies program, and I am planning on attending law school with the intent to work against sex trafficking as a legal professional. I was homeschooled for most of my life, and I believe strongly in the power and purpose of the family, the value of every life, and the responsibility of men to lead, love, and protect the women and children around them. I believe that it is my personal responsibility, through the power of Christ and the Law, to speak on behalf of the women trapped in the sex industry and to stand between them and the men who desire to purchase these women for their own pleasure. I am getting married to a beautiful woman named Grace next summer, and we plan to pursue this calling to Justice together.
Thoughts: I wanted to come to the CSW for two reasons. Firstly, I have a heart for the weak and the oppressed, and I do not want to see their lives and rights taken away by those in power. Second, I love women and I have a deep desire for them to be treated kindly and fairly, as equal people who are created in the image of Almighty God. But what I do not want is for unborn women, the family, and the responsibility of men to be destroyed in the name of “women’s equality”.
Tatenda Mabikacheche
Biography: Tatenda Mabikacheche is an international undergraduate student from Zimbabwe currently studying at Ave Maria University in Florida. She is currently a sophomore, pursuing a BA in Mathematics and Economics. She has a strong passion for fields related to international development with a major interest in studying the impacts of development and culture change on the globalizing world. She hopes to work on projects that help developing countries create the necessary capacity needed to provide sustainable solutions to their political, economical and social problems.
“Having grown up in a third world country, I have seen the tremendous power of development and globalization but have also seen how easy it is for societies to lose the cultural values that define them. My hope is to see this generation and future generations holding on to their heritage as we progress into a brighter future.” In 2011, Tatenda acquired a certificate from the Leadership Institute in preparation for leadership in public policy process. “I had a chance to use the skills that I gained from Leadership Institute and put them to work in IYC at the UN High Level Meeting for Youth.”Apart from public service related activities she is a passionate golfer, who has had many accomplishments in her golfing career.
Thoughts: I am ecstatic to have another opportunity to lobby at the UN for IYc. There is an incredible statement that many youth from around the world signed which IYc has to share with the rest of the world. I am honored to be able to have a part in sharing the views of a pro-active generation of young people out there in a forum like the UN. The themes of the 56th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) are “Engaging young women and men, girls and boys, to advance gender equality” as an emerging idea and its priority theme is “The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges.” Both themes stood out to me but I was most captivated by the fact the youth are becoming more and more highly prioritized in aiding various development goals. I see this session as a great interactive and learning platform. I will be able to leave the session and share my experiences with the many people I will come across throughout my life.
Wileen Leu
Biography: “We can do no great things, only small things with great love,” Mother Teresa once said. I respectfully disagree. Mix in ambition, and luck. With great love, great ambition, and great luck, we all have an enormous capacity to do great things.
My name is Wileen Leu and I am currently a third year student at Notre Dame Law School. I grew up in Southern California, an only child to my immigrant parents who made the life-changing decision to move to America so that I may have a better, more fulfilling life. In undergraduate, I studied literary journalism to speak through my writing and spread awareness on the plight of those less fortunate and show my community how it can help. I worked on lengthy pieces with topics ranging from animal cruelty to individuals living with HIV/AIDS. I came to law school for knowledge – to gain an understanding of our legal system – so that I may have the ability to make changes within it. I firmly believe Edward Everett Hale when he said, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.”
Thoughts: I am thrilled at the opportunity to be a volunteer with IYc at the UN CSW; I am excited to learn not just about the issues, but to learn also what I can do to contribute and propel change in our society. I hope to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the hurdles that have been overcome, the successes that have been achieved, and the individuals who have collectively worked for them.
I believe that each of us, with love, luck, and ambition, can do great things. I have great love for my generation and our potential, great ambition to make changes for the better, and I am optimistic that God will continue to sprinkle luck in my direction as He has for the past 26 years.
Courtney Kampa
Biography: Courtney Kampa is from Washington D.C. and grew up studying classical ballet. A graduate student at Columbia University pursuing her MFA, she has written for Seventeen Magazine and is currently working as an intern at Vanity Fair. Her poetry has received awards and publications from literary magazines around the country.
Thoughts: This will probably sound trite and too simplistic, but I wanted be involved in the Commission on the Status of Women because the issues at stake are (and have always been) of great interest to me. Perhaps it has more than a little to do with the fact that I am the oldest of four sisters (friends still refer to our home to as “Girl Land”), but I am a firm believer in the complete and utter impact women have upon society around them. With the constant denigration of motherhood and the family we see today, Pope John Paul II’s demand that the world accommodate women’s needs as workers, wives, and mothers seems more necessary than ever. I was attracted to IYC for their commitment to a woman’s right to equal dignity, and while my literary background might not seem like the most obvious skill-set to bring to the table, I feel strongly that my concerns and perspective as a woman anchor me—and anchor every woman—in the urgency of these issues at hand.
David Jauernik
Biography: Hi, my name’s David and I was born in Vienna, Austria (not Australia!).
First and foremost, I would describe myself as a passionate musician (I’m playing the cello, the guitar and I recently started the piano), but you may call me brother, friend, cousin, godfather (of my young cousin girl), altar server, youth leader, lover of traditional costumes, nostalgic person and many more as well. My main interests are music, history and sports, I’m also doing voluntary service for the order of Malta in Austria, where I’m about to start the training for the paramedic qualification. As there are not many guitarists in my parish in Vienna, it’s my job to lead the music team at our masses most of the time, but I love it! I appreciate talking about and discussing religious themes and with God’s help I’m getting stronger in defending my faith all the time. As for me, I am a happy person and some of my friends call me charismatic…just try me!
Thoughts: When I received the invitation to apply as a volunteer for the CSW, it touched me hard that I wanted to go there. I applied for the CSW not only to see New York and the States again, which is alway something very special for non-Americans I think, but to be able to do something for family and life dignity on the world stage and to get known international catholic people fighting for the same reason. I am eager to stand there with heart and soul for a higher purpose, to learn how to explain myself and my faith and the faith of my church and to defend family life and human principles.
Laura Farfán
Biography: My name is Laura Farfán. I was born in Mendoza, Argentina in 1984. I am a lawyer and graduated from the University of Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina. In 2005 I helped a found the Institute for Ethics and Law in Argentina. As the former president of the institute, I gained significant experience in networking and lobbying for issues related to human dignity. I currently work in human rights.
Thoughts: I have been always passionate about the importance of human dignity, and I am convinced that women have a special and fundamental role in guaranteeing to all human beings all human rights. That is the reason why I am working in human rights issues, and that is the reason why I wanted to participate in the 56th Commission on the Status of Women with the IYc.
Cristina Gutierrez Girault
Biography: I live in Mexico City, which makes life extremely busy and exciting. Currently in my last semester of Law School, I am working with a Federal Representative as an advisor, which so far has been a great learning and growing experience. Throughout the last four years, I have participated in different courses and seminars, as opportunities that have allowed me to broaden and enrich my view of the law, specifically in the fields of philosophy and politics, so as to have a deeper understanding of the values and principles that must inspire and guide its application.
I come from a very big family, and I love horseback riding, reading, traveling and forming friendships with people from all over the world that either share the same interests, beliefs, and “ideologies” or, to make it even more interesting, challenge my own and help me understand and defend them with more conviction.
Thoughts: This is the second time that I attend the CSW, as well as the second UN Commission that I participate in as a member of the International Youth Coalition. Since my first UN “experience”, I realized the many important issues that are decided there, which are mostly ignored or unknown by the rest of the world. I now know that our assistance there is vital, and that even if we can’t directly determine the content of the declarations or resolutions that rise from these events, I am certain that our mere presence and participation, and our daily encounters with the many others that attend is fundamental and it does make an impact. We must all be well prepared for these opportunities, make ourselves known, and firmly and bravely stand for what we are there to defend, in a normal, attractive, and well prepared way. The Truth must be fought for in all places and, if we want to transform culture towards it, we must not leave any place or event out.
Florencia Moye
Biography: Florencia Moye is a researcher at the John Paul II Institute of Ethics. Trained in law in Mexico and in bioethics in Italy, Florencia is affiliated to some organizations that defend cases of Religious Freedom.
She has been working in different programs that defend the natural family and life as a value. She has several publications in bioethics and a book about the Family as an institution.
Florencia is working on an investigative project concerning legal solutions in the medical practice. More information about her articles is available in Spanish at: http://es.catholic.net/empresarioscatolicos/465/1385/articulo.php?id=44679
She likes to go to the movies, cook Mexican and Italian food, and play basket ball, swimming and tennis. In her leisure time, she used to drive to a park and read a good novel, but she also spent time with the family and friends in a good restaurant or coffee bar. She is from Mexico, from a small city of the North called Torreon Coahuila, actually she is living in Monterrey, four hours from her home. She is proud of being Catholic and Mexican.
Thoughts: Florencia believes in a true feminism, where women expressed their essence in their motherhood conducting a family and a home, she wants to defend this reality in international organisms. She enjoys the international and diplomatic negotiation. She expected to get fun providing and sharing her studies with other volunteers and join this experience to her personal life.
Anthony Lezaja
Biography: My name is Anthony Lezaja and I’m twenty-two years old born on Long Island in New York. Taking a step back from the “real” world, I am a young twenty year old who loves sports and one thats a fitness nut. I mean at this point in the year, my favorite football team just won the Super Bowl (the Giants) and Lin-sanity is taking over New York City and the world. You have to love sports, it brings people together from everywhere. Besides sports here in New York, I am very passionate about soccer. I currently coach five travel soccer teams here on Long Island and my favorite professional team is Arsenal. Besides my love of sports and my work as a soccer coach, I also work as a personal trainer. Working out and helping various people reach their fitness goals year round gives me great pleasure. Back to the “real” world where we all must go in order to make a decent income and provide for our families down the line. I am currently finishing up my undergraduate degree at Long Island University- Post for History and a minor in Political Science.
Thoughts: That’s simple. In a smaller scale than what the IYC does and what happens at the United Nations, I like to help people and contributing to this project during the first week of March falls directly into what I do. Contributing to this project, will help me gain a greater understanding of how the United Nations is worked and what I have to do to one day make it there myself.