The Bezos Family Foundation invites you to celebrate the release of
It Happened on the Way to War
by Rye Barcott
In 2000, a 20-year-old college student heading to the Marines sought to understand the ethnic violence that had convulsed Africa and might one day confront him in uniform. While in Kibera, one of the world’s largest slums, Rye Barcott stumbled into friendship with a widowed nurse, Tabitha Atieno Festo, and a tough community organizer, Salim Mohamed. Together they built Carolina for Kibera (CFK) and became a pioneer in a movement called participatory development. Engaged in two seemingly contradictory forms of service at the same time, Barcott continued his leadership in CFK while serving as a human intelligence officer in Bosnia, the Horn of Africa, and Iraq. Struggling with the stress of leading Marines in dangerous places, he took lessons from CFK’s approach to community development and became a more effective counter-insurgent and peacekeeper. The book not only explores the inextricable link between security and development, it also offers an inspirational tale of commitment, love, and friendship. For more information on Rye, Carolina for Kibera or It Happened on the Way to War please visit http://ithappenedonthewaytowar.com.
Date: Thursday, March 24, 2011
Time: 6:00 – 8:00pm
Hors d ‘Oeuvres and beverages will be served
Special Guest: Rye Barcott
Opportunity to hear Rye’s story firsthand, followed by a book signing
Location: Mercer Room
Community Center at Mercer View
8236 SE 24th Street
Mercer Island, WA 98040
206.275.7609
RSVP: Katie Donnelly
Katie@bezosfamilyfoundation.org
Directions:
I-90 Eastbound from Seattle: take exit #7A, 77th Ave SE. Turn left across the freeway. At stop sign turn right onto North Mercer Way. Go one long block to the stop light. Go straight though the stop light. Turn left onto 81st Avenue SE. Turn right onto SE 24th Street. The Community Center is two blocks up on your left.
I-90 Westbound from Bellevue: take exit #7, Island Crest Way. Continue straight ahead. Turn right on 81st Avenue SE. Turn right on SE 24th Street. The Community Center is two blocks up on your left.
“Rye Barcott’s engaging and candid memoir on the catalytic power of participatory development shows us that, whether we are in the slums of the world’s biggest cities, in rural Haiti, or on college campuses, we can learn from Tabitha, Salim, and Rye-a nurse, a community organizer, and a young Marine living in urban poverty-about how to fight extreme privation and bring about lasting change.”
-Dr. Paul Farmer, professor, Harvard Medical School, and co-founder of Partners In Health
