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Medea Benjamin

Medea Benjamin Cofounder at Global Exchange/CODEPINK San Francisco Bay AreaWriting and Editing

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Peter Burgess

Medea Benjamin Cofounder at Global Exchange/CODEPINK San Francisco Bay AreaWriting and Editing Current global exchange/CODEPINK Education Columbia University 375 connectionsConnectSend InMailMore options www.linkedin.com/pub/medea-benjamin/b/994/545 Contact Info Background

Summary

Medea Benjamin is a cofounder of both CODEPINK and the international human rights organization Global Exchange. She has been a tireless advocate for social justice for more than 20 years. Described as 'one of America’s most committed -- and most effective -- fighters for human rights' by New York Newsday, and called 'one of the high profile leaders of the peace movement' by the Los Angeles Times, Medea has distinguished herself as an eloquent and energetic figure in the progressive movement. In June of 2005, she was one of 1,000 exemplary women from 140 countries nominated to receive the Nobel Peace Prize collectively, on behalf of the millions of anonymous women who do the essential work of peace worldwide.

Since the September 11, 2001 tragedy, Medea has been working to promote a U.S. foreign policy that would respect human rights and gain us allies instead of contributing to violence and undermining our international reputation. In 2000, she was a Green Party candidate for the California Senate. During the 1990s, Medea focused her efforts on tackling the problem of unfair trade as promoted by the World Trade Organization. Widely credited as the woman who brought Nike to its knees and helped place the issue of sweatshops on the national agenda, Medea was a key player in the campaign that won a $20 million settlement from 27 US clothing retailers for the use of sweatshop labor in Saipan. She also pushed Starbucks and other companies to start carrying fair trade coffee.

A former economist and nutritionist with the United Nations and World Health Organization, Benjamin is the author/editor of eight books, and currently lives in Washington, D.C.

Experience

Education

Honors & Awards

ML King Award Fellowship of Recognition 2010 1,000 Women For Nobel Peace Prize Following Nonprofit Management 134,902 followers Follow Global Exchange Nonprofit Organization Management