Karen Sherman is the author of Brick by Brick: Building Hope and Opportunity for Women Survivors Everywhere. This powerful memoir weaves the stories of valiant women who survived the Rwandan genocide with the struggle of their champion, author Karen Sherman, to recover from her own history of abuse. The strength of these women helped Karen find her own way--through conflict zones and confrontations with corrupt officials to a renewed commitment to her family.

For this evening, Sherman is joined in conversation by renowned women's rights activist and scholar Lisa Shannon (founder and CEO of everywoman.org and author of A Thousand Sisters and Mama Koko and the Hundred Gunmen).

Cosponsored by WorldOregon, Never Again Coalition, and Annie Bloom's Books

Karen Sherman has spent her life advocating for women in war-torn and transitional countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Congo, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Kosovo, and the former Soviet Union. Throughout her 30-year career in global development, Sherman has met and interviewed thousands of women. Their remarkable stories of strength, courage, resilience, and resourcefulness fuel what she believes to be true: championing women’s education and economic participation has the power to transform the lives of women and the future of families, communities, societies, and, ultimately, the world.

Currently, Sherman serves as President of the Akilah Institute, Rwanda’s only women’s college, leading its strategy, growth, and partnerships. Prior to joining Akilah, Sherman was a senior executive at Women for Women International, an organization that helps women survivors of war to rebuild their lives.

Sherman holds a Master’s Degree in Russian and East European Studies from The George Washington University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Oregon.