Interview with 133 Member Andrea Wohler

When did you join AI, and why?

I joined group 133 in February 1998, after having been an ai member in Germany for about 10 years. I had been looking for a group to join in the Boston area for quite a while, to be able to continue working for AI, and was very glad when I finally found out that group 133 was accepting new members.

What was your first meeting like?

My first meeting was very impressive, there seemed to be so many people from different fields and areas, all very enthusiastic and extremely active. We had dinner at a Tibetan restaurant after the meeting, and I got the chance to talk to quite a lot of the members, that was very helpful.

Can you tell us about some of your roles in Amnesty?

I'm one of the coordinators of the refugee action team. When I joined group 133 that action team was just in the process of being founded, and I was very excited to join in the process, because I had done a lot of work with asylum seekers in Munich and really wanted to continue working on behalf of asylum seekers and refugees. Right now my main focus is organizing and coordinating a visitation program for INS  detainees in Hillsborough county jail, together with RIM (Refugee Immigration Ministry).

What was you best/most successful AI experience?

My best experience in this country was the USA campaign art project on behalf of asylum seekers in detention, which culminated in an exhibition on the Boston Common last weekend. I think AI reached a lot of people through that project and made them aware of the haunting situation asylum seekers find themselves in.

Your worst?

My worst experience was in Germany, working with a young asylum seeker from Kosovo who had been severely tortured, accompanying him to court and witnessing him being rejected, denied asylum.

Who are your role models?

Hermann Gmeiner, Jose M. de Vasconcelos, Arian, Saba, Adem, and all the other asylees and asylum seekers who maintain their dignity and courage despite most challenging hardships.