judith jenya's Biography

I was born in Ukiah, Ca and grew up in small towns in southern California in the 1940's and 50's, the younger pink diaper daughter of immigrant, left wing, social justice oriented parents. After attending Reed College and graduating with a BA from UC Berkeley, I attended the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts and Harvard University where I received an MAT in teaching fine arts. After being an art teacher in the Bay area, I taught Chichano freshman English at UC Berkeley and then received an MSW at Berkeley en route to becoming an art therapist. With my husband and two children I moved to Oahu, Hawaii and lived for 20 years practising as a therapist, art therapist and painting.I attended the Univ of Hawaii Law School and practised as an attorney for 12 years. In 1990 I helped lead a youth camp in Russia for children from Chernobyl and then was one of the first people to open Russia for international adoptions, placing 20 children in US homes. In 1991 I founded Global Children's Organization and after working in Russian and Albania focused my attention on children in the wars in Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosova. The program expanded to N. Ireland, and then with children involved with gang violence in Los Angeles. I have been awarded the International Humanist Award in Europe in 2002, the Temple Award for Creative Altruism, the UC Berkeley Service Alumna of the Year award and others. I now live in San Miguel Allende Mexico, where I am writing a mmemoir, painting and doing photography. My adult children and grandchild live in the Bay area.