Practicing pacifism: How Quakerism speaks to the practice of life; Anna and Tom Sandidge

Tom and Anna will share their personal stories of living with peaceful intention as Friends and the journey that brought them to that way of life.

Anna Sandidge, a Quaker or Friend, currently works for The Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma, coordinating their gang-prevention program for refugee and immigrant youth. She worked a brief stint in corporate America as a human rights compliance specialist monitoring workers’ rights in China. As director and consultant for Friends Peace Teams, Anna worked with communities emerging from violent conflict. She worked in Burundi, Africa with local trauma healing groups that promote reconciliation between survivors and perpetrators of the war and genocide. She has worked as a consultant for the Global Leadership Institute’s courses at the United Nations on multi-cultural issues in reconciliation and has co-facilitated workshops on listening, dialogue and healing. Anna began her full-time peace work as the staff for the St. Louis Instead of War coalition and continues to actively participate in planning peace events in St. Louis. Anna received her Psychological Anthropology degree in 2001 and her Masters in Community Social Work in 2004. Anna also teaches Sivananda yoga at a local community center.

Tom Sandidge is a Senior Database Administrator for Sisters of Mercy Health Care System. He co-facilitates Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) workshops at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center near Pacific, Missouri. He enlisted in 1976 as a Private and left military service in 2003 as a Major. He has served in the active Army and the Reserves and commanded twice with experience in the Engineer Corp, the Ordnance Corp, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Special Weapons, Protective Services, Interdiction of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Theater Ammunition Management, and the Chemical Corp. He also visited Burundi to facilitate AVP workshops as part of the reconciliation process. He has attended Quaker Meeting since 1997 and along with Anna has organized a Midwest Quaker Conference for the past 8 years.