From Edna Aquino, Philippines

Dearest Charlotte:

Very sad to receive the news about Rhonda - a very generous mentor and sister. I will always cherish the memory of meeting her again last June at Rutgers and for having hugged each other for the last time. She is a great loss to the movement and many thanks to you and our friends who are nearby for keeping the flame alive on her behalf.

Love and warm hugs to her loved ones and to all of you who have been steadfastly looking after her during her final moments.

Edna

From Marta Benavides, El Salvador

My dear Anita and Charlotte

Today I give thanks for Rhonda, a great sister, a great friend. Rhonda, with her great smile, was a friend of each person in humanity, no matter if one did not know her. she cared for a world of justice, equality and peace, and she worked for it, all of the time, in creative and loving ways, even as she suffered a terrible devastating illness, she wanted to be well, so she could continue to give more and better. We have a poet in Central America, Otto Rene Castillo, murdered when he was a University student in the 60's, for caring and loving humanity too. He said, that it is great to see the world with the eyes of those who have not been born yet. Rhonda did that, and helps us see in that way too. Abrazos. let us celebrate her life, for she was a celebration herself.

Love

marta benavides -- XXIII century Movement -- El Salvador

From Linda Backiel

Rhonda was a shiny comet, a bright star, a glowing rose. She had the world's most attractive laugh crinkles & generous laugh. Her spirit was vast, open to adventure, apparently fearless. Her passion for justice made her generous, not stingy, courageous, not cringing. She made us all richer. May she fly free. We are poorer, smaller, sadder without her, but she made generations of new free women possible. Let us open our arms to them, and so, embrace her again.

linda backiel

From Jocelyn Dow, Guyana

Dearest Anita

How good it is to hear from you even though with such sad news. I am so sorry to learn of Rhonda's death and from your email I assume long illness. I can recall those days when we all worked so determinedly to ensure that women's realities were central to the discourse. She was always a generous intellect.Please convey to Charlotte, Roxanna and the others my fondest thoughts.

Lots of love