Activist Spotlight: Rachel Corrie
Rachel Corrie believed that caring about the world meant taking action. She spent her life speaking up for fairness, peace, and the well-being of others. Even as a student, she was involved in community service, environmental work, and anti-war organizing, proving that age isn’t a barrier to making a difference.
In 2003, twenty-three year old Rachel went to the Gaza Strip with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). There, she stood alongside Palestinian families whose homes were being demolished by Israeli forces, blocking bulldozers with her body by standing between them and the homes they were attempting to raze. On March 13, 2003, she was defending a home in this manner, wearing a bright orange safety vest and announcing her presence with a bullhorn. The bulldozer operator continued forward, knocking Rachel beneath the treads, and then reversed back over her body. Rachel died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Importantly, Rachel’s legacy is not solely about martyrdom — it is about moral courage, empathy, and responsibility. She demonstrated that caring deeply about others, listening to marginalized voices, and acting in solidarity are moral imperatives. Her life and work challenges us to ask difficult questions about our role in the world and how we respond to suffering we did not cause but can no longer ignore.
One of Rachel’s most lasting contributions is her writing. Through emails and journals, she shared honest, compassionate stories of life under occupation, helping the world see the human side of conflict. Her words continue to inspire students, activists, and anyone who cares about justice.
As a human rights community, honoring Rachel Corrie means continuing the work she believed in: defending the dignity of all people, advocating for nonviolent solutions, and amplifying voices that are too often silenced. Her example reminds us that even one person, guided by conscience and compassion, can leave a lasting mark on the struggle for justice.
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Learn more about Rachel and support the Rachel Corrie Foundation For Peace here.
