I’m so very sad to hear of the deaths this week of Gladys Kamonya and David Zarembka. I know Gladys only through her outsized reputation but David I knew starting in the 1990s as part of the U.S. war tax resistance movement. He was always a steady presence there, acting as the national group’s treasurer and adult-in-the-room for younger activists like me.
In recent years I’ve known him as a steady Friends Journal contributor, writing features and many (many!) Forum letters — he was always quick to email to tell us when an article unconsciously assumed a U.S. perspective! He was a selfless networker, always trying to build bridges between different branches of Friends. Friends Journal’s October 2019 issue on “Friends in Africa” was groundbreaking for us. Historically, U.S. unprogrammed Friends have tended to dismiss African Friends for reasons of theology, history — and surely race. It felt healing to invite those voices into the magazine; some of those relationships have continued in subsequent issues. But that 2019 issue would not have been as far-ranging had it not been for David’s work sharing the call for submissions and encouraging and advising authors.
As I edit articles nowadays, I sometimes hear a voice ask “what kind of email will David Zarembka write me if I don’t contextualize this author’s statement?” It’s kind of hard to believe I won’t be seeing him pop up in my inbox again. I’m sure there are so many more David and Gladys stories to be shared. I only knew one small corner of their ministries but I can honestly attest that I am a better person for it. Rest in peace and God bless, Gladys and David.
Links:
- Here was David’s very beautiful article on life at Lumakanda Friends Church in Kenya.
- His Friends Journal bylines go on for pages.
- He was passionate about peacemaking and about letting U.S. Friends know just how much amazing work was happening in East Africa.
- He was still involved with the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee, which recorded a talk he gave in 2014.
- Here is the kind of Forum letter David excelled in:
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