Erica Gaston
Erica was born and raised in New Orleans. She was always interested in international issues and studies, and after 9/11 she grew particularly interested in issues of security and justice. After graduating with a degree in international relations, Erica wanted to experience the challenges of living in a developing country and took a fellowship position in Egypt. She has since lived in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Ethiopia, among other countries, working on civilian protection, education, and victims' rights for organizations such as USIP and the Open Society Initiative.
“As a human rights researcher, I have conducted many interviews with conflict survivors and victims of conflict trauma in many different contexts. The people I interviewed in Yemen seemed less emotive about or less touched by the conflict that has happened around them. They have taken it as part of the life that was given to them to live. Others I’ve interviewed in other countries have shown greater fear, greater anxiety, and greater trauma. Perhaps it is because conflict in Yemen is so persistent, yet low level, that it has been normalized. Or perhaps Yemenis are simply more philosophical about it.”