During the recent war in Iraq, peace activist Kathy Kelly was shocked and awed by media coverage of the conflict, which she says embedded journalists grossly misrepresented in their reports. Kelly, who was in Baghdad throughout March, provides her own account of life among Iraqi civilians with her talk “Embedded Humanitarian: Eyewitness to the Iraq War.” In 1996, Kelly cofounded Voices in the Wilderness, which delivers medical supplies to Iraqis. The group also takes every opportunity to piss off governing bodies by ignoring economic sanctions and refusing to pay taxes for war; the group has made seventy visits to Iraq, giving special attention to children. Leading the nonviolent war resistance earned Kelly a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2000.

By the time American attacks on Iraq rolled around three years later, Voices in the Wilderness had organized the Iraq Peace Team to live alongside citizens before, during and after bombings and occupation. Kelly has been to Iraq fifteen times since 1996. She presents her take on the situation there at 7 p.m. Thursday. The talk, at All Souls Unitarian Church (4501 Walnut), is free. For more information, call 913-321-2206.– Sarah Smarsh.

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