The Next Generation
Philip “Phil” Berrigan and Elizabeth “Liz” McAlister’s three children, Frida, Jerry, and Kate were born and raised in the Jonah House nonviolent resistance community.
In addition to attending protests as children, they have continued to support and engage with peace activism as adults. Over the years, the Frida, Jerry, and Kate Berrigan have also visited and spoken at DePaul University.
Frida Berrigan
Frida came into her own as an activist while in high school during the Persian Gulf War. She worked with some secular organizations and helped found Witness Against Torture in 2005.
Witness Against Torture seeks the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention center. She is now a mother of three and a writer in addition to her work with nonprofits.
Jerry Mechtenberg-Berrigan
During the 1990s, Jerry studied at Kalamazoo College where he met his wife Molly Mechtenberg, Mike DeWaele, and Jen Kipka. The four founded Peace House in Eastside Kalamazoo in 2006.
Inspired by the Catholic Worker Movement and Jonah House, Peace House promotes peace, justice, and intentional community for local children and family through programming, homework help, and play space. Jerry is now a father of three.
Kate Berrigan
Kate has also followed in her parents’ footsteps. As a student at Oberlin College, she self-designed her major in Community and Critical Resistance Studies. During the early 2000s, Kate participated in acts of civil disobedience.
For instance, she protested the manufacture of military helicopters at the Sikorsky Aircraft Conference and protested the war in Iraq in Washington, D.C. As an adult, Kate has worked with disabled people and supported the abolition of prisons.