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New Kyung Za Yim Interns Announced by Women's Division

Since 1972, United Methodist Women has honored its board presidents by allocating funds for programs of special interest to them. In honor of Kyung Za Yim, Women's Division President 2004-2008, the Women's Division has established the Kyung Za Yim Internship for Immigrant and Civil Rights.

Nicole Bell
 
Nicole Bell.

Nicole Bell and Cindy Johnson have been selected as interns in the yearlong positions. Ms. Bell will hold the internship for Resource Development and Communication and Ms. Johnson will hold the internship as Public Witness Organizer. 

Kyung Za Yim, who made immigrant and civil rights an organizational priority during her tenure, said, “My heart is filled with joyful tears and great thanksgiving. My thanks to United Methodist Women for their never-ending effort and unshakable spirit on Immigration and Civil Rights issues. We are blessed to have such faithful commitment to the work in this area. My congratulations to these two new interns."

Nicole Bell is a 2007 graduate of Nazareth College in Rochester, NY and a member of Asbury First United Methodist Church. A music teacher by profession, she is also passionate about many global human rights issues and feels that it is her calling to work in God's name as an agent of peace and a woman of change. In the past five years, she has participated in many programs offered by General Board of Global Ministries and United Methodist Women for young adults such as the Living Justice Seminar and Global Justice Volunteers. She also served on United Methodist Women’s teen and college consultative group. She is amazed and inspired by the passions of the women who call themselves United Methodist Women. Through this internship, she hopes to advocate for those who might not have or might not realize that they have a voice.

Cindy Johnson 
Cindy Johnson.
Cindy Johnson was born and continues to reside in the U.S. Mexico border city of Brownsville, Texas. Cindy is a teacher who has worked for the Brownsville Independent School District for 25 years. She teaches at an alternative center where many of the students are immigrants. She is a life long member of El Buen Pastor United Methodist Church of the Rio Grande Conference. She is very involved with the United Methodist Women's group, where she has held offices at the local, district and conference levels. She is a United Methodist Deaconess Candidate. She is also board vice president of the Good Neighbor Settlement House in Brownsville. Cindy continues to work on immigration issues protesting the border fence and immigration detention centers.  She has done this by holding protests and vigils throughout the state. Cindy started a non-profit organization called Blessing eXchange which rallies groups to join forces around the area to share resources and passion for Immigration and Civil Rights. Cindy dreams some day that a common sense comprehensive immigration policy passes so all people are treated with grace and justice.

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