Christine Ann Wilkins

A candle was lit in memory of Christine Wilkins

A candle was lit in memory of Christine Wilkins

A candle was lit in memory of Christine Wilkins

I met Christine briefly in the summer of 2002, and she made a lifeIong impression on me. I'm full of remorse that I've put off reconnecting all this time, only to find out that she's passed. We met in NYC, when I was en route to backpack overseas. Connected by my cousin Lisa, who was a lifelong friend of hers, Christine invited me to crash in her small apartment. I was in college and short on funding at the time; she took me to a Yankee's game that went to 13 innings, we talked for hours, and I'm pretty sure she played hooky the next day to cruise the city with me a bit. She was a decade or so ahead of me in life, seemingly wise beyond her years, open, warm, hilarious. It was one of the great, immediate connections of my life. I've always had a tendency to occupy myself with what's in front of me; it was a busy time for me, and we didn't maintain contact. I thought about her often, and always, wholeheartedly intended to reconnect one day, compare notes on life, pick up right where we left off. When I finally made the time for it, I found her obituary. I'm so sorry for your lossin a much smaller way, it's my loss as well.

I was sad to learn of Christines passing. I worked with her for several years in Afghanistan and found her to be a caring, professional, and committed ally for gender equality and female empowerment. My thoughts are with her family.