Judy is a stoic and stern women. She was raised by two radical left parents who were concerned with rectifying the problems that existed in the world. Their political views were ingrained in Judy at a very young age. At seven years old, she was selling a left-wing newspaper and attending left-wing meetings. Her parents sent her to a summer camp known as Wo-Chi-Ca which stands for Workers Children’s Camp. This camp was where all radical people sent their children. This camp allowed Judy to make friends such as Sandy and to continue rooting herself in her parents political views without any disputes from friends. In high school, Judy continued to protect her radical political views by spending time with less opinionated, talkative individuals.
Judy political views have not changed. She fights for the things that she believes in and often breaks out into politically charged conversations with strangers in the street. She fights with her grandsons about their lack of protest and our generation’s inability to mobilize and create centralized movements that lead to change.
When interviewing Judy, she showed very little emotion. She expressed personal experiences from a distance. When asked about very important people in her life she described them as though she barely knew them. She described her husband by saying “Oh, he was such a nice guy. People really liked him.” She had a hard time pulling up specific memories about the people that are closest to her. Her inability to remember specific memories did not come from struggles with remembering, but rather from an emotional disconnect. Judy admits to struggling with getting emotional or being sensitive. She explained that the result of being a child of radical left parents was an early loss of childhood and innocence. Judy knew how unfair the world was from very early on. This level of consciousness is desensitizing. If you are very emotional, it is difficult to be effective. Individuals who are emotionally attached to the fight are more likely to get anxiety, to get overwhelmed, and to lose hope. Her personality is a protection of her commitment to change.
JUDY HODGES 