莱镇人文之四: Catherine Rielly Political Economist

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凯瑟琳·莱利博士(Catherine Rielly)出身于书香门第，成长于精英学院，但却与非洲、马里结下了不解之缘。

马里，这个西非的内陆国名字源自非洲历史上赫赫有名的马里帝国。九十年代初期民主化进程中的马里生机勃勃，各族裔和谐相处。然而2012年一次意外的军事政变之后马里成了一个没有存在感和最不发达的国家之一，资源匮乏、生产力极度落后。凯瑟琳整个的职业生涯都与这片土地息息关联，她热爱着这个具有悠久历史的国度以及它因慷慨热情闻名世界的人民。

凯瑟琳与非洲结缘在斯坦福(Standford)读研期间，她选择非洲研究以及性别研究作为课题。在哈佛JFK读博期间，到东非肯尼亚埃格顿大学教授农业政策。任职剑桥ABT商业管理咨询公司时，凯瑟琳先后被派驻赞比亚、乌干达、巴勒斯坦以及马里，帮助当地政府建立新的更有效率的民主政治。从公共政策到民主化治理，从经济学到妇女权能，凯瑟琳尽心尽力为求知若渴的非洲政府提供技术援助以及培训。当地的人们视她为专家，一位坚强独立自主的女性，尊敬地称她为Dr. Rielly(莱利博士)，而不是某某夫人。

凯瑟琳离开政坛以及学术界之后，全力投入非盈利组织Rubia，致力于帮助非洲弱势群体、尤其是女性脱离贫困。她帮助马里社会底层的女性们创造经济机会，提高妇女经济自主权。Catherine在马里当地挖掘了濒于失传的传统泥布工艺（Bogolanfinj)的商业价值，致力于保护这一种用发酵泥土染色纯手工工艺的古老文化遗产，将这种布制成时尚服装、装饰品，向全世界介绍这个文化遗产，并出口到美国以及欧洲其他国家。

凯瑟琳穿着的充满“非洲风”的白底套裙上，图案的主题符号代表着：勇敢与无所畏惧。这也是凯瑟琳一生的信念。

 

Catherine Rielly

Catherine Rielly出生剑桥，她的父亲John Reilly是著名的政治学专家，在肯尼迪（Kennedy)执政期间供职国务院，后担任约翰逊政府副总统汉弗莱先生的外交政策助理。Catherine 由Smith College转学到Standford 完成研究生学位后，在肯尼迪政府学院(Havard JFK)获得公众管理硕士和政治经济与施政博士学位。她先后在东非肯尼亚，中非赞比亚，马里工作，为非洲政府提供技术援助以及培训。目前担任非盈利组织Rubia总裁和执行董事，致力帮助马里人民脱贫和挽救马里泥布（Bogolanfinj)传统工艺这一古老的文化遗产。

 

我热爱非洲这片土地的美丽，也爱这片土地上生活的人民以及文化。这里的人为人慷慨，以家庭为导向并有着良好的价值观。我来非洲不仅仅是利他主义和减轻贫困。

 

Catherine Rielly的故事

与凯瑟琳相熟是因为年初的疫情。新冠爆发令医疗资源丰富的美国也出现了防护用具短缺。此时她先生吉姆所在的塔夫茨医学中心（Tufts)收治了数百新冠病人，凯瑟琳深知新冠的可怕，仍然亲自奔走为医院、诊所募集防护用品。我那时也在帮海外儿童基金会（OSCCF）从中国购买合格的防护用品捐赠各地医院，就这样我们通过共同的朋友津玲熟悉了起来。

凯瑟琳一直全力投入非盈利的组织Rubia，致力于帮助弱势群体、尤其是非洲女性脱离贫困。对凯瑟琳越加了解，就越有一种动力将她以及她的理念传达出来：不同族裔之间的相处之道是互相理解以及互相尊重。与凯瑟琳漫步畅谈时，她穿着马里泥布制成的套裙，背着泥布制成的包，系着泥布制成的围巾，戴着泥布制成的口罩，手中的挎篮色彩斑斓。明丽的秋阳下，凯瑟琳笑得欢快，彷佛初出校门的少女。

然而，我却从她的眼眸中读出了一分忧虑以及更多的慈悲。她穿着的白底套裙上，有一个我刚刚学会的主题符号：勇敢与无所畏惧。

与好朋友Elizabeth和津玲一起 摄影: 鱼儿

书香门第

凯瑟琳出生于书香门第，政治学专家的父亲引领她了解美国以外的世界，并得以有机会接触到来自世界各地的领导人: 比如当时的西德总理的维利.勃兰特（Willy Brandt）。凯瑟琳从这位备受尊重，被誉为欧洲曼德拉的长者身上学到了人道主义精神。

谈笑有鸿儒，往来无白丁，是凯瑟琳少年生活最好的写照。她经常参加芝加哥对外关系委员会举办的晚餐宴会，听政治家、记者和国际关系专家的讲座，与来自世界各地的外交官的互动让她意识到国际政治的跨文化本质，使她深深地尊重不同的文化。

大学二年级，志存高远的凯瑟琳从斯密斯学院（Smith College）转学斯坦福（Stanford）并以历史最高荣誉从历史系毕业。之后继续在国际研究院（Standford Research Institute International）深造，学习商业智能（Professional Business Intelligence )。1984年凯瑟琳进入哈佛肯尼迪政府学院（Harvard JFK) 攻读, 获得了公众管理硕士和政治经济与施政博士学位。

雏凤新啼

无论是人生哪一个阶段，凯瑟琳完全可以走上轻松获得成功的康庄大道。但她却选择了一条艰难的道路：将贫瘠多难的非洲作为研究课题和追求目标！

非洲给人的印象是连年干旱、哀嚎遍野、疟疾肆虐、艾滋横行，关注新闻的人们一定记得那幅名叫《饥饿的苏丹》（The vulture and the little girl，1993）的摄影作品，濒临死亡的小女孩在荒芜的土地上无力地蠕动，一只秃鹰就蹲在身后等待着她倒下。因此，当凯瑟琳选择非洲作为目标时， 身边所有人都感到不解，但她很坚持。因为在她认知里，非洲有着令人热爱的另一面。

在斯坦福求学时，凯瑟琳和她的闺蜜米雪儿（Michelle)住的宿舍有个可爱的斯瓦西里语的名字“Ujamaa“，意思是”我们是一家人”。她们是住在这个黑人主题宿舍里少数的白人，凯瑟琳喜欢那些热情洋溢的黑人舍友，迷醉于那些节奏感韵律感极强的音乐与舞蹈还有她们口中那片充满魅力的广袤大地。

1984年，凯瑟琳作为富布赖特奖学金获得者（Fulbright Scholarship）开始了第一次非洲之行，为她的硕士论文进行实地调研。凯瑟琳的男友吉姆（Jim）与她同行，进行传染病以及艾滋病方面的研究。许多年以前，凯瑟琳父母也正是做为富布莱特学者在前往牛津大学学习政治学的途中相遇。

1984年Catherine第一次非洲之行, 在塞内加尔品尝国菜吃着图布丁。

83-85年的非洲正经历二十世纪以来史上最大的一次干旱与饥荒。昔日波澜壮阔的塞内加尔河、冈比亚河已经干枯，大西洋的海水倒灌，将曾经的良田冲成贫瘠的盐碱滩。入目之处，满目苍夷。

凯瑟琳来到了喀麦隆进行实地调研，大约半年左右在一次丛林旅行时，凯瑟琳病了，发烧不止，吉姆怀疑是疟疾，然而血液化验结果为阴性。直到走出丛林，回到志愿者居留的城市，确诊的结果是疟疾。万幸，他们带着足够的药物。

但凯瑟琳无所畏惧，她穿着非洲长裤以及乐步鞋（Rockport），乘着丛林出租车穿梭雨林在村庄之间往来。有时候和其他志愿者一起，更多的时候独行。有时候宿于贫穷的民居，更多的时候与吉姆寄宿在修道院里。凯瑟琳几乎和所有的村人谈话，喀麦隆的官方语言是英法双语，但很多村人并不会说。所以凯瑟琳依然需要翻译。当地人并不是很理解凯瑟琳，但他们喜爱并敬佩这个真诚而强大的女孩。凯瑟琳与村人一起参与庆典以及晚会，村人还送给凯瑟琳一套当地的传统服装和头饰，她非常喜欢那条色彩斑斓的裙子。

在卢旺达基加利孤儿院，与父母因种族灭绝或艾滋病死亡的孤儿们在一起。

凯瑟琳在调研中发现，非洲的农业有非常明确的性别分工和性别歧视，男性在种植园种植可可咖啡等，女性种植家庭主食和蔬菜，往往还需要帮助家里的男性做劳务。男性有了余钱就去买酒寻乐，女性则要将钱存储起来用于家用，养育孩子和孩子的学费。因此，她认为帮助非洲女性脱贫是解决非洲社会问题的一个关键和重要的方法。

凯瑟琳将她的非洲研究写出翔实论据充分的硕士论文。

1988年Catherine代表哈佛在肯尼亚埃格顿大学教书，与来自苏丹的学生合影。

凯瑟琳在喀麦隆呆了一年。回到美国之后，她被诊断得了丝虫病。凯瑟琳没有后悔，也没有退缩。博士期间，她去了位于东非的肯尼亚，花了三个暑假进行农业政策教学。

在东非，凯瑟琳遇到的挑战来自职场。她的同事们都是职业中期的专业人士。并且，这是一个无论从数量上还是地位上男性都占统治地位的群体。一个初出校门的28岁职业菜鸟，女性，可想而知，凯瑟琳的压力会有多大。凯瑟琳害怕失败，然而对失败的恐惧也成了她的动力，凭着比他人更多的努力, 凯瑟琳在政治经济学领域也交出了一份出色的答卷。

1993年获得哈佛政治经济学与施政博士学位，彼时Catherine的长子刚出生两个月。她赶在分娩之前提前完成博士论文答辩。

叱咤风云

早在博士学业期间，凯瑟琳已经在剑桥ABT商业管理咨询公司开始工作。得益于公司提供的幼儿园福利和互联网的发展, 凯瑟琳不再像前辈们一样为了孩子而放弃工作,  并可以在家做研究。工作对凯瑟琳来说非常重要，不仅仅是因为咨询工作丰厚的回报和令她自立，更重要的是社会身份与认可。

孩子十一个月的时候，凯瑟琳被公司派去中非赞比亚，帮助当地政府建立新的民主政治。她的工作得到了赞比亚总统的认可与欣赏。总统先生甚至要求将凯瑟琳座位与自己的放在一起。

之后凯瑟琳被公司派去西非马里， 帮助马里的内阁官房建设行政办公室。九十年代中期的马里不富裕，教育也不发达，但马里人乐善好施，热情淳朴，对落难的外地人他们选择慷慨解囊相助。

凯瑟琳在马里达到了职业高峰。她先后十一次飞往马里，与国家首脑们会面，并在首都巴马科组织了非洲领导人的高峰和会。这里有她喜爱并且尊重的人民和文化，这里的人民也回报她以喜爱和尊重。凯瑟琳在马里尽展所学。从公共政策到民主化治理，从经济学到妇女权能，她尽心尽力为求知若渴的非洲政府提供技术援助以及培训。在这里，她是专家，是独立自主的女性，人们称她为 Dr. Rielly，而不是某某夫人。

友谊的纽带一直在延续，凯瑟琳至今仍是马里大使的特殊文化顾问。

1994年Catherine与马里总统阿尔法·乌玛·科纳雷在总统府合影。

不忘初心

在第二个孩子出生后， 凯瑟琳离开了政坛。她选择回到学术界，在南新罕布什尔大学的社区经济发展学院担任终身教授及国际学术计划主任，专研国际社区经济发展。

但她始终没有忘记那片迷人却又灾难深重的土地以及带给她许多快乐的非洲人民。

2009年，凯瑟琳与几位志同道合的朋友一起成立了非盈利组织鲁比娅（Rubia）。Rubia的使命是创造经济机会，通过在阿富汗，马里，美国和世界其他边缘社区开展合作商业培训，教育和出售其传统手工艺品，赋予妇女经济自主权以及随之而来的家庭地位以及其他社会权力。

2013年，凯瑟琳成为Rubia的执行董事兼总裁。而这时的非洲马里，传统手工业者因为自然灾害和战火而陷入绝境。她决定要帮助他们。

凯瑟琳在马里工作的时候，得知当地有一种用发酵泥土染色的工艺，称为泥布（Bogolanfinj)。泥布不仅仅是一种纺织品，是马里的历史以及文化，更是一种文化传承。那些用泥画出来的符号，是马里妇女们的语言，她们用这种方式记载部落叙事，并在母女之间代代相传。每一块泥布背后都有一个特定的故事。男性出门狩猎的时候，会穿上泥布制成的猎装，代表着母亲的守护。女性分娩的时候围着泥布制成的裙子，代表着护佑她们的神秘力量。

由于各种原因，泥布的制作方法已经濒于失传。凯瑟琳决定尽Rubia最大的能力挽救这一古老的文化遗产。

Catherine在泥布义卖慈善活动

在凯瑟琳的建议下，Rubia与位于塞古（Ségou）的青年艺术家工坊多磨（Ndomo）工作坊和联合国教科文组织文化遗产城市杰内（Djenné）的坦蒂·波哥拉妇女协会（Tanti Bogolan Womens Association）合作，将这种布制成时尚服装以及装饰品出口到美国以及欧洲其他国家。如今Rubia已经成为马里青年艺术家与妇女组织的信任与希望。

凯瑟琳肩负使命，致力推广泥布这一古老的文化遗产，不仅仅在莱镇图书馆（Cary Library）举办了泥布展，详尽介绍泥布的文化特征，也举办一场场的义卖慈善活动帮助马里的人民。特别在今年的疫情下，泥布的运输与销售都产生了巨大的困难， 连坦蒂妇女协会也难以为她们的孩子购买生活必须的食物与药品。Rubia从与莱镇华协及各社区组织合作抗疫中受到启发，将库存的泥布制成别致的新冠口罩用于抗疫，并开放自己私宅的后园，和Rubia的义工们举办义卖。在生活中凯瑟琳常常穿戴泥布制成的服装饰品。每一次，凯瑟琳都在强调：我爱非洲这片土地的美丽，也爱这片土地上生活的人民以及文化。这里的人为人慷慨，以家庭为导向并有着良好的价值观。

不同的文化在互相欣赏中水乳交融。前路艰难，唯勇者不惧。

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Bogolan

符号

泥布

Symbol

Catherine Rielly's Story- English 

Foreword

Dr. Catherine Rielly who was born into a scholarly family and educated in elite institutions, has a deep bond to Africa and, in particular, the Republic of Mali.

Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa, derives its name from the famous Mali Empire in the fourteenth century where the richest man of all time, gold trader Mansa Moussa lived. Throughout its history, Mali was a vibrant home to many ethnic groups, all living in harmony. The 1990s when free elections ushered in a democratic era harked back to its history of peaceful coexistence. However, after an unexpected military coup in 2012, Mali’s economy collapsed, becoming one of the most resource-poor, food-insecure countries in the world. Catherine's career is closely related to this land, with its long history and people, who are remarkable for their generosity and culture.

Catherine‘s connection to Africa began in graduate school, when she chose African and Gender specific Studies as her thesis topic at Harvard. She went on to pursue a PhD in Political Economy and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School; in the summer months, she taught agricultural policy at Egerton University in Kenya. When she was finishing her doctoral thesis, Catherine joined a Cambridge-based consulting firm that sent her to Zambia, Uganda, Palestine and Mali where she helped the Governments to establish new democratic and effective policies.  Catherine’s career reached its peak when she moved to Mali. From policy analysis to democratic governance, from economics to women's empowerment, Catherine brought a vast range of expertise to Mali‘s government.  The locals came to view this strong and independent woman with respect, calling her Dr. Rielly rather than Mrs. So-and-So. This set of experiences across Africa left a deep and lasting impression on Catherine.  

After leaving politics and academia, Catherine devoted herself to the foundation of Rubia, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged groups in Afghanistan and Africa, particularly women. She helps women at the bottom of society empower themselves financial independence.  Through her work in Mali, Catherine promotes income generation through the sale of Bogolanfini. This mud cloth made using traditional techniques is on the verge of being lost as the threat of terrorism has scared tourists away from visiting Mali. Rubia is now committed to protecting this ancient textile heritage in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage city of Djenne, sister city of Timbuktu.

When I sat down with Catherine for the first time, she was wearing a white cotton dress adorned with geometric patterns. In Catherine’s words, the symbols on the fabric represent in the language of bogolan bravery and fearlessness, two values central to her own life.  

 

Catherine Rielly

Catherine Rielly was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her father, Dr. John Rielly, was a well-known political scientist. He served in the State Department during the Kennedy administration and later as foreign policy adviser to Vice President Hubert Humphrey during Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency. After one year at Smith College, Catherine transferred to Stanford, where she completed her bachelor’s degree in history.. She then received a PhD in Political Economy and Governance from Harvard‘s Kennedy School.  She has advised the Governments of a number of African countries, ranging from Kenya to Zambia, to Mali.  She now serves as the President and Executive Director of Rubia, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing poverty in Mali while preserving the ancient Malian cultural heritage mud cloth craftsmanship, Bogolanfini.

 

I love the beauty of the land, the people and the culture. The people are generous, family-oriented and have good values.  It is not just about altruism and poverty.

 

The Beginning of a Friendship

I met Catherine at the beginning of the year when COVID-19 had just begun to cause a shortage of personal protective equipment in the United States.  Catherine’s husband, Jim, is an infectious diseases doctor at Tufts Medical Center ,which was caring for COVID-19 patients. In response to the horror COVID-19 was wreaking on our community, Catherine devoted herself to collecting PPE for local hospitals and clinics.  At the same time, I was helping the Overseas Save the Chinese Children’s Foundation (OSCCF) collect PPE from China to donate to hospitals in the US. Through our efforts to help our community’s frontline workers, we were connected by a mutual friend Jinling.

I quickly learned that helping others has always been a central tenet of Catherine’s life. Her main focus over the past dozen years has been Rubia, a non-profit organization dedicated to help disadvantaged women and youth in Africa and Afghanistan. The more I got to know Catherine, the more I wanted to channel her life philosophy: the way to get along with each other is to understand and respect each other.  One day, as I walked with Catherine, she wore a beautiful dress, scarf, and face mask with a colorful bag slung over her arm, all made of Malian mud cloth. Under the bright autumn sun, Catherine smiled happily, like a girl who had just left school. 

However, I saw a bit of worry mixed in with the compassion in her eyes.  On the white dress she wore, there was a symbol I just learned the meaning of: bravery and fearlessness.

Friendship with Elizabeth and Jinling　　　　Photo：Jessie

A Family of Scholars

When Catherine was born in Cambridge, her father was pursuing his PhD in political science at Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the same school where she would earn a PhD over 30 years later.

Catherine learned a lot about the world beyond the United States from her family and her father’s exposure to global leaders. Growing up, she often attended dinner lectures organized by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, where she heard lectures by politicians, journalists, and international relations experts. She met Willy Brandt, then Chancellor of West Germany, learning humanitarian principles from the "European Nelson Mandela".

Catherine‘s interactions with diplomats from all over the world also taught her about the cross-cultural nature of international politics, instilling in her a deep respect for different cultures. The saying “In talk and laughter there are scholars with profound knowledge, and among those coming and going there are none that are ignorant“ is a fitting description of Catherine's teenage life.

In her second year of college, Catherine transferred from Smith College to Stanford, where she graduated with highest honors in History.  Afterwards, she worked in the Business Intelligence Program of the Stanford International Research Institute just down the road from her alma mater. In 1984, Catherine entered the Harvard Kennedy School, where she received her Masters in Public Administration and PhD in Political Economy and Government.

The Young Phoenix

Regardless of age, there are some things that many women want to pursue all their lives: fragrant clothes, gorgeous hairstyles, glitter and glamour, fame and fortune.

For Catherine, none of these mattered. What mattered to her – in her studies and throughout the rest of her life – was Africa. 

Those around Catherine were puzzled by her choice to devote her life to this far away place. Many who followed the news in the 1990s may remember a photograph titled "The Vulture and Little Girl (1993)”: a small child doubled over feebly in a deserted land, a hungry vulture hovering behind, waiting for her death.  Drought, famine, malaria, and AIDS – that is what many people think when they think of Africa.

However, Catherine thought differently. She knew there was another side of Africa that the world needed to see.

While studying at Stanford, Catherine and her best friend Michelle lived in a  dormitory named Ujamaa, which means "we are a family" in Kiswahili.  They were Among the few whites in this predominantly Black „theme house.“  Catherine had the opportunity to learn from listening to her student neighbors’ different life stories. And in the hall outside her room, they gave her a first-rate education in dance, teaching her cool moves to rhythmic music day and night.

In 1984, Catherine, as a Fulbright Scholar, embarked on her first trip to Africa to conduct field research for her master's thesis.  Her then-boyfriend, Jim, who, had just finished medical school  and was training in infectious diseases traveled with her, and AID.  Many years ago, Catherine’s own parents met on the goat over to England as Fulbright Scholars bound for Oxford and the London School of Economics.

Eating the national dish which is called touboudienne in Senegal, 1984.

From 1983 to 1985, Africa experienced the largest drought and famine of the 20th century.  The once-magnificent Senegal and Gambia rivers dried up and the Atlantic waters retreated, turning formerly fertile fields into barren alkali salt flats.  Wherever one looked, there was devastation. 

Catherine’s field research brought her to Cameroon. Thankfully, Jim was able to take a year off from medical training and join her. Once, during her interviews with villagers  in the rainforest, Catherine fell ill with a fever. Jim suspected malaria. The microscope at the field clinic was so old that the malaria cells did not show up on the slide; but when the American Embassy doctor looked at it using state of the art technology, malaria was the diagnosis.. Fortunately, Jim had packed enough medicine and Catherine recovered.

In the face of such perils, Catherine was fearless. 

Wearing colorful African pants and sturdyRockport shoes, she rode jungle taxis through the rainforest between villages. The Cameroonians sitting alongside her were always kind, often curious about what a young American woman was doing traveling alone alone. One of her cherished memoreis was waking up at sunrise to the sounds of nuns singing in a conventwhere Jim volunteered a the tiny clinic. Catherine talked with as many villagers as she could. Although Cameroon is officially bilingual, most locals spoke neither English nor French, the two official lanuages. Catherine could only communicate with them through a translator from French to the local language. Even though the villagers heycould not understand her very well, they admired this sincere and strong woman.  They invited Catherine to their feasts and even presented her with a brightly colored traditional outfit and headdress which Catherine cherished.

At orphanage In Kigali Rwanda with children whose parents died in genocide or of HIV/aids. 

Through her research in Cameroon, Catherine came to see a clear divide between gender roles. She observed men growing crops of high economic value for export such as cocoa, coffee, and tea while women grew food for their families. They had to travel long distances to fetch water and help the men in their cocoa fields , all while taking care of the children and doing all the housework.Women carried far greater workloads than men, but they did not have corresponding rights. Because they couldn‘t open their own bank accounts,  women in Cameroon chose to put their limited income in a common piggy bank with their sisters called tontines. In this way, they were able to accumulate a lump sum of money , to spend either for health emergencies or their children’s and educationThis spending on children’s needs seems to be ancient wisdom shared by women around the world. Women lived with what they had, while men spent their extra money on themselves, purchasing indulgences like alcohol and cigarettes After witnessing this, Catherine believed that women earning their own money lays at the root of poverty alleviation and is the solution to broader social problems in Africa. 

Catherine quantified these observations in her doctoral thesis presenting an econometric model of  women’s spending and savings.

With student from Sudan when Catherine was teaching for Harvard at Egerton university in Kenya in 1988. 

After returning to the United States, Catherine was diagnosed with filariasis.  Catherine had no regrets.  Instead,  she returned to Africa for another three summers, this time to Kenya , where she taught food and agricultural policy with the Harvard Institute for International Development.  

Having overcome daunting physical challenges in Cameroon, Catherine faced a different set of challenges in the Kenya. Her students were all mid-career men, who dominated in terms of number and rungs on the career ladder.  Meanwhile, Catherine was a 28-year-old blond female who was in the opening act of her career. While she felt intimidated teaching professionals 20 years her senior, her fear of failure motivated her In the face of intense pressure, Catherine worked twice as many hours as her peers and proved her excellence in the field of political economy.

Harvard PhD graduation in 1993 2 months after Jason was born.

Career Summit

During her Ph.D., Catherine started working in the International economic policy division of Cambridge-based Abt Associates. ABT Business Management Consulting. Thanks to the childcare services on site at the company, Catherine was able to balance her passion for work with her obligations to family.  Work was very important to Catherine, not only because of the financial independence it granted her, but moreover, because of the social value of her work. 

When her first child was only eleven months old, Catherine was sent to Zambia to help the Government establish new democratic policies.  Her hard work was recognized by the President of Zambia who expressed his appreication by requesting that Catherine be seated next to him at Cabinet meetings. Since her work in Zambia in the 1990s, this southern African country has remained relatively peaceful, and stable economically.

Though Cameroon and Zambia were formative experiences for Catherine, it was in Mali that she feels she reached peak of her career. When in the mid-1990s, the President of Mali requested advice on leading democratically, Catherine met the call.

Although Mali was impoverished in physical resources, its citizens were rich in character, generosity, and pride in their culture.

It’s because of these people that Mali holds such a special place in Catherine’s heart.  She has visited Mali eleven times, and organized conferences of  African leaders in the capital city of Bamako. From policy analysis to democratic governance, from economics to women's empowerment, Catherine brought a vast array of expertise to the Malian Government. To help the president better serve his citizens, she suggested that he speak to the people directly in their local language of Bamanan , speak and listen to their daily concerns.

Here in Mali are a people and culture that Catherine loves and respects. Here, she is an American expert: people call her Dr. Rielly, not Mrs. So-and-So.

With President Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali in 1994 at the presidential palace. 

Catherine’s deep connection to Mali lives on. Today, she is a Special Culture Advisor for the Malian Ambassador to the United States.

Never Forget

After the birth of her second child, Catherine left the jet-setting world of international consulting .  She returned to academia, where she taught international community economic development at Southern New Hampshire University, where she earned the rank of full Professor.

But she has never forgotten the charming people and cultures of Africa and the challenges they continue to face.

In 2009, Catherine and colleagues who specialized in women’s empowerment founded the non-profit organization Rubia, now headquartered in Lexington.  

Rubia's mission is to create economic opportunities that empower women in Afghanistan, Mali, the United States and other marginalized communities around the world through cooperative business training, education, and the sale of their heritage handiwork.

In 2013, Catherine became the executive director and president of Rubia.  It was during this time that war and economic crisis were threatening the livelihoods of traditional artisans in Mali.  Catherine wanted to do something to help them.

When Catherine lived in Mali, she learned that there was a local dyeing process to create Bogolanfini (mud cloth). Mud cloth is not only a textile, but also a cultural heritage.  Symbols painted in fermented mud are the language of Malian women, who use this method to record tribal narratives and pass them down from generation to generation between mother and daughter.  There is a specific story behind each piece of mud cloth.  In the past when men went out hunting, they wore mud cloth outfits which protect them from danger. During childbirth, women used to wear skirts made of mud , cloth which was imbued with mysterious powers of protection.  

By 2013, the threat of terrorism had frightened away tourists who used to buy mud clothe; the traditional method of making bogolan was on the verge of being lost, but Catherine was determined to preserve this ancient cultural heritage. 

Catherine at Rubia event

Catherine returned to Mali in 2014 where she was impressed with the leaders of two  bogolan cooperatives: a young artist’s workshop called Ndomo in Ségou and the Tanti Bogolan Women’s Association in the UNESCO cultural heritage city of Djenné.  As soon as she returned to the US, she established partnerships with them whereby Rubia imported bogolanfini to transform into i fashion accessories and home goods like blankets, bed spreads and pillow covers. Now, Rubia is proud to work with young artists and women at these two grassroots organizations.  

Since discovering Bogolanfini, Catherine has made it her mission to promote the ancient cultural heritage outside of Mali. Not only did Rubia hold an exhibition of mud cloth and photographs of bogolan  artists  at Cary Library, but the Lexington non-profit also organized fundraisers to help Malians prevent the spread of Covid-19.  

The pandemic has made the transportation and sale of mud cloth even more difficult this year, with Malian women like those at Tanti Bogolan’s Association struggling to buy food and medicine for their children.  

Rubia is now engaged with its first health project in Mali, including prevention training of women and youth and PPE provision, which is inspired by the generosity of the Chinese community in Lexington and across the US.

To  fund this endeavor, for the new project, , Catherine is working with local seamstresses to create a unique line of face masks adorned with mud cloth representing Malian values of family, freedom, support and courage. She and opened the backyard of her own house to sell them in a safe environment endorsed by her husband who is  an expert in Covid-19 transmission!

In life, Catherine often wears clothes made of mud cloth.  Every time she receives a compliment, she doesn’t hesitate to say: "I love the beauty of this land in Africa, and I also love the culture and people living on this land.  The peopleThe Africans I’ve met are generous, family-oriented and have good values."

The world we live in is filled with different cultures. Learning from Catherine Rielly’s example, we should strive to appreciate all of them. The road ahead may be difficult, but the brave – like Catherine – are not afraid.

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往期精彩

莱镇人文系列首篇：

Discover Lexington

作家 Ashley Rooney

1st Issue Oct 2020

莱镇人文系列之二：

Discover Lexington 

作家 Anne Lee

2nd Issue Nov 2020

莱镇人文系列之三：

Discover Lexington

Art Director Francesca Anderson

3rd Issue Dec 2020

莱镇人文

感受百年小镇的历史沉淀与文化底蕴

文稿：Elizabeth Xu

中文编辑组：袁力  鱼儿  S & S

英文编辑组：Anne Lee  

Catherine  Rielly　

Catherine Qin   Katie Chen　

封面设计：袁力  

策划 / 封面摄影：鱼儿

点击 ”Read More" ：

莱镇人文: Discover Lexington 3 - Art Director Francesca Anderson