Kristal Parks
For two years, Kristal Parks lived as a hermit in the intimate embrace of a forest and what she learned there guides her vision. Also, she was a human shield for disappearing Mayans during Guatemala’s civil war; volunteered in refugee camps in South East Asia; helped end apartheid in South Africa; was imprisoned for nonviolent peace actions; and participated with Ecuadorian tribes to protect the Amazon Rainforest. In 2005, Kristal founded Pachyderm Power! Love in Action for Elephants which worked to stop elephant genocide in Kenya for 10 years. Her pivotal efforts there successfully created an army of over 1,000 young people impassioned to save the elephant nation. Additionally, she (with many others) helped end the use of elephants by the Ringling Bros. Circus. Kristal weaves a tapestry of justice woven from various shades, hues, and textures of interconnected liberation movements. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in biology and a Master’s in justice, peace and social transformation.
