By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post
As Curt and Christie Brungardt opened an ordinary manila folder and began to share memories of their daughter Jana — poems, art, pictures, writings and letters from legislators — it became clear Jana was not a typical child.
“My gift to the world in the brown paper sack would be meaningful poems about peace,” wrote Jana. “Though I am only 10 years old, the world needs much more peace. I think peace is one of the best gifts that the world could receive.”
At at age 11, Jana wrote about helping poor people, the need for more hospitals, and her desire to “get more schools and teachers and make them more educational,” bringing a smile to the faces of the Brungardts as they read her page entitled “If I Were President.”
In high school, Jana Mackey wrote letters to newspapers and lawmakers voicing her concerns about standardized testing and later lobbied for Extension funds.
These examples are among many the Brungardts, who lost Jana in 2008 in a fatal incident of domestic violence, are sharing with the world as they begin the “Jana’s Memories” project.
The project is to honor a young woman who always strove to help others and did, indeed, end up making it her life’s work to provide the world with the gift of peace.
Jana, a 2000 graduate of Hays High School, attended the University of Kansas on a vocal music scholarship. But, Christie Brungardt said, it was after Jana started to volunteer at a sexual assault center in Lawrence that she informed her mom she had found her true calling.
From then, Christie said Jana received an undergraduate degree in women’s studies and worked as an advocate and lobbyist for the National Organization of Women and entered law school telling her mom she felt “becoming a lawyer was the only way she could truly help” victims of domestic violence and inequality.
“Jana was passionate about anything that would improve and empower woman,” said Christie Brungardt. “She was very passionate about safety for women which of course is so ironic given how she died.”
On July 3, 2008, Jana, by then a 25-year-old second-year law school student at the University of Kansas, was found dead in her ex-boyfriend’s house — an apparent and seemingly unlikely victim of domestic violence.
The Brungardt’s are nationally known for founding, “Jana’s Campaign” in December 2009 to keep Jana’s dream of peace alive and continue Jana’s work to end and prevent gender-based and relationship violence.
As Jana’s Campaign’s grows, the Brungardts, both Fort Hays State University professors in Leadership Studies, want the world to truly know Jana.
Their hope is “Jana’s Memories” will do just that.
“It is important for people to learn more about Jana,” said Curt Brungardt, “We have thousands of people around the world who follow Jana’s Campaign (on Facebook) and many of them are her friends, but many of them never knew Jana.”
For the next six months, the Brungardts will share memories of Jana on the organization’s Facebook page and encourage supporters and friends to do the same.
“To know why our work is important, you need to know who Jana was and through these documents — photographs and papers and letters — it is a good way to get to know the young Jana Mackey,” Curt said. “It is important to realize the devastating impact of domestic violence and lives lost.
“We want you to enjoy and laugh with us as we look at these things, but also realize the work that needs done … and we want to share these (memories) with the thousands of people who support us of everyday, and what a great way to do it: to use Jana’s face, her name and her work,” he added.
The Brungardts also want to convey Jana’s face represents many — domestic and relationship violence is more common than many people realize and can happen to anyone.
The Brungardts say they believe Jana would be upset had they not used their knowledge in leadership and “organizing for action” to continue Jana’s work.
“The bigger Jana’s Campaign becomes, the more people have asked me the question, ‘Do you feel like you are commercializing Jana?’ ” Christie said. “I really have a strong reaction to that. I believe anyone who knew Jana, understood Jana, the thought would never cross their mind. Jana was a passionate advocate and Jana would use information that she had to try to make things better for people she was working for.
“Jana would be furious if we weren’t doing something with the legacy she left,” said Christie.
Curt added, “I remember after Jana dying, I turned to Christie and said, ‘You know Jana didn’t die in a car wreck. She died in many ways as a martyr for her cause, and her work needs to continue.’ ”
Join Jana’s Campaign’s Facebook page to share and read “Jana Memories.” The Jana’s Campaign’s website also provides more information.