Remembering Pat Zinn
Pat, of Jewish background, was born in South Africa. Aware of the impact of apartheid on the people there Pat became involved in empowering women. So on coming to Australia later, some involvement in the cause of justice for Aboriginal people here was a natural follow-on. She was truly committed to the cause and would attend rallies, write letters and involve herself in whatever way she could do so. While her commitment to Aboriginal people was so strong she was otherwise involved as well; one person remembered seeing Pat at a rally supporting the Palestinian people.
Pat was a founding member of WRN who contributed over the years in her ‘quiet, invisible style’ with a quality of presence and interaction which has touched all who knew her. She embodied love, gentleness, and peace, a person with a quiet dignity who listened deeply, fully present to whomever she was engaged with, not one to create waves; she always spoke simply with a certain wisdom and was always interested in others’ involvements.
At a spirit event after Pat’s death four attitudes were quoted as being those of Pat – a readiness to listen, to be counted, to learn, and bear witness. These were quoted many times and speak of Pat as a reflective person; she led us to see that the importance of BEING and REFLECTION on our part are so essential to our lives. Pat’s legacy to WRN members:- to put love into our being and doing, to be and to be reflective and to listen, learn, be counted, and to bear witness.