25 January, 2005

Jolie Christine Rickman July 9, 1970 - January 19, 2005


Peace and social justice feminist musician, activist, and humanitarian watchdog Jolie Christine Rickman of Brooklyn, New York passed away January 19, 2005 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City, eleven months following her diagnosis of ovarian cancer. She was 34 years old.

Jolie is survived by her loving husband Bill Mazza, her mother Jacqueline Rickman of Chicago, father Donald Rickman of California, three younger sisters Aimee Rickman, Elisabeth Williams and Margaret Mary Rickman, her beloved dog Roo, and many very close friends and family far and wide, including in her homes in Australia, Syracuse, Chicago, Champaign-Urbana, and New York City. She was the first grandchild of John and Christine Dreznes of Beverly.

Jolie gave freely of her voice, compassion, humor, and empathetic leadership to actively support human rights and social justice action, most recently in such organizations as SOAWatch and CISPES, where as New York City’s Chapter Coordinator (2001-2003) she initiated the now on-going Spanish Camp for Activists, an alternative Fourth of July weekend immersion in language and Latin American issues, and the People’s Referendum on Free Trade which mobilized people from all sectors in the New York City area to struggle for economic fairness and equity. Early on into her life-long study of non-violence, Jolie took on an internship with The King Center in Atlanta. She often spoke of her work there with Coretta Scott King as a key factor that inspired her to music.

Pronounced legally blind at age 11 due to juvenile onset macular degeneration, Jolie went on to graduate with honors from Richards High School in Oak Lawn in 1988, and suma cum laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Department of Political Science in 1992. While at UIUC, Jolie took part in many politically progressive efforts, including the movement that launched the University YMCA’s Alternative Spring Break program, which, to this day, continues to connect young people with important nation-wide social justice issues. She later earned a graduate degree from Syracuse University’s department of Peace Studies.

Jolie was the driving force and artistic genius behind such music-based projects as ArtCar, the HEN Foundation, and Sing it Down! – all designed to connect music and social movements in effective and educational ways that reached diverse audiences throughout the country. She released four original CDs including Sublime Detonation (1998), Sing it Down!: Songs to Close the SOA (co-produced with Colleen Kattau, 1999), and Suffer to Be Beautiful (2000). Her original composition, “Romero” remains a signature song of the movement to close down the US Army School of the Americas (WHISC), while her song “Emma Goldman (Rosa’s Pride)” continues as an anthem of hope in struggle for young and old alike.


Jolie’s emotively crafted lyrics, spectacular performance skills, and charismatic personality drew her many fans and brought her critical acclaim. Her inimitable voice and powerful spirit - optimistic and brave - will live on in her music:

You show up and you smile for no reason, like it’s all so simple and clear,
Like we’re the hope of a hundred generations,
Like you and I have no fear…
-Jolie Rickman “Emma Goldman (Rosa’s Pride)”

Following a commemoration gathering at her home in Brooklyn, NY, a memorial service will be held for Jolie Rickman on Sunday, January 30, at St. Gertrude Church, 1420 W. Granville Avenue, in Chicago. A subsequent celebration of her life and music will take place in Syracuse, NY in the near future.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that all donations be directed to either Friends of Dorothy, 212 Wayne St, Syracuse, NY, 13203, or to Jolie's partner Bill Mazza, 23 Virginia Place, Brooklyn NY 11213, to assist in deferring medical expenses.


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Pacifica Radio's "Democracy Now" memorialized Jolie's work on its Monday morning broadcast, with an excerpt from "Romero," a track from Jolie's 1999 release Sing It Down : http://www.democracynow.org/index.pl?issue=20050124

http://www.jolierickman.com