“Vanquishing The Invisible”
An Independent Portrait Project by James R Morrison and J Mara Morrison
Vanquishing The Invisible will be displayed at the California State Fair during Military and
Veteran Appreciation Day, July 18th continuing on July 19th in the Fine Arts Building 7.
Thank you for your interest in “Vanquishing the Invisible”. From the beginning, you recognized the value and importance of bringing these portraits and stories to the public. We truly appreciate your support and we look forward to seeing you at a future event.
Isa McIntyre
U.S. Army
After spending eight years in the U.S. Army, I made the decision to end my time in the service and pursue my educational goals. Being from a family that always struggled financially, college was never an option in my mind. Nobody had even talked to me about going to college so I assumed that it was unattainable for someone like me. Instead, I joined the Army at the age of seventeen. The U.S. Army changed my idea that college wasn’t for me by stressing the importance of getting both a military and civilian education.
One might think making the decision to get out of the U.S. Army was a difficult one but it was not a difficult choice for me. I left the service so I could be more involved in my children’s lives. I had already made arrangements to start college before my enlistment contract was up. I was very excited and incredibly nervous, to start a new chapter in my life. Little did I know that life had a curveball to throw. My time in service was to end on April 11, 2012, but on April 8th, I received a phone call that would change mine and my children’s lives forever.
It was on Easter Sunday that I received the call that my husband had stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) and had lost both of his legs. I packed up what few things I could and drove with my two boys from Fort Bragg, North Carolina to Bethesda, Maryland so that I could assist my husband in his recovery at Walter Reed. After putting my educational goals on hold for two years to support my husband, I finally get to put my energy into achieving one of the most important goals of my life.
On May 18th, 2019, I graduated from Sacramento State’s Business Honors Program with a degree in Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior.
We received the highest praise on the surveys and in personal comments affirming this project touches viewers in a deep and profound way. Their use of words like, “powerful”, “enlightening”, “passionate”, “thought-provoking”, and (we really liked this one) “take it national” reinforces our belief in this critically important exhibit.
However, “Vanquishing the Invisible” cannot continue - or grow - its outreach without your support. We would be honored if you would take a moment to help fund this project.
There’s so much more we can accomplish if we do it together. Your support will help others attend future exhibits and continue the outreach to new audiences.
If you would like to honor Women Veterans and help educate future generations on the legacy of women in the military, please DONATE
“Women Veterans are often assumed to be spouses of a veteran. We are on a mission to change that assumption. Working together, we can not only change perceptions but bring to light the vast achievements and contributions our women veterans make every day. Impacting a woman veteran’s life not only positively changes her life, but also her family’s and the community in which she lives.” Melissa Washington, Founder of Women Veterans Alliance
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All Rights Reserved.
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