Anja Hartleb-Parson grew up behind the Iron Curtain in East Berlin and Moscow. She emigrated to the United States in 2001. She earned a BA in philosophy, an MA in political philosophy, and an MA in organizational leadership. A longtime lover of justice and liberty, she currently serves the movement as vice president of Intellectual Takeout, an educational marketing nonprofit. She resides in Rockford, IL, with her husband, her newborn twins, and two cats.