The Muñecas Negras initiative brings together women and girls, largely from communities of Haitian descent, in rural areas across the Dominican Republic — giving them a safe space to connect, take pride in their identity and learn about their history, all while creating dolls that share their skin color. Below, step into Batey Carmona to …
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It was Yanilda Juan, 23, who brought her family to Muñecas Negras. Today, her sisters and their daughters joined: seven Juan women in all. “This project doesn’t just teach us to stitch dolls. It teaches us to love ourselves, our roots, our ancestors, our hair, our skin. To understand that everything we have is gold, …
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Juanita ‘Kika’ Antelis Juan is the oldest Juan sister, at 26. For Kika, Muñecas Negras inspired an extraordinary change in her life. She grew up in a family of 10 and was married when she turned 15 (In the Dominican Republic, marriage is often forced upon adolescent girls by families struggling financially, to lessen her …
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Seventy-five years ago today, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in response to the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust. The first document of its kind, developed by people from diverse backgrounds from around the world, declares that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity …
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For most of her life, 20-year-old Meriya Alpa Ramjibhai grew up doing what was expected of her: taking care of her siblings, doing household chores and keeping her opinions to herself. She was also expected, like so many young women, to marry when her parents found a suitable husband. But things are changing for Alpa. …
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Here are five ways you can act on your values for social justice this summer. Keep reading to learn more about each action, and then download your list so you can keep track of your progress! #1: Sign our petition for climate justice From record-breaking heat to deadly droughts, the climate crisis is escalating …
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Nelson Mutugi Silas was born into a Christian family in Meru, Kenya — and from an early age, they say, “there was a conflict in me. I was attracted to boys and I didn’t know why. But I did know it was a sin.” Terrified, they buried these feelings while studying at an all-boys school …
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Alpha lost their parents as a child and began living on the streets of Machakos county, Kenya. Thankfully, they were informally adopted by a teacher who noticed they’d stopped attending school — an opportunity that changed their lives. But challenges persisted. In high school, Alpha was subjected to conversion therapy after a friend outed them …
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As NGLHRC’s in-house psychologist, Sharlotte Kigezo is often called to the front lines to serve LGBTQI+ people in crisis — folks at their absolute lowest, in desperate need of help, hope and compassion. Sharlotte offers them a seemingly endless well of support, but does not let the darkness swallow her. In fact, she is NGLHRC’s …
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These days, Masafu Okwara’s sense of pride is as vibrant as the rainbow walls of NGLHRC’s Nairobi offices. But her journey here was long and painful. As one of the of NGLHRC’s program officers, Masafu provides free legal counsel, guidance and often representation to LGBTQI+ people who are unjustly arrested, persecuted or have their rights …
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