Today, 26-year-old Kahory Ramos lights up any room she walks into — brimming with positive energy and enthusiasm. But her journey to embrace herself was difficult, and at times, dangerous.
Kahory grew up in a poor, traditional neighborhood outside La Unión, El Salvador — with four siblings steeped in the country’s sexist, ‘machismo’ culture. Kahory was targeted by her neighbors and even her siblings, sometimes violently, for presenting feminine despite being assigned male at birth. Memories of her brother publicly declaring his shame for his transgender sibling still ring in Kahory’s head. But when she found AJWS grantee Estrellas del Golfo, her light began to shine.
“I remember seeing them together in La Unión — all the trans women and the gay people, speaking about human rights. That caught my attention, and I knew I had to join them,” Kahory remembers.
Members of the collective saw who Kahory could become, and they encouraged her to love herself. She became a beloved ‘little sister’ to many of the leaders of the collective; the wounds from her actual siblings began to heal. Today, Estrellas also helps Kahory with employment so she can support her mother — salvaging a relationship that was strained. She works in the community kitchen and restaurant run by the collective, often cooking empanizado — or breaded, fried fish and seafood. Through this public-facing work, Kahory is changing how people in La Unión see LGBTQI+ people.
“They used to say we were good for nothing. That we rob, we infect people,” says Kahory. “But when they buy our food, I see their faces change. They say, ‘We thought you were good for nothing, but wow — you can cook!’ We show them what we can do. And their perception of us is changing.”
Estrellas del Golfo is a second home to Kahory — and she’s quick to note: that home is open to everyone.
“We all have the right to be free, to live a dignified life, to have access to healthcare, to earn an income, and to be respected for who we are,” says Kahory. “And if you need any help to achieve those rights, you can come here. Our doors are always open — and together we can face any challenge.”
