Event

New York, NY, Dec 11, 2009—On Friday December 11th, meet leaders of Astraea International Fund grantee partners Minority Women in Action (MWA) in Kenya and Labrys in Kyrgyzstan for a roundtable discussion. Join us at our office or call in to learn about the issues first-hand from two lesbian-led organizations working for justice for LGBTIQ communities in East Africa and Central Asia.

Find out how you can contribute to the work of Minority Women in Action and Labrys and learn how you can support each of these groups. Following the presentations, explore the issues in a Q&A session, enjoy wine and snacks and mingle with the activists.

Speakers:
Akinyi M. Ocholla, Chair, Minority Women in Action
Anna Kirey, Co-founder and Senior Advisor, Labrys

Friday, December 11
4:30 - 6:30 PM (5:00 - 6:00 PM for call-in participants only)

Astraea Foundation Office [map]
116 East 16th Street, 7th Floor
(between Irving Place and Union Square East)
New York, NY

To provide the most amount of access, we are offering you the opportunity to RSVP in person or to call-in via phone conference.

RSVP to attend in person

RSVP to call-in via phone conference

Minority Women in Action (MWA) was formed in the year 2006. The Mission of Minority Women in Action is to create “An empowered organisation that is nationally and internationally recognized, which voices, advances, protects and advocates for equality for LBTI women in Kenya”. MWA’s goals are 1) to project a strong positive public image/implementing it through public awareness campaign thus fostering a positive image of LBTI women in society; 2) Increasing social acceptance of LBTI women in the wider community by increasing awareness and understanding of LBTI issues; 3) Contributing towards community development.

Labrys was founded in 2004 and is the first LBT organization in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. Since its inception, Labrys has established a resource center for raising awareness of LBT rights, solidarity and activism, launched a bi-monthly magazine, and started a Trans support group, among other achievements. Their first Astraea grant supported their "Phoenix Project," which provided awareness trainings to students and progressive NGO's and built capacity of Labrys members to conduct these trainings as well as broader educational campaigns.