Shades of Yellow

Shades of Yellow’s mission was to cultivate a community of empowered HAPI LGBTQI (Hmong and Asian Pacific Islander, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex) and allies.

Shades of Yellow’s mission was to cultivate a community of empowered HAPI LGBTQI (Hmong and Asian Pacific Islander, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex) and allies to challenge what we’ve been told about API and LGBTQI communities, and ignite positive cultural and social change. SOY’s vision was a world where HAPI LGBTQI and allies are liberated and celebrated for who they are. Existing in HAPI cultural communities where being LGBTQI or gender-nonconforming means risking displacement, disownment, and disconnection to families and community, SOY worked to make it possible for constituents to remain visible, be present in community, and acknowledge the complex intersections of their identities, identities for which many Asian languages have no words (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or Intersex). This meant challenging their cultural communities to make room for all people and to acknowledge that LGBTQI people exist. In order to address and impact change, SOY used 3 main strategies: arts and culture, leadership development, and community building.

This organization was supported through the Funding Queerly Giving Circle, which is housed at Astraea.

GLEFAS- Grupo Latinoamericano De Estudios, Formacion Y Accion Feminista

Founded in 2007, the Grupo Latinoamericano de Estudio, Formación y Acción Feminista (GLEFAS) is a leading regional group that is initiating important dialogues, conversations, and political actions within the feminist and lesbian feminist movement.

Founded in 2007, the Grupo Latinoamericano de Estudio, Formación y Acción Feminista (GLEFAS) is a leading regional group that is initiating important dialogues, conversations, and political actions within the feminist and lesbian feminist movement in Latin América and the Caribbean, as well as other social movements and land struggles in the region, looking to join efforts for more comprehensive policies to confront different forms of oppression. As Caribbean and Latin American anti-racist and decolonial feminists, one of their goals is to produce autonomous knowledge from their own positioning as black, indigenous, and lesbian activists from the South. They collaborate with non-white and mixed-race women (or women of color, as it is commonly used in the United States) who are committed to intersectional politics and views in Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Peru, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, the United States, and Europe. In response to the regional context of war, militarization, and violence, GLEFAS seeks to produce a political analysis from an anti-racist, anti-military, anti-colonial, anti-capitalist, feminist lesbian perspective. GLEFAS seeks to support the creation of collectives in different countries of the region. *** En Español*** Fundado en 2007, el Grupo Latinoamericano de Estudio, Formación y Acción Feminista (GLEFAS) es un grupo regional líder que está iniciando importantes diálogos, conversaciones y acciones políticas dentro del movimiento feminista y lésbico feminista de América Latina y el Caribe, así como con otros movimientos sociales y de luchas territoriales en la región en la búsqueda de aunar esfuerzos para políticas más integrales que impliquen enfrentar diferentes formas de la opresión. Una de sus metas como feministas antirracistas y descoloniales latinoamericanas y caribeñas es producir un conocimiento autónomo desde sus propios posicionamientos como activistas lesbianas, indígenas y negras del sur. Colaboran con mujeres no blancas y mestizas comprometidas con una mirada y una política interseccional (o de color, como se dice comúnmente en Estados Unidos) en Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Perú, República Dominicana, México, Ecuador, Brasil, Estados Unidos y Europa. En respuesta al contexto regional de guerra, militarización y violencia, GLEFAS busca producir un análisis político desde una perspectiva feminista y lésbica antirracista, antimilitarista, anticolonial y anticapitalista. GLEFAS busca apoyar la formación de colectivos en diferentes países en la región.

Mulabi – Espacio Latinoamericano de Sexualidades y Derechos

Mulabi focuses on policy advocacy and education of public officials and service providors to promote decent treatment for trans and intersex people.

Mulabi was founded in 2006 and has become a leading force in Latin America. They participated in organizing the regional meeting of ILGALAC in November 2019 and the Regional LAC intersex conference in February 2020. Their advocacy work includes a workshop on the preparation of the Universal Periodic Exam, aimed at Women’s organizations in San José, Costa Rica (October 2019), participation in the Conference on Forced Migration of BGLTI populations, organized by the Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy and the Foundation for Peace and Democracy (October 2019), and a presentation before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, of the recommendations of the UPR written by Mulabi (September 2019). They are giving workshops in an awareness-raising approach.

Red Lésbica ‘CATTRACHAS’

Cattrachas is a collective of psychologists, advocates, academics, media communicators, graduate students, and activists whose main goal is to advance and protect the human rights of LGBTQI people in Honduras.

Cattrachas is a collective of psychologists, advocates, academics, media communicators, graduate students, and activists whose main goal is to advance and protect the human rights of LGBTQI people in Honduras through rigorous documentation of cases of violence against people LGBTQI, national and international advocacy at the policy level, and the creation and use of networks at local, regional and international levels. Thanks to its strategic advocacy, articles 27, 117, and 321 of the Honduran Penal Code have been reformed. These articles now penalize hate crimes against LGBTI people and femicides. Its leadership in investigating and documenting human rights violations against LGBTQI people has been instrumental in getting other co-parties in Latin America to also systematically monitor and document violence against LGBT people. Watch Cattrachas Founder Indyra Mendoza’s speech at our 40th Anniversary Gala in November 2017: *** En Español*** Cattrachas es un colectivo de psicólogxs, abogadxs, integrantes de la academia, comunicadorxs mediáticxs, estudiantes graduadxs y activistas cuyo objetivo principal es avanzar y proteger los derechos humanos de las personas LGBTQI en Honduras a través de la documentación rigurosa de casos de violencia contra las personas LGBTQI, la defensoría nacional e internacional a nivel de políticas y la creación y el uso de redes a niveles local, regional e internacional. Gracias a su defensoría estratégica, los artículos 27, 117 y 321 del Código Penal hondureño han sido reformados. Estos artículos ahora penalizan los crímenes de odio contra las personas LGBTI y los feminicidios. Su liderazgo en la investigación y la documentación de las violaciones de los derechos humanos LGBTQI ha sido fundamental para lograr que otras co-partes en América Latina también monitoreen y documenten de forma sistemática la violencia hacia las personas LGBT. Mira el discurso del fundador de Cattrachas en nuestra gala de 40 aniversario en noviembre de 2017 aquí:

Corporación Promoción de la Mujer/Taller de Comunicación Mujer

Based in Quito, Taller de Comunicación Mujer (TCM) is a women’s rights organization that works to advance the human rights of lesbian and bisexual women.

Based in Quito, Taller de Comunicación Mujer (TCM) is a women’s rights organization that works to advance the human rights of lesbian and bisexual women. TC Women documents and monitors the “de-homosexualization clinics” and human rights violations within them. In 2011, TC Mujer was responsible for ensuring that CETFDCM (the CEDAW) and the Human Rights Council recommended and monitored the closure of all clinics by the Ecuadorian state. TC Women has helped close many of these clinics. TC Mulher continues to document and monitor clinics in four provinces (Guayaquil, Manabí, Pichincha and Azuay), documenting survivors’ testimony and monitoring the Ministry of Health, while pursuing a broader feminist advocacy for women’s sexual and reproductive rights. *** En Español*** Con base en Quito, el Taller de Comunicación Mujer (TC Mujer) es una organización de derechos de las mujeres que trabaja por el avance de los derechos humanos de las mujeres lesbianas y bisexuales. TC Mujer documenta y monitorea las “clínicas de deshomosexualización” y las violaciones de derechos humanos dentro de estas. En 2011, TC Mujer fue responsable por lograr que la CETFDCM (también conocida como CEDAW, por sus siglas en inglés) y el Consejo de los Derechos Humanos recomendaran y monitorearan el cierre de todas las clínicas por el estado ecuatoriano. TC Mujer ha ayudado a cerrar muchas de estas clínicas. TC Mujer continúa documentando y monitoreando clínicas en cuatro provincias (Guayaquil, Manabí, Pichincha y Azuay), documentando testimonios de sobrevivientes y monitoreando al Ministerio de Salud, a la vez que realiza una abogacía feminista más amplia por los derechos sexuales y reproductivos de las mujeres.

Fundación de Desarrollo Humano Integral CAUSANA

Causana has carried out awareness raising on LGBT realities with hundreds of public servers in the judicial and health sectors, targeting mainly health providers, police and prosecutors.

Founded in 2003, Causana is a lesbian feminist collective located in Quito that has fought for the closure of “dehomosexualization clinics” for several years. It also provides legal and psychological support to lesbian survivors of these clinics. Causana has carried out awareness raising on LGBT realities with hundreds of public servers in the judicial and health sectors, targeting mainly health providers, police and prosecutors; it has also done so with various sectors of society: older adults, teachers, students, families, youth sectors, public servers, etc. Through community mobilization and six National Lesbian Encounters as well as training processes and public actions to raise awareness and denounce, Causana has strengthened the capacity of LBT women to demand their rights and access a life of freedom. Causana’s mission is to de-structure the systems of power and subordination through the empowerment and empowerment of LBT people from an inclusive approach of genres, diversities and holism to develop a new community co-existence proposal within a framework of harmony with others. *** En Español*** Fundada en 2003, Causana es una colectiva lésbica feminista ubicada en Quito que se destaca por su lucha contra los encierros en las llamadas “clínicas de deshomosexualización” desde hace varios años. También ofrece apoyo legal y psicológico a sobrevivientes lesbianas de estas clínicas. Causana ha realizado capacitaciones de sensibilización sobre las realidades LGBT con cientos de servidorxs públicxs en los sectores judicial y de salud, dirigiéndose principalmente a lxs proveedorxs de salud, la policía y la Fiscalia; de igual manera lo ha hecho con diversos sectores de la sociedad: adultxs mayores, docentes, estudiantes, familias, sectores juveniles, servidorxs públicxs, etc. Mediante la movilizacion comunitaria y seis Encuentros Nacionales Lesbicos así como procesos de capacitación y acciones públicas de visibilización y denuncia,  Causana ha fortalecido la capacidad de las mujeres LBT para exigir sus derechos y acceder a una vida de libertades. La misión de Causana es desestructurar los sistemas de poder y subordinación a través del empoderamiento y fortalecimiento de las personas LBT desde un enfoque inclusivo de géneros, diversidades y holismo para desarrollar una nueva propuesta de convivencia comunitaria  en un marco de armonía con nostrxs, lxs otrxs y la Pacha Mama.

Survivors Organizing for Liberation (SOL)

Survivors Organizing for Liberation (SOL) and Buried Seedz of Resistance envisions a Colorado where Transgender, Gender non-conforming, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit and Queer people have the power to determine the conditions of their lives, are valued for who they are, take responsibility for each other’s safety, and live their lives free from violence.

Survivors Organizing for Liberation (SOL) and Buried Seedz of Resistance envisions a Colorado where Transgender, Gender non-conforming, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit and Queer people have the power to determine the conditions of their lives, are valued for who they are, take responsibility for each other’s safety, and live their lives free from violence. SOL|BSeedz operates a 24-hour statewide hotline for community members who have experienced or witnessed violence as a strategy to empower callers to join the “healing collective” and become active members of bringing safety and wellness into our communities. SOL|BSeedz has been actively responding to the murder of Jessie Hernandez, a young queer Latina murdered by the Denver Police Department, and works with community members to respond to ongoing police violence.

FIERCE

FIERCE! is a community organizing project for Transgender, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Queer, and Questioning (TLGBTSQQ) youth of color in New York City.

FIERCE! is a community organizing project for Transgender, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Queer, and Questioning (TLGBTSQQ) youth of color in New York City. FIERCE is dedicated to exploring and building power in these communities through a mix of leadership development, artistic and cultural activism, political education, and campaign development. FIERCE challenges the institutions that perpetuate transphobia, homophobia, racism, ethnic conflict, gender bias, economic injustice, ageism, and the spread of HIV, STIs, STDs, and other mental and physical health crises, and organizes against the injustices of the criminal “justice” system, housing, employment, education, and healthcare systems.

Transgender, Gender Variant, and Intersex Justice Project

TGIJP was founded in 2004 with the mission to challenge and end human rights abuses against transgender, gender variant and intersex people, especially transgender women, in California prisons and beyond.

TGIJP was founded in 2004 with the mission to challenge and end human rights abuses against transgender, gender variant and intersex people, especially transgender women, in California prisons and beyond. While TGIJP has done some legal work for intersex individuals caught within the prison industrial complex, its leadership team has long wanted to expand its work in this area to fully realize its name and mission. In 2014, an intersex individual joined the TGIJP’s core volunteer team. TGIJP is now working to increase the visibility of intersex issues in their current programming (e.g. publishing information in their newsletter and raising intersex issues with current allies); conducting internal education for staff, core leadership and members; developing collaborative relationships with intersex organizations; and conducting outreach to identify imprisoned intersex people, share information and support their ability to self-advocate and self-organize. Check out our 2018 International Trans Day of Visibility video featuring an interview with TGIJP’s former Executive Director, Miss Major: Learn more about the documentary 2015 Global Arts Fund grantee partner Annalise Ophelian made about Miss Major:

Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW)

Established in 2002, Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW) is a black lesbian feminist organization that engages in advocacy, education and action.

Established in 2002, Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW) is a black lesbian feminist organization that engages in advocacy, education and action to ensure that black lesbians enjoy holistic freedom, wellness, dignity and bodily autonomy in all aspects of their lives. FEW is currently focused on building the Rainbow Activist Alliance (RAA), a network of 15 community based LGBTI organizations in several provinces across South Africa, collectively working to create safer communities, ensure access to appropriate public health care, ensure non-discrimination within the criminal justice system, and build black lesbian leadership. While the issue of pervasive violence against Black lesbians in South Africa has seen a increased visibility over quite a period of time, black lesbians and gender non-conforming people continue to face heightened level of violence, discrimination, marginalization and exclusion. FEW’s cultural activism, direct action and advocacy builds pressure for state accountability for this violence.