Connecticut’s Lieutenant Governor Recognizes International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM/C
The Connecticut (CT) Coalition to End FGM/C, of which Sahiyo is a founding member, is so pleased to see that Connecticut’s Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz has issued a citation to recognize February 6th as International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM/C, a day to “take time to support women and girls” and end this harmful form of gender-based violence. In the citation, the Lieutenant Governor uplifts the ongoing efforts of the Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C to protect women and girls from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). This recognition comes as the CT Coalition renews our push for passage of House Bill 6596 in the 2025 legislative session. The bill aims to establish educational programs, provide civil remedies for survivors, and criminalize FGM/C in the state. Connecticut remains one of only nine states without legal protections against this harmful practice. This citation serves as a meaningful acknowledgment of the work our coalition has done to raise awareness, advocate for policy changes, and support survivors in Connecticut. We are grateful for this public awareness and see it as a reminder of the importance of continuing the CT Coalition’s mission to ensure that every child in the state is protected from FGM/C. A special thank you to all the advocates, community members, and partners who stand with us in this effort. We invite you to join us by continuing to raise awareness and support legislation to protect women and girls by signing our Call to Action and urging your CT representatives to ban FGM/C. Stay tuned for more updates on House Bill 6596 and upcoming advocacy initiatives.
L’Oréal Paris Inducts Ten Extraordinary Changemakers into Its Signature Philanthropic Initiative, Women of Worth
In its 18th year, the program recognizes 10 women and their commitment to addressing the nation’s biggest issues through their non-profit work NEW YORK, Aug. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Today, #1 global beauty brand L’Oréal Paris USA announces its 2023 L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth, recognizing the charitable achievements of 10 extraordinary non-profit leaders working to address the nation’s biggest issues. In its 18th year, the 2023 L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth class will join an incredible network of 170 previous honorees who champion a diverse range of causes and beautifully embody the brand’s iconic tagline, “Because You’re Worth It.” To help alleviate some of the challenges female non-profit leaders face, L’Oréal Paris will facilitate a grant of $25,000 for each honoree through its intermediary grantmaking partner, GlobalGiving. In addition, the brand will provide business mentorship and increased visibility through the brand’s national platforms. For the first time, L’Oréal Paris, in partnership with GlobalGiving, has established the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Fund, which will allow consumers to make a donation that benefits all 10 of this year’s honorees. Visit GlobalGiving.org to learn more. “It is with great pride that we welcome 10 more incredible changemakers into the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth family, now 180 women strong,” said L’Oréal Paris USA President, Ali Goldstein. “By championing female non-profit leaders and their selfless work, we hope to inspire people to tap into their own sense of worth to create positive change.” In collaboration with Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, L’Oréal Paris has selected: high school student and Founder of Rise N Shine Foundation, Shrusti Amula (Clarksburg, MD), Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Tools & Tiaras, Judaline Cassidy (New York, NY), Founder & Chairwoman of Twilight Wish Foundation, Cass Forkin (Jamison, PA), Activist, Founder and Executive Director of Climate Cardinals, Sophia Kianni (McLean, VA), Co-Founder and Executive Director of Yes We Can World Foundation, Estefanía Rebellón (Burbank, CA), Co-Founder and President of Possibilities of Free2Luv®, Tonya Sandis (Seattle, WA), Founder and Executive Director of Kits to Heart, Sonia Su (Columbia, MD), Founder and Director of Sahiyo U.S., Mariya Taher (Cambridge, MA), Co-Founder and President of 16 Strong Project, Samantha Wettje (Bardonia, NY), and Co-Founder and Executive Director of Disability EmpowHer Network, Stephanie Woodward (Rochester, NY). “I am honored and humbled to be recognized as a 2023 L’Oréal Paris USA Women of Worth honoree! In 2015, Sahiyo started as a team of five individuals who wanted to do something to end female genital cutting (FGC) in our communities; it has expanded to include hundreds of voices over the years, and worked to build a movement. Silence is never the answer to creating change, and we’ve created a platform that allows community members to share their stories, speak up, and be the changemakers in their own lives. I am beyond thankful for this honor and am so hopeful that our work will continue to grow and that we will provide the healing survivors need and end FGC for future generations,” says honoree Mariya Taher. To further raise awareness for the honorees’ exemplary initiatives, L’Oréal Paris joined forces with Warner Bros. Discovery’s Courageous brand studio to produce a storytelling campaign highlighting each woman’s extraordinary journey and philanthropic achievements. These branded vignettes will be distributed through new interactive units across the ad-supported tier of Max as well as through high impact, targeted ads on Warner Bros. Discovery’s digital sites and apps. The content will direct audiences to WomenofWorth.com to learn more. This November, the brand will host its annual private celebration event during National Philanthropy Month in Los Angeles. The event will feature appearances from a handful of L’Oréal Paris celebrity spokeswomen and more. To watch and experience last year’s event from home, visit WomenofWorth.com. “I’m honored to have played a part in selecting this year’s honoree class and am so happy to know there are so many inspiring women out there doing extraordinary work on the grassroots level, in their community, trying to help people,” said actress and brand spokeswoman, Aja Naomi King. “Women of Worth is close to my heart,” said singer, songwriter and activist Camila Cabello. “These women are awe inspiring. They are taking action in their communities and affecting real change.” For more information about the philanthropic program, this year’s honoree class and more, visit www.WomenofWorth.com, and L’Oréal Paris Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Pinterest. Join the conversation and follow along by using hashtag #LOrealWomenofWorth. About GlobalGivingGlobalGiving is a top-rated nonprofit that makes it easy and safe to give to local projects around the world, while providing fellow nonprofits with the tools, training, and support they need to thrive. Since 2002, GlobalGiving has raised more than $826 million from 1.7+ million donors for 34,000 projects in 175+ countries. To learn more, visit www.globalgiving.org. About L’Oréal Paris Women of WorthFor the last 18 years, L’Oréal Paris’ signature philanthropic program, Women of Worth has brought to life the brand’s iconic tagline, “Because You’re Worth It,” by championing women whose unwavering resilience, bravery and courage show the power of owning one’s worth. Each year, ten founders and leaders of grassroot non-profits are recognized for their work across a breadth of charitable causes to receive charitable funding, mentorship through the L’Oréal Paris network to build their organizations and a national platform to share their story. About L’Oréal Paris USAThe L’Oréal Paris division of L’Oréal USA, Inc. is a total beauty care brand dedicated to empowering women by offering luxurious and innovative products and services available in the mass market. The brand’s signature tagline, “Because I’m Worth It,” was born in the United States in 1973 to celebrate the beauty and intrinsic self-worth of women, and for more than 100 years, L’Oréal Paris has been providing women around the world with products in four major beauty categories: hair color, haircare, skincare and cosmetics. With L’Oréal’s invention of hair color in 1909, the brand continues to serve as a leading innovator of hair products across color, care, and styling with brands such as Superior Preference, Féria, Colorista, Elvive, the Ever Collection, and Elnett Satin Hairspray. L’Oréal Paris provides scientifically-advanced skincare products that are tested to address individual skin concerns through its renowned brands Revitalift, Pure-Sugar, Pure-Clay, Age Perfect, and Sublime Bronze. L’Oréal Paris’ iconic cosmetics include best-seller Voluminous Lash Paradise, as well as the Infallible, True Match, Colour Riche, Voluminous, and Visible Lift collections. For more information about L’Oréal Paris and to receive
PRESS RELEASE: Sahiyo & Asian Women’s Shelter Collaborate to Inform Crisis Line for Survivors of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
This International Women’s Equality Day Sahiyo and Asian Women’s Shelter Launch Nations First Community-Based, Culturally Responsive Hotline to Support Survivors of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting! Across the United States, the Centers for Disease Control estimates over half a million women and girls are impacted or at risk of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Yet, few resources exist to support survivors in their journey toward healing and protecting future generations from this practice. This past year, Sahiyo has collaborated with Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS) to expand AWS’s capacity to support survivors of FGM/C. Sahiyo has provided a number of trainings to AWS staff, volunteers, interpreters, and crisis line counselors on understanding the impact of FGM/C on individuals and families in the United States, supporting survivors and their loved ones, and navigating the landscape of limited resources supporting those affected by FGM/C. AWS opened in 1988 with an emergency shelter and a 24/7 multilingual crisis line to support survivors and communities to navigate harms, hardships, and healing related to gender-based violence, particularly domestic violence in immigrant and refugee communities. From its beginnings, AWS has operated at and centered the intersection of culture, violence, language, gender, immigration, nationality, sexuality, and more. Since then, AWS has grown and deepened its commitment to preventing and intervening in gender-based violence. AWS is still a grassroots, culturally grounded organization that centers community engagement and holistic, trauma-informed, peer-based empowerment. The goal of this collaborative project between Sahiyo and AWS is to address gaps in resources for underrepresented populations of survivors in the U.S. in need of support services to reduce the harms of FGM/C. With that in mind, the AWS crisis line will be open to taking calls from FGM/C survivors and impacted communities starting this August 26th, 2022 in honor of Women’s Equality Day. Hotline Operator: San Francisco Asian Women’s Shelter Number: 1-877-751-0880 Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM PST “Unlike other crisis lines, this crisis line offers survivors and those from impacted communities the opportunity to discuss their questions, concerns, and needs surrounding FGM/C in a judgment-free space without automatically connecting them to law enforcement. The crisis line staff have been thoroughly trained on the physical, mental, and social impacts of FGM/C as well as how to best support survivors in their journey toward healing.” – Mariya Taher, Sahiyo Co-Founder and Executive Director “AWS respects you, your privacy, your experience, and your choices. If you’re wanting a confidential, language and culturally accessible place to talk with someone about the violence you’re experiencing, witnessing, anticipating, and/or trying to avoid or escape, please call whenever you’re ready. AWS will never share your personal information, and you will be in control of what you choose to share or not share. Culture and violence can interact in a way that can be doubly intimate and devastating. We are here to support you.” – Orchid Pusey, Asian Women’s Shelter Executive Director To learn more about the project and this new resource for FGM/C survivors, contact Mariya Taher, mariya@sahiyo.org About the Collaborators: Sahiyo’s mission is to empower Asian and other communities to abandon the practice of FGM/C through education, collaboration, and dialogue based on community involvement. Founded in 2015, Sahiyo aims to enable a culture in which a woman/girl’s body and female sexuality is not feared or suppressed but embraced as normal. Sahiyo has 7-years of experience working with communities to empower people to end FGM/C and support survivors. Asian Women’s Shelter’s mission is to eliminate domestic violence by promoting the social, economic, and political self-determination of women and all survivors of violence and oppression. AWS was founded in 1988 to address the urgent and unmet needs of survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, especially those who are limited English proficient immigrant or refugee women, children, LGBTQ+/GNB people, and/or youth. This project was produced by Sahiyo and Asian Women’s Shelter under 15POVC-21-GG-00988-NONF, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this project are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
PRESS RELEASE: Dozens of Survivors of Female Genital Cutting Share Stories on New ‘Voices To End FGM/C’ Website
July 31, 2022 – After five years of supporting survivors of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in sharing their stories, Sahiyo and StoryCenter announce the launch of a new website dedicated to highlighting this underrecognized human rights violation. “As a survivor of female genital cutting, I have experienced the frustration of being reduced to a statistic: one of the 200 million women and girls worldwide to have undergone the cut. As an activist working to end the practice, I have felt indignation at the often sensationalized ways in which survivors’ stories are depicted in the media. This is why Voices to End FGM/C is such an important, game-changing platform. It provides both survivors and activists with a safe and supportive environment and gives them the tools to share their stories with their own voices, words, and perspectives. Over 50 storytellers have benefitted from Voices over the past five years, and I am grateful to be one of them.” ~ Aarefa Johari, co-founder and trustee, Sahiyo India This website, voicestoednfgmc.org, features stories from dozens of survivors who have taken part in the Voices to End FGM/C project over the years. This project brings together cohorts of survivors and activists every year, and empowers each participant to tell their own story by creating a short video. Voices to End FGM/C has facilitated the creation of 55 such stories from over 19 countries, including the United States, Canada, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Tanzania, Chad, and more. The storytellers represent a range of ages, economic statuses, cultural backgrounds, and gender identities. “We’re really excited to have this new platform which pulls all the Voices content together and showcases the courage and creativity of the many storytellers we’ve worked with over the years.” ~ Amy Hill, StoryCenter Silence Speaker Director After years of feedback and demand for such resources, this new website is a centralized platform, not just for the videos and blogs by survivors and activists, but also for educational and informational content created over the past five years. “In the struggle to end FGM/C, it is imperative to center the voices of activists with lived experience. These videos are used to help educate legislators and convince them to pass legislation banning FGM/C such as occurred in Massachusetts in the United States in August 2020.” ~ Mariya Taher, Sahiyo U.S. Cofounder & Executive Director The highlights of the website are the Voices to End FGM/C videos found on the Storyteller Video page. Behind-the-scenes footage of the workshops is also available, as are blogs written by storytellers about their experiences. Visitors can also keep up with upcoming events and workshops, including the Fall 2022 Voices to End FGM/ workshop. Contact Sahiyo: 1-857-209-4160 Email Kristel Mendoza Castillo: kristel@sahiyo.org About Sahiyo Founded in 2015, Sahiyo’s mission is to empower Asian and other communities to end female genital cutting and create positive social change through dialogue, education, and collaboration based on community involvement. About StoryCenter Mission Statement: We create spaces for listening to and sharing stories, to help build a just and healthy world. Our public and custom workshops provide individuals and organizations with skills and tools that support self-expression, creative practice, and community building.