Staff Spotlight: Communications Assistant Kira Omans
Kira joins Sahiyo with a background in humanitarian advocacy, communications, community outreach, and storytelling. She completed her B.F.A. with a concentration in Stage and Screen Performance and a Communications minor from George Mason University. She also works as an activist fighting for adoptee rights. Kira is dedicated to Sahiyo’s mission of ending female genital cutting, and she is passionate about leveraging her experience to further this important message. When and how did you first get involved with Sahiyo? I first started working with Sahiyo in early October 2024! When I read about Sahiyo’s mission, it really resonated with me, as I already do a lot of advocacy work and community outreach. I was excited to apply for this position because it meant that I could use my previous experience to contribute to the important mission of ending female genital cutting (FGC) worldwide. What does your work with Sahiyo involve? As the Communications Assistant, I work with Communications Coordinator, Kristel Mendoza to create social media content and strategize campaign releases. We also provide support in organizing Sahiyo’s fundraising and events. I have enjoyed meeting Sahiyo’s team members and volunteers, who have all been warm and welcoming! How has your involvement with Sahiyo impacted your life? I have learned so much about the practice of FGC in the short time I’ve been with Sahiyo. Before I applied to this organization, I had no idea that FGC occurred in the US at all. I feel better equipped to help bring more awareness to FGC, and I’m more passionate about Sahiyo’s mission of ending FGC, and working toward creating a culture that values consent as well as the rights of children and women. I look forward to continuing to learn from survivors and activists as I continue to work with Sahiyo. What words of wisdom would you like to share with others who may be interested in supporting Sahiyo and the movement against FGC? Do not hesitate! Sahiyo fosters an approachable and safe community. There are so many opportunities, big and small, to get involved. I firmly believe that education is a vital first step toward actionable and sustainable change, so taking the time to learn more independently is also creating change. Any amount of support contributes to the mission of ending FGC and creating a safer world for women and children.
Sahiyo staff spotlight: Editorial Coordinator Sheena Vasani
Sheena Vasani joined Sahiyo as its Editorial Coordinator in January 2024. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience working for major media outlets, startups, and charities. A strong believer in the power of the written word to enact social change and heal, she has gone viral multiple times for her work on South Asian mental health issues. When and how did you first get involved with Sahiyo? I actually stumbled upon Sahiyo years ago while launching a mental health section as an activist writing for a South Asian publication called Brown Girl Magazine. Mariya had contributed a poignant blog about FGC that touched me deeply, so I started following Sahiyo on social media. And then as the years went, a series of events led me to pursue other passions in tech journalism. And then one day, like five billion years later, I saw a job listing for the position. It was perfect timing, because I’d just been thinking how much I wanted to involve myself more with feminist initiatives again, and so of course I immediately jumped on the opportunity. Like, literally! It was a Saturday and I was about to hop into the shower, but instead jumped back in bed and started working on my application (don’t worry, I eventually showered). What does your work with Sahiyo include? So many things! My work involves interviewing survivors and allies as well as writing and editing blog posts, but it also includes outreach, brainstorming ideas, and other related tasks. I’m also currently working on formulating a larger, data-driven strategy for the editorial team so we can make even more impact! How has your involvement with Sahiyo impacted your life? It’s only been four months but it has been transformative, honestly. I’ve not experienced FGC/M, but I do know what it’s like to experience trauma and suffer in silence because of South Asian cultural norms rooted in sexism. I can empathize with that sense of shame and stigma as well as that sense of isolation. Through each meeting I have, every person I virtually meet, and every story I read, I feel like I heal a little more and become a better person. So many of the individuals I’ve interviewed leave me with a sense of awe and inspire me, as well, including the ones who are just starting their healing journeys. Despite their pain, they’re not just trying to survive – they’re trying to thrive. Each has gone through the depths of hell and yet have risen from the ashes, lighting up and changing the world with that fire. It’s so moving to witness, and there have been times when it’s reignited a similar flame within me when I’ve felt low. What’s beautiful, too, is that my work with Sahiyo has sparked some really great conversations about gender-based violence in South Asian communities with my Mom, who I am a caregiver for as she has Parkinson’s Disease. Like a lot of South Asians, my parents were brought up in East Africa. My Mom knew girls who had gone through FGC, but it was just one of the many forms of gender-based violence going on in her community during that time (think like, late 40s, early 50s – so end of World War 2 and around when the British just left India, so very, very different times!). So she never got the space to talk about how that impacted her, and she didn’t even know what the official, modern term was for it until I started this job. She knows what it is now, though, and it’s inspired a little sense of activism in her too. My Mom has endured a lot as a quiet Indian housewife from more traditional times that’s left a lot of scars, so it’s beautiful watching her get angry as hell about FGC, challenge outdated beliefs, and ultimately heal herself – and the South Asian culture, to an extent – as we have these discussions.