Shared Stories Shared Struggles: An evening of sharing anti-violence stories, skills, & strategies for our collective liberation

Be part of ASWAT - Palestinian Gay Women and Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe’s historic fundraising tour - an exciting collaboration of two organizations in the Global South who are making an impact throughout the world. They join the Audre Lorde Project to share their stories of resisting and challenging violence.

Meet Rauda Morcos (Co-Founder) and Samira Saraya (General Coordinator) of Aswat - Palestinian Gay Women. Aswat raises the voices of lesbians, intersex, queer, transsexual, transgender, questioning and bisexual women, increases public awareness, and creates a safe environment within Arab and Palestinian society through advocacy, education, empowerment and outreach programs.

Meet Fadzai Muparutza (Gender Program Manager) and Mary Audry Chard (Board Co-Chair) of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe. GALZ pushes for social tolerance of sexual minorities and the repeal of homophobic legislation. One of the first organizations in Zimbabwe to start HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns, GALZ remains the only organization by and for LGBTI people in the country.

Donation Information:

We hope you’ll make a donation to support the powerful work of Aswat and GALZ. You can make a donation at the event, or mail it to Astraea. Donation forms will be available at the event. Please make your checks out to Astraea Foundation and write "Aswat & GALZ 9/15" in the memo line.

If you can’t attend the event, but would still like to make a donation, please:

Send your check or money order to:

Astraea Foundation

116 E. 16th St., 7th Fl

New York, NY 10003

Call us to make a credit card donation: 212-529-8021x22 (Lorraine Ramirez, Program Associate).

Donate online at: www.astraeafoundation.org, , and click on the Donate Now button. Please make sure to write “Aswat & GALZ 9/15” in the memo line.

More about these organizations:

Aswat - Palestinian Gay Women (www.aswatgroup.org) is a group of Arab gay women and home to all lesbians, inter-sex, queers, transsexual, transgender, questioning and bisexual women. Our mission is to raise our voices to echo in the corridors of our society, promote our existence to raise public awareness, and create a safe environment for gay Arab women within our Arab and Palestinian society. Aswat representatives Rauda Morcos (co-founder) and Samira Saraya (General Coordinator), will be will be traveling through the US, Canada, and England.

The Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (www.galz.co.zw) is a universitas voluntary association. It was founded in 1990 for purposes of serving the needs and interests of LGBTI people in Zimbabwe and pushing for social tolerance of sexual minorities and the repeal of homophobic legislation. GALZ was one of the first organisations in Zimbabwe to start HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns and, today, it remains unique in that it is the only organisation in the country specifically working with people who engage in same-sex sexual activity. GALZ representatives Fadzai Muparutza, Gender Program Manager, and Mary Audry Chard, Board Co-Chair, will be traveling through the US, Germany, and England.

The Audre Lorde Project (www.alp.org) is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non Conforming People of Color center for community organizing, focusing on the New York City area. Through mobilization, education and capacity-building, we work for community wellness and progressive social and economic justice. Committed to struggling across differences, we seek to responsibly reflect, represent and serve our various communities.

The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (www.astraeafoundation.org) works for social, racial and economic justice in the U.S. and internationally. Our grantmaking and philanthropic advocacy programs help lesbians and allied communities challenge oppression and claim their human rights.