Ayaan receives the Oxi Day award, a survivor of FGM refuses to be silent, AHA Foundation’s campus program fellow has a new op-ed and more…

Dear AHA Foundation Supporter,

Almost every day now the news brings new allegations of sexual abuse at the hands of powerful men. With so many people sharing their pain, other survivors have tapped into a new-found strength to come forward with their stories and break the heavy cloak of silence that has been protecting the abusers while weighing on victims for years.

Survivors of forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) know this struggle with silence all too well. F.A. Cole was forced to undergo female genital mutilation when she was 11 years old. She recently had reconstructive surgery. We are grateful to Ms. Cole for reminding us about the importance of breaking the silence. Read her story here.

Elisabeth Ubbe is a Swedish photographer known for the directness of her photos. Unhappy with the way survivors of FGM are portrayed through photos, she turned her photos into a tool to empower survivors and increase urgency to end the practice of FGM. As a part of a series of events organized by the AHA Foundation Campus Program, Elizabeth is visiting Vassar College on November 28th to discuss her work against FGM. Read an interview with her here.

Many thanks to supporters who found time last week to tune into our webinar where we discussed the need for state anti-FGM legislation with two state representatives. We had a record-breaking number of participants and received excellent questions. If you missed the webinar, you can watch it here.

Congratulations to AHA Foundation Campus Program fellow, Andy Ngo, who has published a new op-ed in The Wall Street Journal! In it, he reflects on the power of reaching out to another human being. Read Andy’s op-ed An Atheist Can Respect Prayer.

I am humbled and honored to have received the Oxi Day Courage Award last month for my contributions to promoting freedom and democracy. You can watch my acceptance speech here.

My contributions to the fight against FGM and other dangerous traditional practices could not happen without you! Your support helps break the silence and protect liberty for all.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Founder, AHA Foundation