May 2023 Newsletter: Have you heard the amazing news?

Dear Friend,

Last month was full of amazing news.

On April 20, Washington and Vermont passed bills against female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage, respectively!

I am so happy that these two states have taken a stand to protect the rights of women and girls in the U.S. and so proud that AHA Foundation played a significant role in attaining these victories—all thanks to your support. You can read more about why these achievements are so empowering from AHA Foundation’s Director of Policy and Women’s Programs, Michele Hanash, here.

In other news, Sean Callaghan, whose research into the prevalence and impact of FGM in the U.S. is supported by AHA, has launched a survey to assess the ongoing risk to and support service requirements of those impacted by FGM in the U.S. The survey “seeks the views of women who are over the age of 18, who live in the United States, and who have ancestral links to a specific group of countries where female circumcision is known to take place.”

Find out more about the survey in English (here), French (here), or Somali (here), and take part (here, here, or here) if you are eligible, or share this information if you know someone who might be interested.

On March 29, long-time AHA team member Natalie Arroyo spoke in favor of an anti-child marriage bill in her home state of Texas. Natalie is a true warrior for the rights of girls and women in the U.S., and we are lucky to have her with us. In our blog this month, you can read an interview with this inspiring woman. See here.

Natalie recently became a mother, which has only deepened her commitment to our fight to end abuses against children in the U.S. Since Mother’s Day is just around the corner, we wanted to pay tribute to survivors and activists who are also mothers. So, in our blog this month, you can also read a collection of quotes from these brave and fierce women on how being a mother impassions them as they fight against FGM, child marriage, and more. See here.

Last month, hundreds of AHA’s supporters registered for the first webinar in The Ayaan Hirsi Ali Dialogues series, in which I spoke with Jacob Mchangama about the millennia-long battle for free speech. The recording of the webinar is now available to watch here. You can find out more information about the series here.

And I am excited to let you know that the next webinar is scheduled for June 1 at 1 PM EDT with the musician and podcast host Winston Marshall. We’ll be talking about free speech in the age of cancel culture in a conversation moderated by Flemming Rose. You can register for it and send in your questions here.

On May 1, I spoke on a panel at the Milken Institute on the future of democracy. You can watch the recording here.

Finally, can I also remind you of AHA Foundation’s spring matching campaign? Thank you to those who have already sent a gift and helped us get over halfway to our goal. If you have not yet had a chance to act, please give now and help us get to the finish line. Your support will help us to unlock $15,000 in matching funds pledged by a generous donor. This means that your gift will have double the impact! Become a Disruptor for Good by giving today.

Warmly,