Today marks the last day of Amina Doherty’s tenure as FRIDA’s Coordinator. And though we know very well that no one really ever ‘leaves’ our feminist movements, we want to mark this day with appreciation and recognition of Amina’s path-setting contributions to FRIDA’s evolution from an idea to fully fledged Young Feminist Fund. The rejuvenation of FRIDA leadership and continued support to young feminists around the globe is ensured by the deep commitment of the FRIDA Advisory committee and the supporting institutions of AWID and FCAM. The possibilities are truly endless for FRIDA’s development in the years to come!
Here are some words from us – FRIDA Advisors AND grantees to appreciate Amina and to look forward toward FRIDA’s bright future!
Angelika Arutyunova
Program Manager at AWID and Interim Coordinator of FRIDA (as of April 8)
Words of Appreciation for Amina:
Starting up a new organization from scratch always requires a lot of courage, persistence, optimism, creativity, imagination, vision and commitment. Starting up FRIDA the Young Feminist Fund was even a bigger challenge, taking in account its innovative model and its global ambitions. However, you made it happen Amina with such grace and lightness! Your leadership embedded all these qualities and more. We could feel your love for art, painting and music vibrating behind you, pushing you ahead even during the most difficult times, when sometimes it seemed impossible to achieve so many things a t the same time. Thank you for giving birth to FRIDA with the support of all the young (and less young) “comadres” you had around. I know that we will all stay close to FRIDA wherever we are and that with our ongoing support, our future coordinator will take good care of the “new kid on the block” and will take it to a new and exciting stage of development and success.
Thank you Amina!
Ana Criquillion and Carla López from Fondo Centroamericano de Mujeres (FCAM and CAWF)
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The leadership, creativity, vision, commitment and passion that Amina gave FRIDA as its Coordinator during its start-up phase has made FRIDA what it is today: an exciting, innovative, dynamic new women’s fund, supporting amazing work led by young feminist around the world, creating opportunities to mobilize much needed new resources to support feminist organizing globally. We have been so lucky to have you Amina as our colleague leading this important new feminist organization, and we wish you all the best in the new phase that you will be starting soon!
Warmly,
Lydia Alpizar, Executive Director of AWID
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Amina has been a fearless leader to FRIDA. Her enthusiasm, energy, dedication and belied about what FRIDA was becoming was contagious from the moment I met her. As the coordinator, she always ensured that we all took ownership for the success and challenges with FRIDA. For me, I will remember Amina as the charismatic but firm leader who encompassed FRIDA’s core values of flexibility, resource(fullness), inclusivity, diversity and action. As FRIDA transitions into new leadership and new round of grants, I look forward to continue to work with FRIDA to ensure that these core values are living reality in the activism and initiatives FRIDA supports.
Marisa Viana, Manager for Young Feminist Activism Program at AWID
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Amina is a true believer in the power of young feminist organizing — this belief has grounded and driven her work at FRIDA. She brings energy, creativity, vision, and love to her work. Her leadership and love has helped to build the amazing community of grantees, donors, advisors, and supporters that is FRIDA today. We look forward to nurturing and supporting this community in its next stages. Using Amina’s example as our model, we will ground our work going forward in our firm belief in the power of young feminist organizing.
Betsy Hoody, FRIDA Advisor
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From our first conversation, I already thought that I was dealing with a woman with strong beliefs. I later noticed that you showed as well a lot of insight and empathy in your task as coordinator. Never imposing your will on others. I sincerely hope that the path you’re taking today will be bright and full of accomplishment. Just like FRIDA’s that continues its momentum and will welcome talented and dedicated leaders.
Fanta Cisse, FRIDA Advisor
Dès notre première conversation, je me disais déjà que j’avais affaire à une femme avec de fortes convictions. J’ai ensuite découvers que tu faisais preuve de beaucoup de clairvoyance et d’empathie dans ta tâche de coordonatrice. N’imposant jamais ta volonté aux autres. J’espère vivement que le chemin que tu emprunte aujourd’hui sera brillant et plein d’accomplissement. Tout comme celui de FRIDA qui continuera sur sa lancée et verra passer beaucoup de leaders talentueux et dévoués.
Fanta Cisse, FRIDA Advisor
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“En Noviembre del 2010, a parte de conmemorarse el 25, el día contra la violencia hacia las mujeres, comenzamos a construir un sueño que hoy es realidad: FRIDA. Y quien ayudo firmemente a hacer realidad este gran sueño colectivo fue Amina. Amina Doherty, con pasión, fortaleza, un enorme corazón y sobretodo con su creatividad nos ayudo a volver realidad los deseos de un cumulo de feministas algunas más jóvenes que otras. Y no fue una tarea fácil. Pero a tres años, podemos ver los resultados de su labor. Frida es un fondo reconocido a nivel global, se han acercado más de 1,000 grupos y hemos apoyado a grupos de jóvenes feministas del sur global que tienen una gran capacidad de incidencia política y de transformación para lograr un mundo mejor. En este 2013, en Frida, tenemos un gran reto, pasar a una nueva etapa donde un primer paso es que se cierra una etapa con Amina, pero nos deja con toda la fortaleza para consolidar un equipo en FRIDA, para poder apoyar a cada vez más grupos de jóvenes feministas a nivel global. Amina nos deja un gran trabajo de tres años de lucha, esfuerzo y dedicación, nos deja un gran camino, para seguir construyendo un mundo mejor y más justo para las jóvenes y niñas”
Perla Sofia Vazquez Diaz , FRIDA Advisor
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For me, Amina truly embodies the qualities of feminist leadership: leading through humility, solidarity and support in order to ensure FRIDA does outstanding work. She’s been able to bring together the energies of a far-flung, diverse and creative group in order to launch, guide and support FRIDA in her inaugural journey. Her indefatigable enthusiasm and inspiring optimism is the stuff of legends! With FRIDA’s foundations in place, Amina has set the tone for successes that are sure to continue. We are cheering her on in her next endeavors and welcoming in new energies for the next phase of FRIDA’s life.
Amanda Shaw, Program Associate at AWID, FRIDA support staff
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Amina you have been the first courageous young feminist to work with young feminist and shown to us that good heart of, understanding our issues, giving us equal opportunities and sharing information we are really going to miss you a lot but all in thanks for the great work you have done to bring out young feminist on board.
Yours, Julie
Crested Crane Lighters, FRIDA Grantee
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Although I never met you in person and the closest we could get was via skype, I feel that you are an amazingly important feminist comrade, a person who I can trust. Your support and commitment is something to admire and I hope I will meet more people with your ideals. Your work and positive energy are extremely empowering for our group. Thank you!
Best,
Marianna Szczygielska
Radical Queer Affinity Collective, FRIDA Grantee
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On behalf of Friends of Life Foundation and myself, we would like to say that Amina is unique and dynamic when it comes to coordinating or communication. The reason I’m saying this is that during my travelling arrangement and participation in the AWID forum in Turkey the manner and fastest way she took to arrange for my travelling was amazing. She is sociable, lovely, non-racism or discrimination, respectful and hardworking. Word cannot express her coordinating abilities during her terms. We wish her good health and success wherever she will find herself.
We love you Amina.
Tiwaa Nightingale
Friends of Life Foundation , FRIDA Grantee
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Dear Amina,
On behalf of “EQUAL RIGHTS” young activists group I thank you for your wonderful work you’ve done for FRIDA and for us as a grantee. You have been always willing to help us with your responses and advises, as well as with the very valuable and useful information and materials, resources you shared with us regularly. Wish you all the best. Such a positive person like you makes this world better. THANK YOU. “
Marianna
Group/Program Coordinator
Equal Rights, FRIDA Grantee
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As Y-Fem I am honoured to have met such a vibrant womyn as Amina. She is driven by love, and strong drive behind that love is appreciation and celebration of young womyn. Amina has supported us not only on a donor -grantee relationship but she has walked this path in solidarity with me, hopefully all the grantee partners. I am wishing Amina light and love for her next ventures…
Regards
Florence
Y-Fem, FRIDA Grantee
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Dear Amina,
Warm Greeting from Georgia. Thank you very much for you amazing work and support all the time. You courage gave us inspiration to join women’s movement and be part of it. Thank you once again and sending big love from Georgia. Helping Hand and Civil Society Development Centre.
Sincerely,
Tinatin Meskhi, Deputy Director
Helping Hand – NGO, FRIDA Grantee
