When: May 23-25, 2023
Where: Antigua, Guatemala
Who: Andrea Cortés Islas (Admin Support Officer, FRIDA) and Dayana Carpio (Co-Director, ADEJUM Izabal: a FRIDA Grantee Partner)
At FRIDA, climate and environmental justice work constitutes a significant part of our political and funding priorities. As young feminists, our planet’s healing, wholeness, and future is a matter of life and death for us as individuals, our families, our communities, and our movements. Given how crucial these issues are, young feminists everywhere are building networks of advocacy and solidarity, convening to connect, and speaking out for change. FRIDA is part of multiple partnerships and platforms that support this work, one of which is the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA). It was therefore important for FRIDA to be part of the Latin American regional convening hosted by GAGGA.
At this gathering, the many essential intersections of gender-based liberation and planetary restoration were at the center. Attendees from all over the region had the opportunity to remember and reimagine ways of securing equitable, just, and sustainable futures for our planet, ourselves, and every generation to come. Here is a snapshot of team FRIDA’s experience and contribution to the space:
Dayana (age 17):
Thank you for inviting me to the Latin America Regional Meeting – GAGGA Alliance Mid-term Evaluation.
Being a massive and international event, I was a little nervous at the beginning. I felt getting around by myself would be a big challenge, but I was ready to do it and beat the social anxiety I had developed from certain rejections that happened at other events.
At this reunion, however, I didn’t feel any type of pressure to express myself. Since all the activities were made by invitation and not on demand, and the methodology used was empathetic and creative, I didn’t feel discriminated against for being a teenager. Being surrounded by people that didn’t dull my voice made me want to participate. It gave me a leading role that contrasted the discrimination I’ve felt since I was 13 years old. From the beginning to the end, the support from FRIDA and GAGGA was fundamental.
It was very interesting to meet diverse women who act in favor of Mother Earth, sharing contacts and experiences that made me feel that we are not alone. I also had the opportunity to learn about funds that can support binding actions to take care of the planet.
After the event ended I felt more empowered, with more energy and more desire to keep fighting for the planet. I think the fact that FRIDA and the collective gave me the confidence to participate in the event generated more emotional and verbal security in my person.
I therefore consider it important that FRIDA continues to promote spaces for participation in climate justice issues. These spaces are led by young, multi-diverse adolescent girls and women, all to exchange knowledge, experiences and create ecological alliances.
Thanks for your attention.
Andrea: My heart has been very fulfilled by the experience of attending a regional space representing FRIDA CEJ. It was such an amazing opportunity to support and connect with Dayana Carpio (17 years old), who’s the Co-Director of one of FRIDA’s grantee partners called ADEJUM, Izabal.
Dayana inspired me as well as many other participants. She reminded me of the dreams and goals of FRIDA: transforming the world into a safe space for women, trans, and non-binary folks, and defeating the inequality systems that are killing our planet and our various territories.
The GAGGA meeting was a wonderful space to connect with people from other International and Regional Funds, NGOs, and grantees from Latin America. I learned, shared, reflected, and conspired with many women and folks about the importance of challenging the narratives and practices that surround philanthropy, in which FRIDA has played a very important role. I also realized and proved firsthand how FRIDA has impacted the philanthropic space, transforming the “traditional” funding processes into more accessible, flexible, and radical ones. It made me proud to be part of such an inspiration for many girls, young women, and folks in the Region.
I enjoyed this experience very much and I encourage my colleagues to connect with grantee partners in any way possible, particularly if there are regional/local events. Recognizing that our workloads sometimes don’t allow us to take these opportunities, I’m delighted to have been part of this space.
By OluTimehin Kukoyi | She/Her
Senior Advocacy Officer,
