Heartland Alliance International (HAI) works to secure the rights and well-being of marginalized people and groups, including the LGBTQI+ community. For many of HAI’s participants, the intersection of their individual identities exposes them to complex layers of discrimination and abuse. As a human rights organization with roots in Chicago and programs in Colombia and Nigeria, HAI is all too familiar with the ongoing epidemic of violence against the Transgender community – an epidemic that disproportionately affects Transgender women of color. And, we know this is a global threat that requires global action.
MEET MARÍA FERNANDA ARBOLEDA
Maria Fernanda Arboleda is a transgender woman and advocate, a survivor of violence, and a community agent with HAI in Colombia. Since 2018, Maria Fernanda has worked with HAI’s team in Buenaventura, delivering mental health and legal services in communities hurt by the internal conflict – the same communities that raised her.
“I am an independent trans woman and I have lived on my own for over 10 years. In that time, I have dedicated myself to defending the rights of people with diverse identities and sexual orientations. People like me,” Maria Fernanda said.
According to Colombia Diversa, between 2013 and 2019, 710 LGBTQI+ individuals were murdered in the country. As of June 2020, the organization reported 26 murders and predicts the number is actually much higher.
“In Buenaventura, we face a lot of discrimination. The society is still really homophobic. When they beat us, they say we deserved it. When they kill us, they say we had it coming.” Maria Fernanda explains that going to the authorities usually ends in humiliation and more pain, so many trans people keep quiet after their attacks. “It’s almost as if silence and fear become accomplices to these crimes,” she says.
EXISTENCE IS RESISTANCE
“People are born this way. It’s not like we ‘became this way’ later in life,” María Fernanda said using air quotes as she spoke. “Many trans people just don’t know what’s going on in their heads, especially as children. We don’t understand why our minds don’t match our physical bodies. It’s confusing.”
“The first time I said, ‘My name is María Fernanda’ I was 27 years old and attending a leadership workshop. That’s when Fernando’s life ended. It’s been many years now and most of my family accepts me. I even have an uncle who calls me his ‘niece.’ Sadly, my dad is the only one that still doesn’t understand and it hurts. “
Before joining HAI as a community agent, María Fernanda worked with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as an advocate for Transgender individuals living with HIV.
“I am the first trans woman in Buenaventura to work for an international organization, and that motivates me to keep going and not give up, despite the difficulties. I exist and I’m going to make it count,” Maria Fernanda said.
THE STRUGGLE TO WORK
“My first job was in a beauty salon as a manicurist. I was really good, but a part of me always felt like I could be doing more. There’s nothing wrong with working at a salon, but it bothers me that when trans women want to try something different, we don’t have the same opportunities or access,” Maria Fernanda said.
Refusal to hire, bias, harassment, and even physical and sexual violence on the job are common occurrences, and are experienced at even higher rates by Transgender people of color. HAI address barriers to employability in the transgender community through awareness work and in communities, encouraging hiring practices that retain individuals with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences pertinent to the work.
“I love being a community leader, but it also leads to more exposure to discrimination. Not only for being trans, but also for being Afro and because of my economic status.”
Ensuring that everyone has the ability and support to provide for themselves and their families financially is crucial to a successful society. HAI provides survivors, like Maria Fernanda with opportunities to gain the skills needed to move out of poverty, lead, and thrive.
“After training with HAI to become a community agent, I began leading group discussions on advancing the rights of LGBTQI+ people and increasing their access to mental health services. Working with HAI has helped me become more open-minded. Today, I’m confident, I know my rights, and I feel prepared to defend my community and help others like me value themselves.”
This project is funded by the United States State Department. Population, Refugees and Migration office (PRM).
