Please join me in welcoming our newest Blog Correspondents! They represent four countries, four continents and will write monthly articles about street harassment issues in their communities and/or activism to address it.
Megan, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Megan calls Melbourne, Australia, home. She has a Bachelor’s of Social Work from Latrobe University and a Master’s in Criminology from the University of Melbourne. Megan is honoured to be a part of the first SSH cohort for 2018 and believes that the sharing of stories through such initiatives goes a long way in preventing street harassment from being part of the narrative of the “everyday” for women all over the world. She’s new to Twitter, so come say hello and share your story at @thecutlerydraw.
Yasmin Curzi, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Yasmin is a Research Assistant at the Center for Research on Law and Economics at FGV-Rio. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences from PUC-Rio where she wrote her thesis on street harassment and feminists’ struggles for recognition. She has a B.A. in Social Sciences from FGV-Rio and is concluding a second B.A. in law. Her main academic interests are political sociology, feminist theories and global social movements.
Connie DiSanto, New Hampshire, USA
Connie is a visual communicator who has been working in the field for over 30 years. She is currently a marketing communications specialist for the Sexual Harassment & Rape Prevention Program (SHARPP) at the University of New Hampshire where she is responsible for designing and implementing multi-media campaigns and marketing materials for SHARPP events, education, messaging and outreach. She is also the “face” behind SHARPP’s social media presence and the content creator for the program’s website. Connie also assists with direct service to those impacted by sexual violence on the UNH campus. Being able to combine her creative background with her desire in advocating for an end to sexual violence is a unique opportunity that she feels lucky to be a part of. You can reach her by email here.
Patrick Hogan, Chicago, IL, USA
Patrick Hogan is an undergraduate student majoring in anthropology and minoring in Islamic World Studies at Loyola University Chicago, preparing to continue onto law and graduate school. He is particularly interested in legal anthropology and the ways victims are viewed by legal systems. He has held positions in social justice and charity programs, including Public Relations for Loyola Hunger Week and board positions with the University’s chapter of the American Red Cross. He hopes to find research-based solutions to social issues. In his free time, he enjoys mountain biking and skiing.
Dovie Jenkins, Detroit, MI, USA
Dovie is a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. She earned her B.A. in Anthropology at Wayne State, graduating summa cum laude. She is currently pursuing an M.A. in Anthropology and Philosophy. She hopes to complete a Ph.D. in Philosophy and one day secure a tenure-track position. Dovie’s academic interests include the evolution of moral reasoning, moral psychology, ethics, and epistemology. She is also interested in public philosophy, specifically issues relating to gender equality. She is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Dovie’s non-academic interests include endurance running, hiking, wilderness camping, kayaking, and various board-related sports.
Elizabeth Kuster, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Elizabeth is an Iowa-born and -raised writer and editor who has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Iowa, where she was a member of the undergrad Writer’s Workshop for fiction. Back in the day, she pitched and wrote the very first mainstream-media article about street harassment (for Glamour). Throughout her career, she has focused on developing content that empowers women and helps them live more vibrant, badass lives. She has held full-time editorial positions at publications such as Glamour, Seventeen and The Huffington Post and is author of the self-help/humor book Exorcising Your Ex. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys trolling the #FakePresident on Twitter. You can follow Elizabeth on Twitter at @bethmonster, but be advised that she’s been dropping a lot of F-bombs lately.
Isha Raj-Silverman, San Diego, CA, USA
Isha Raj-Silverman is a high school senior at La Jolla High School in San Diego, California. She is a local activist on various women’s issues, but particularly sexual harassment and assault. She has organized her high school’s sexual assault awareness campaigns as president and founder of La Jolla Girl Up, and helped to organize various feminist activism and advocacy events in her community such as the International Day of the Girl Child and a youth art silent auction and concert benefiting the Center for Community Solutions, her local rape crisis center. Isha is also an active member in her high school theatre community, and spends what time she has while not in school, acting, or advocating discussing politics and reading terrible young adult literature, and then loudly discussing how very feminist or misogynistic said literature was and how it may affect or be affected by the views young women have of themselves.
Adetayo Talabi, Lagos, Nigeria
Adetayo resides in Lagos. He is a Judicial Assistant/Law Clerk to Justices of the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeals. He has a Diploma and Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Benin, Nigeria. Although his educational and professional backgrounds are in law, Adetayo volunteers with several Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) including Just Justice, Irede Foundation, The Soup Kitchen with focus on legal aid, domestic/gender-based violence, gender equality and human rights. You can reach him by mail here or follow him on twitter at @TalabiJ_.
