By Umme Kulsoom Arif
This September, from the 15-19th, Sahiyo will host its annual Activists Retreat in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. For many Sahiyo volunteers and retreat alumni, it will be the first time in several years that activists, volunteers, and survivors will meet in person; we would love to have you attend!
The 2022 Sahiyo Activists Retreat was the first time I spoke about my experience as a female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) survivor in a real-time group setting. Though virtual, being surrounded by other survivors and activists candidly sharing their experiences with one another, offering sympathy and support, was an experience I will never forget, and I am incredibly grateful for it.
Activism is work. Whether private or public, it can feel very exhausting to make yourself vulnerable time and again, speaking about an often stigmatized and hidden subject. It can also feel incredibly lonely to speak out against deeply held convictions and traditions that seem to go back generations. Before 2022, I felt adrift in my trauma and my grief, wanting to be an activist but feeling unsure of what I could provide, and also afraid of the obstacles I would face in speaking up.
In my 2022 Retreat Reflection, I spoke candidly of that fear. My gender identity and sexuality have been shaped by my experience with FGM/C This had lead to me feel reluctant to share my experiences, especially as I myself felt trapped in the angriest stage of grief. The 2022 Activists Retreat, however, came with community and confirmation that my emotions were valid, that I was enough for wanting to speak up and speak out. The 2022 Retreat taught me how to grieve, taught me the value of community, and taught me the most important thing — we are not alone.
This year, in May, I had the honor of attending a one-day virtual retreat, where I met and spoke to survivors and those whose parents protected them from FGM/C, a perspective I had not anticipated hearing from, and simultaneously, one that brought me much joy. The voices of those who have begun to break the tradition of FGM/C are vital to the activist movement, and I am delighted to hear more of them joining the conversation.
We are delighted to offer travel scholarships for domestic travel to Atlanta, Georgia, as well as housing and meals. I invite you to join us for three days of healing and hope, all supported by Sahiyo’s incredible team and wonderful Retreat Planning Committee.