Dear Friend,

Like you, the Tahirih Justice Center has a special place in my heart. When I see the life-saving work Tahirih does to protect women and girls, it is hard not to think about my mother, Kathy Grammer, who championed women’s rights all of her life. Wherever she was, she inspired the women around her to stand tall and to believe in themselves. Her dream was to see the equality of men and women realized. My mother passed away in 2008.

Today, I am writing to you to help me fulfill my mother’s dream. Today marks the official launch of the KathyGramm Campaign, a campaign in partnership with the Tahirih Justice Center to elevate the status of women. In support of women’s equality, I plan to raise at least $20,000 for the Tahirih Justice Center through the campaign. My personal support of Tahirih over the last few years, especially as a musical guest at their 15^th Anniversary Gala and currently, as an Honorary Co-Chair for their upcoming gala, has been incredibly meaningful to me. Now, I am thrilled to share Tahirih’s work with my fans.

I want to invite you, too to check out the KathyGramm website to learn more about the campaign and see how you can continue to support the Tahirih Justice Center. I hope you stand with me like Tahirih stands for women and girls every day, and like my mother, Kathy, did in her lifetime.

With gratitude,

Andy Grammer

Andy Grammer is an award winning musical artist whose debut album earned him the No. 1 spot on the Billboard New Artist Chart. His hit songs inlcude “Keep Your Head Up” and “Fine by Me.”

GoldmanSachs named Tahirih’s Executive Director, Layli Miller-Muro, one of the “100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs” in 2012. GoldmanSachs gathered these 100 entrepreneurs – only 11 of whom were from non-profit organizations – at their Builders and Innovators Summit in Newport Beach, CA in October 2012.

Layli was acknowledged for her entrepreneurial leadership of the Tahirih Justice Center and spent the weekend in close quarters with other entrepreneurs including the CEOs of Box, Under Armour, Chobani Yogurt and distinguished guests including Bill Clinton, Deepak Chopra, Ryan Seacrest, Malcom Gladwell, Condaleezza Rice, and David Gergen.

The Goldman Sachs award was an honor for Layli and all that the Tahirih Justice Center has accomplished in the last 15 years.

Layli Miller-Muro and Malcolm Gladwell

Layli meets Deepak Chopra

This article is a part of Tahirih’s Winter 2013 Newsletter.

Tahirih’s Public Policy Director, Jeanne Smoot (in audience), watched the President and Vice President speak right before the VAWA bill was signed into law.

As a new session of Congress gears up but many of the old problems still loom large, we want to reflect on one of the Tahirih Justice Center’s core values – non-partisanship – and share why we have found that holding tight to that principle in the policy world is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.

We believe that supporting incredibly courageous women and girls who refuse to be victims of violence is a unifying issue, one around which all political perspectives can rally – and we have seen that mobilization happen again and again.

The original Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994 and Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) in 2000 had lead authors and co-sponsors from both parties. Subsequent VAWA reauthorizations passed by unanimous consent in the Senate, and by stunning margins in the House (VAWA 2005 passed the House by 415 to 4!). And, despite the political battle that has been waged over the last year on VAWA’s reauthorization, recent victories show that this is a bi-partisan space again.

On February 28, 2013 the US House of Representatives passed the VAWA reauthorization bill (S.47) by a resounding bi-partisan vote of 286-138 and the week before, the Senate passed it by a strong 78-22 bi-partisan vote. This bill, signed by President Obama into law on March 7th, also renews the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

Tahirih has been at the forefront of efforts over the last year to preserve and advance protections under VAWA for immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and human trafficking. As co-chair of the Immigration Committee of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, we have also advocated to keep the VAWA discourse passionate and principled, but not political.

Over the last year, Tahirih repeatedly met with senior staff and key Members from both parties and within leadership of both House and Senate, reaching out to over 30 Congressional offices. Our even-handed approach has opened doors for us and earned us willing allies. Provisions that Tahirih drafted to strengthen the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (“IMBRA,” a Tahirih-drafted law enacted in 2006 to prevent the brutal abuse and exploitation of so-called “mail-order brides”) were offered by a Republican leader on the Senate Judiciary Committee, accepted by the Democratic Chair, and then passed by a nearly unanimous vote during the full committee hearing on the VAWA reauthorization bill last February. Tahirih has a solid track record of garnering bi-partisan support for our legislative proposals; we also secured bi-partisan lead co-sponsors in both the Senate and House for IMBRA’s introduction in 2005.

Tahirih with House Judiciary Committee staffers and members of the steering committee of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (Tahirih co-chairs the Task Force’s Immigration Committee). To the left is Tahirih Public Policy Director, Jeanne Smoot.

Non-partisanship can be challenging to achieve in Washington, but at Tahirih, we strive toward this core value in countless ways, every day. Tahirih does not support any political party, or participate in campaign activity. That also means we do not allow party-bashing at staff meetings, in lunchroom conversations or in our communications. Tahirih representatives also do not attend candidate fundraisers and are reminded to uphold our non-partisan value at coalition meetings, at briefings and receptions, and especially in speeches and media interviews. We are always honored to be invited by a wide range of conservative and liberal groups to speak at their events, and we accept most such opportunities for public education – so long as we are not expected to be a mouthpiece for others’ platforms rather than our clients’ plights.

Tahirih has been fortunate to attract an incredibly diverse group of supporters to rally around our mission to protect women and girls from violence. Every year, Tahirih invites all members of Congress to show their support by joining an Honorary Congressional Co-Chair Committee for our annual national fundraising gala. And, every year we are grateful that dozens of Democrats and Republicans, committed legislators from across the political spectrum, agree to serve. And we have invited both Democratic and Republican champions of our causes to come speak at our gala and other events – and members of both parties have graciously accepted.

Tahirih’s inspiring clients deserve every last one of the allies that we can muster and marshal for their protection. Being genuinely non-partisan helps ensure that Tahirih can weather all the storms that pass through Washington and keep us effective no matter where the balance of power shifts.

The moment we presume who our best friend or worst enemy is, is the moment we will fail to be the fiercest advocates we can be for the courageous women and girls we represent.

For more specifically on Tahirih’s role in the reauthorization of VAWA, please see our Executive Director’s reflection after the final House vote.

This article is a part of Tahirih’s Winter 2013 Newsletter.

Sameer is an abusive and demanding man. Besides being a mayor of our district, he often instilled fear and violence in the home, whipping anyone who disobeyed him. Because of this, anything he said was final. I learned this not long after I turned ten – Sameer’s tribe demands that girls undergo female genital mutilation and, as custom dictates, I had to go through it too.

One day my mother and Sameer took me into a private home, where I was greeted by two women who I recognized as traditional healers. While Sameer stayed outside, my mother took me and told me to undress from the waist down. Even though I didn’t fully understand the procedure, I knew it would be extremely painful when I saw one of the women come at me with a knife. My mother told me to close my eyes and be strong. When the woman started cutting me, I screamed and cried from the pain. I also bled more than I had ever seen. I was given a cloth to put between my legs as I walked home. The next day, I had to be treated for infection.

Luckily, I was able to move on past this event and grew up to get a good education. I loved learning and in 2009, I was able to obtain a student visa to come to the United States to earn an undergraduate degree. I moved to Houston, Texas because my step-father had friends there who could help me settle in.

At this time, Serena, an old friend from Mali also moved to the US and we resumed our friendship. Serena had grown up Christian and we used to talk about religion when we were younger. I grew up Muslim because Islam was Sameer’s faith. Picking up my relationship with Serena reminded me of the things that I appreciated in the Christian faith. I started to learn the Bible and go to church with her; and after much thought, I decided to convert. My new faith became an important part of my life.

During their next visit to Houston, my mother and Sameer found out about my conversion. My mother slapped me and Sameer angrily left to return to Mali immediately. He called me not long after to tell me that I must marry a Muslim man he found for me—one of his own cousins who is twice my age. This was the only way I would be peacefully accepted back into the family since by marrying a Muslim man, I would be forced to be Muslim as well.

It was really hard to defy my family but I did not want to live the same life as my mother and always be controlled by a violent husband. I did not want to lose my ability to make decisions about my own life, body, and beliefs. I knew this meant I could never return home to Mali because Sameer would force me to marry. I did not even have to be present at the marriage ceremony to be considered married. Since Sameer has many connections, the police would cooperate with him and I would be found no matter what.

When he learned about my refusal to marry his cousin, Sameer instantly cut me off financially. I tried to continue paying for school, but eventually could not. I no longer had money for school, rent, food, clothing, and other bills. I went to a local YMCA to find help. Staff there told me about the Tahirih Justice Center.

Tahirih took me on as a client after hearing my story and assigned me an attorney from their pro bono attorney network. I began to work hard on my asylum case with Giugi Carminati and her team from Weil, Gotshal & Manges. Despite all our efforts, I was first denied asylum at the Houston asylum office because they felt I applied too late in my situation even though I never knew asylum was possible before finding Tahirih. I was devastated to hear that I had to start my entire case again in court. Jessica Howton, an immigration attorney at Tahirih, and Giugi Carminati took only two months to prepare me on the proceedings that would happen next. In August of 2012, they stood with me as I testified at a merits hearing before a judge at the Houston Immigration Court and finally, on October 19, I was granted asylum.

Only a few months later, I have a work permit and I am volunteering at the YMCA while working part-time. I am also continuing classes with the hope of graduating in a few years and becoming a public accountant. One day, I do hope to be happily married too.

While the road ahead is a challenging one, I take comfort in knowing that it I will now get to shape my own future.

*Name has been changed to protect client privacy. Photo is courtesy of Sergio Pessolano.

This article is a part of Tahirih’s Winter 2013 Newsletter.

Former Social Services Associate, Brandi Walker and Tahirih clients at our Falls Church party.

“It’s so nice that those of us that have gone through such difficult times have a chance to get together and celebrate something.” – Tahirih client, Houston

To celebrate the holiday season this winter, Tahirih staff and clients throughout our three office locations came together to mingle, play games, sing songs and celebrate the holidays. During a time of year that can be both joyful and stressful, our parties fostered community and provided moments of laughter for our clients and staff.

In Houston, 150 of our clients and their families joined Tahirih staff for our Houston office’s 2nd annual client holiday party, held in a spacious room at Neighborhood Centers.

Children enjoyed a piñata at our Houston party

We were fortunate to partner with MOCAH (Museum of Cultural Arts Houston), who sent volunteers to create take-home art projects with the children. Volunteers from Shell Oil also helped make the festivities possible by offering games, face-painting, and refreshments.
 

Tahirih attorney, Lindsay Harris with her client and her children in Baltimore

At our Falls Church office, 50 clients came with their family members to enjoy the party. Over 25 children sang, played musical chairs, created art projects, and received two toys each. Because of generous donations, we were able to offer over 40 winter coats to clients and their family members.

We want to thank all of our volunteers and donors who generously gave their time, resources, food, and gifts for our clients. Thank you, Toys for Tots, H-E-B, Shell Oil, MOCHA, members of the Greater Houston community, Martha Amaya (former client and member of Tahirih’s Wings), Moby Dick, Panera, Giant Food, Farshad Akhavan, Allied Inc., and members of the Woman’s National Democratic Club. We hope to see you all again next year.

A Shell volunteer facepainting at our Houston event

This article is a part of Tahirih’s Winter 2013 Newsletter.

The Tahirih Justice Center has received for permanent display seven vibrant and colorful tapestries – known as “molas” – from the artwork collection of Madame Mary Maxwell Rabbani (August 8, 1910 – January 19, 2000). Madame Rabbani was the wife of Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, the great-grandson of Baha’u’llah (the prophet-founder of the Bahá’í Faith) and the daughter of the eminent Canadian Architect, William Sutherland Maxwell. Known to Bahá’ís all over the world as Rúhíyyih Khánum, she was a writer, public speaker and a world traveler with unparalleled love for indigenous people.

Tahirih is honored to have this loaned historic artwork now proudly displayed in our Falls Church office. The intricate and delicate authentic tapestries reflect the most well know form of art produced more than one hundred years ago by the Kuna women living on the San Blas Islands, off the northern coast of Panama. Molas have their origin in body painting. For the new generation of Kuna, the hand-made mola-making tradition is a dying art form.
To mark her remarkable life and display the molas on the 12th anniversary of Rúhíyyih Khánum’s passing, Tahirih hosted an event on January 19th. Almost 50 members of the local Bahá’í community gathered at our office in Falls Church for an evening of celebration and remembrance.

Guests viewing our Falls Church office

Tahirih Board member, Guitty Ejtemai and Tahirih friend, Bahia Mitchell

This article is a part of Tahirih’s Winter 2013 Newsletter.