SURVIVORS
KADIJATU BARRY Sierra Leone
Kadijatu was held captive as a sex slave and witnessed unimaginable atrocities as government and rebel factions fought a bloody civil war over Sierra Leone’s lucrative diamond mines. Her story reveals how the multinational appetite to exploit natural resources can spur human rights abuses. BARRY continues to suffer from depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. But she tries to find hope in her new life with the support of her Bellevue family and her dream of becoming a US citizen.
KALSANG PELMO Tibet
Kalsang a former Buddhist nun was imprisoned, tortured, and sexually violated in Tibet after demonstrating against the Chinese government’s oppression of religious freedom. She escaped by climbing over the Himalayan Mountains before making her way to the U.S. Pelmo wants to continue to practice her religion and continue to speak out against China’s human rights abuse.
SOULEYMANE GUENGUENG Chad
Souleymane was a government accountant when he was imprisoned and tortured for by the dictator of Chad. A devoutly religious man, Souleymane promised God that if he got out of prison alive, he would bring dictator Hissène Habré to justice. This 30 year struggle began with gathering testimonies. These were pivotal in helping bring the dictator to justice in the first-ever African court of its kind. Winning Guengueng a landmark human rights victory.
DONRODGE GOSLIN Jamaica
As a gay man in Jamaica, Donrodge slept with a knife and a Bible under his pillow. For years, he and his best friend dreamt of leaving Jamaica, where the legacy of colonialism and endemic violence has left LGBTQ citizens especially at risk; Human Rights Watch has called it the most homophobic place on earth. Goslin came to the U.S. after he and his best friend were abducted, brutally beaten, and sexually assaulted, and society turned a blind eye to the hate crime. He dreams of living in a place where he can be his true self.