A Voice For the Voiceless
The Advocacy Project helps marginalized communities to tell their story, claim their rights and produce social change. We recruit graduate students to volunteer as Peace Fellows with partners.
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Lindsey Crifasi and Survivor Rights in Colombia
School of International Service at American University
Lindsey is thrilled to be able to work in Colombia this summer as an AP fellow for Survivor Corps, formerly Landmine Survivors Network. This non-governmental organization (NGO) focuses on recovery of survivors of conflict through peer support, rebuilding communities through collective action, and reforming disability policy through advocacy.
After more than 40 years, Colombia has withstood and suffered a brutal civil war between guerrillas and state actors, and more recently paramilitaries. This conflict is epitomized by egregious human rights violations and some of the world’s highest rates of internally displaced people. Colombia also has the largest number of new landmine victims in the world.
Survivor Corps uses sports programs and local service projects to involve survivors in their communities and create opportunities for former opponents to interact in positive ways. We also provide job skills training and economic opportunities to help conflict survivors and their families achieve economic security and participation in society through work. Survivor advocates trained by Survivor Corps raise awareness about the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the importance of equal employment for conflict survivors and people with disabilities. Through participation in these programs, survivors are connected to one another and share emotional and practical support.
Lindsey is a recent graduate from American University with an MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and was able to deeply study Colombia's conflict. With the understanding of how complex and devastating the 40 year long civil war has been, she is humbled with the opportunity to work alongside and project the voices of survivors and leaders aiming to transform the conflict. She hopes to be able to use the advocacy tools enriched by her experience interning at Amnesty International in the spring of 2009 during her fellowship with Survivor Corps.
Her love of Latin America led her to the shantytowns of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During the summer of 2008 she taught Spanish and English classes while conducting research for her thesis. Her students and friends there showed such resilience and passion towards life. She feels a deep debt of gratitude to them for letting her into their lives. Saudades!
Lindsey's camino to Latin America began at the University of Kansas where she received her BA in Spanish and International Studies, focusing on conflict and cooperation. After graduation she was able to spend a year working with children with disabilities at a local elementary school. She has now come full circle, advocating for disability rights, hoping her work in Colombia will benefit children with disabilities worldwide.
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We are not accepting donations for individual fellows at this time, please click here to donate to AP's Fellowship program.