Join us for a virtual conversation with Karla Bautista, a liberation coordinator for Trans Queer Pueblo, an autonomous, LGBTQ+, migrant community of color.
Bautista comes from Petén, Guatemala, and is a transgender woman of Cakchiquel origin. Fleeing violence and homophobia in her country, she immigrated to the United States in 2005 where she was detained before being deported to Mexico. When she managed to cross on her sixth attempt, she did not imagine that she would be kidnapped, sexually abused and enslaved to forced labor. She was invited to meet Trans Queer Pueblo at the end of 2017 and made contact with the Liberation Clinic, taking control of her health and hormonalization.
Bautista has has a pending application for political asylum and a T-visa. On January 11 of this year she had an interview with a transphobic and racist officer who refused to speak about gender and community, canceling the interview. This gave her the courage and strength to connect with Project Liberation as a transgender and undocumented woman and joined the fight to raise her voice, develop leadership and raise awareness for her LGBT+ migrant community.
This even is co-sponsored by the Departments of American Studies, International Studies and Sociology.