Only two weeks to go until you get to meet Crime Junkie’s Ashley Flowers at True Crime: Forced Marriage in the U.S., our parallel event to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
And Ashley is not the only powerhouse you’ll get to meet at our March 14 event (in person at the U.N. or virtually via Zoom):
Ashley Flowers, Host of Crime Junkie Podcast (Moderator):
Ashley Flowers is a founder/Chief Creative Officer, podcast creator/host, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author and mother. She is the host of the hit true crime podcast “Crime Junkie” and several other chart-topping shows, including “The Deck” and “The Deck Investigates.” Ashley is the founder & CCO of audiochuck, home to industry-leading, advocacy-driven podcasts that have generated over two billion downloads. In just six years, audiochuck has contributed more than $7.5 million to nonprofit organizations and continues to seek out advocacy opportunities across the globe to help solve cold cases, locate missing persons, fund DNA testing and advocate for marginalized communities. Ashley’s passion for advocacy also led her to establish Season of Justice, a nonprofit that provides financial resources to help solve cold cases.
Chani Getter, LCSW, Survivor and scholar-in-residence at Footsteps:
Chani Getter (they/them) is writer, speaker, therapist, and interfaith minister. Their life and work have been featured in two documentary films, “One of Us” (2017) and “Devout” (2012). At 23, Rev. Chani began a courageous journey to live authentically. There was no model or path for what they set out to do. They made one. Decades later, Rev. Chani supports people to discover themselves, embrace their truth, and celebrate their milestones. Rev. Chani is also an award-winning activist and educator. For nearly 20 years, Rev. Chani has supported and nurtured a growing community of women, trans, gender queer, men and non-binary people across North America and Europe. The Jewish Women’s Archive highlights Rev. Chani’s pivotal role in supporting the formation and development of organizations and resources for LGBTQ+ people, including those wanting to stay connected to their Orthodox roots. Learn more at chanigetter.com.
Houry Geudelekian, Survivor and past chair of NGO CSW/NY:
Houry Geudelekian is a global leader in intersectional feminist network organizing, spearheading collaborative movements to achieve transformational change in gender equality in the U.N. space and is the U.N. Coordinator of Unchained At Last. Houry has skillfully led campaigns, forums and coalitions for global policy change. As Chair of NGO CSW/NY, she spearheaded the Beijing+25 campaign as well as convened a global Civil Society Advisory Group to support U.N. Women’s Generation Equality Forums (GEF). She leads high-level engagement with U.N. Agencies, civil society networks, Member States and other actors to advance policy efforts on care-work, child marriage, gender-based violence and other important topics. Houry organized numerous multilateral forums which generated over 25,000 participants and $40 billion committed towards gender equality. She brings dedication, passion and humor to a challenging field, and has been seen making the U.N. Secretary General laugh on gender-equality panels at UNHQ. Born in Beirut, Lebanon to an Armenian family, Houry moved to New York City in the late ‘70s and started a business that grew to over 30 team members and 2,000 constituents. This business continues to flourish, although she has transitioned to full time work in the human-rights field. Houry is fluent in Armenian and English as well as spoken Arabic and French.
Davinder Kaur, Survivor and author of “Forced to Marry Him”:
Davinder Kaur was born and raised in Bradford, England. She briefly lived in Denmark and traveled Australia for a year before moving to the United States in the early 1990s. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the age of 40 while working full time and raising her three children, who are her pride and joy. In the late 1980s, Davinder was forced to marry a man she didn’t know. When she was only 14 years old, the marriage was arranged and set to occur when she turned 18. After four long years of internal turmoil and despair, she had two choices: adhere to the customs and traditions of her family, or risk bringing dishonor to their home. Davinder didn’t like either option, so she made a plan—a plan to survive. In her first book, “Forced to Marry Him: A Lifetime of Tradition and the Will to Break It,” Davinder tells of the pain, lies, and betrayal she suffered at the hands of those who were meant to protect her the most. But her story doesn’t end there. Davinder’s willingness to speak out and fight not only saved her life but the lives of many other women and young girls over the years. She offers courage and strength to those who can’t advocate for themselves, and she works with organizations all over the world to help end arranged and forced marriages. Davinder gives a voice to the voiceless as she breaks down walls to eradicate cultural and traditional abuse. Today, Davinder enjoys cooking and traveling, loves cruises, and her two favorite places thus far are Italy and London. You can find Davinder on Twitter or Instagram @luchanik or visit her website at forcedtomarryhim.com.
Fraidy Reiss, Survivor and founder/executive director of Unchained At Last:
Fraidy Reiss is a survivor turned activist. She was 19 when she was forced to marry a stranger who turned out to be violent. She lost all sexual and reproductive rights, forced to have unprotected marital sex and to have two children. When she finally escaped that marriage, her family shunned her. Fraidy rebuilt her life and founded Unchained At Last, an NGO that combats forced and child marriage in the United States through direct services and systems change. Fraidy’s research and writing on forced and child marriage have been published extensively, making her one of the foremost experts on these abuses in the U.S. She has been featured in books (including as one of the titular women in Hillary and Chelsea Clinton’s “The Book of Gutsy Women”), films and countless TV, radio and print news stories. Through Unchained, Fraidy has supported some 1,000 survivors as they fled forced marriage. She also leads a national movement that has banned child marriage in 10 U.S. states – and counting.