Aha Foundation / Mackenzie Mcnaughton

Alertfemale genital mutilation (fgm) legislative advocacy and support - in 2023, Aha Foundation advocacy, efforts helped Washington become the 41st state to ban fgm. We supported fgm-related legislation in Washington, d.c., and continued advocating in the 9 states that still lack fgm bans.additionally, Aha supported legislation in California to implement fgm prevention education. Aha also published a report titled female genital mutilation in the u.s., the most comprehensive report on domestic occurance to date.child marriage legislation - Aha Foundation successfully advocated for child marriage bans in vt, ct, and mi, raising the total number of states that have ended child marriage to 10. At the federal level, we drafted legislation aimed at closing legal loopholes that perpetuate child marriage.training programs for service providers on fgm, child marriage & honor violence. In 2023, Aha conducted 20 live trainings for social workers, healthcare providers, and law enforcement on identifying, preventing, and responding to fgm. This included 8 sessions in chicago, supported by a department of justice grant. Additionally, our continuing legal education webinars, created in partnership with the american bar association and american association of nurse practitioners, reached 1,236 professionals. Over 900 professionals completed the new anti-fgm course launched with the american association of nurse practitioners. We also partnered with white & case llp and reed smith llp to produce 8 new state-specific guides on the legal rights of fgm survivors.direct aid for women and girls at risksince the creation of our email helpline and crisis text line, Aha has provided critical support to 884 individuals, including those fleeing the taliban in afghanistan. Additionally, we facilitated life-changing reconstructive surgery for an fgm survivor from liberia.increased media outreachayaan hirsi ali amplified awareness of Aha's mission through numerous media appearances and events. In 2023, she launched the ayaan hirsi ali dialogues, a webinar series moderated by danish journalist flemming rose where she discussed free speech with guests such as jacob mchangama, winston marshall, greg lukianoff, and kathleen stock. Ayaan appeared at major events, including the milken institute global conference, the sun valley policy forum, and the alliance for responsible citizens in london. Her post-october 7th media engagements include appearances on fox & friends, the megyn kelly show, unherd, and the national review. Ayaan also signed the westminster declaration opposing global censorship.

Align - clarity coalition to confront islamist tyrannyin 2023, the clarity coalition doubled its membership, adding members from canada, sweden, denmark, australia, and trinidad. Throughout the year, clarity hosted quarterly town halls addressing contemporary issues on islamist extremism, released eight public statements, and created the clarity pledge, which commits signatories to opposing islamism.

Activate - campus critical thinking fellowship (ctf)our fellowship program empowered students across u.s. Campuses to promote freedom of speech and engage in meaningful discussions. In 2023, program highlights included a virtual discussion with nadine strossen on free speech, a two-day workshop by philosopher peter boghossian on difficult conversations, and an in-person high school event featuring anti-islamist speaker tawfik hamid, organized in collaboration with the dissident project. Aha also recruited and trained 10 new fellows, bringing in new voices from institutions such as yale, georgetown, and the university of California, berkeley.