I always knew that I was different and that I did not like my position in society. In 2010 I visited an exhibition by a group of feminists and activists, and I liked the energy, talks, smiles and the welcoming spirit so I decided to stay. That group was CURE Foundation, where I have been working for 6 years now. That was the event that changed my life. Those women there changed my life forever.
CURE is a feminist organisation focused on the empowerment of young women in Bosnia and Herzegovina through education and raising awareness on women’s human rights — including LBT rights. We provide assistance for lesbians, bisexual and trans* women. We provide a safe space for them to come in, talk to us, share their concerns and problems and for us to provide them with information. We also create empowerment workshops for LBT women where we help them to raise their voices, accept their identities, fight for equality, learn about activism. We let them express themselves through art of any kind, through exhibitions of their work, their ideas and stories.
Our whole society is a challenge we face every day. We are still fighting for a place in public space, for equal pay, equal opportunities and treatment. We are fighting against everything that is based in hetero-normativity and patriarchy and for diversity, for inclusion — in education, health, politics.
Traveling and meeting activists from around the world is my greatest inspiration. The women with whom I work and whom I empower are my strength, and they show me every day why I am doing what I do. My aim is to completely stop talking about sexual orientation and gender identity; to make the world so inclusive that there is no need to discuss them at all; to make this the norm — you know, like patriarchy is today — but based on the right values, on equality of all, on love and support and not on prejudice and hate.