Board Members

	Leila Sawan (She/Hers) Leila, 26, is a Trans Syrian refugee and human rights advocate based in Argentina, with a background in software engineering and research. Forcefully displaced at a young age, she experienced multiple migrations before settling in Argentina. Since then, she has advocated for the rights of refugees and undocumented individuals through grassroots movements across several countries. Currently, Leila leads an organization focused on breaking systemic barriers faced by marginalized communities and actively collaborates with regional and international networks. She is committed to ensuring that refugees and people with intersectional identities can enjoy equal rights and opportunities.
	Debanuj DasGupta (He/Him) Debanuj is Associate Professor of Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, whose research and teaching examine global governance of migration, sexuality, and HIV. A feminist geographer, Debanuj uses collaborative scholar-activist methods to explore trauma, survival, and world-making among LGBTQ refugees and immigrants. Before UCSB, Debanuj was Assistant Professor of Geography and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Connecticut (2016–2020). They served as Board Co-Chair of the Center for LGBTQ Studies (CLAGS) at CUNY (2017–2022) and currently sit on the editorial board of Geography Compass. Their publications include co-editing Queer Then and Now: The David R. Kessler Lectures 2002–2020, Friendship as Social Justice Activism: Critical Solidarities in Global Perspective, and Queering Digital India: Activisms, Identities and Subjectivities. Debanuj is completing a monograph, Queer Migrations in Three Meditations, which traces HIV/AIDS, the War on Terror, and national security politics in the U.S. They are also developing a graphic novel on queer/trans life-making in South Asia and pursuing new research on queer gastronomy in India and migrations in Argentina. Their work has been recognized with awards from UCHRI, SSRC, the British DFID, Salzburg Global Forum, UNDP, and the German Government. A survivor of the prison-industrial complex and former undocumented immigrant in the U.S., Debanuj has over twenty years of activism for sexual liberation and migrant justice in India and the U.S. They have collaborated with Derechos Humanos y Diversidad on queer refugee storytelling and zine-making projects and were a founding board member of the Queer Immigrant Rights Project in New York City.
	Julia Novikova (She/Hers) Julia is a Russian lesbian refugee and human rights advocate who has been living in Buenos Aires for more than two years. Forced to leave Russia in pursuit of freedom and acceptance, she continues to face challenges as an immigrant, especially in navigating daily life and the legalization process. Despite these obstacles, Julia is dedicated to improving conditions for refugees like herself, advocating for easier legalization pathways, stronger representation, and equal rights. She works to build visibility and support for LGBTIQ+ refugees, promoting inclusion and dignity for all displaced individuals.
	Eyad Jaabary (He/Him) Eddy, born in Latakia, Syria, in 1989, is a refugee and LGBTQIA+ activist based in Argentina. He earned a Master’s Degree in English Literature and Translation from Tishreen University. After the outbreak of war in 2011, he volunteered with projects assisting internally displaced Syrians and provided remote support to refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. In 2017, fearing recruitment into the army, Eddy relocated to Argentina through a community sponsorship program. Since then, he has become a strong advocate for refugee rights, expanding his focus to include survivors of persecution based on gender and sexual orientation. He has collaborated with local NGOs and international organizations such as UNHCR and Amnesty International, and he is part of IOM Argentina’s list of translators and refugee assistants for Arabic speakers. Eddy has represented refugee voices globally, participating in the Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) in Geneva and serving on UNHCR’s Refugee Advisory Group. He contributed to planning the CRCP annual meetings in 2023 and 2024 and was invited as a panelist at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum. As part of Crossing Pride, an initiative supported by the University of California, Santa Barbara, he joined queer refugees worldwide in producing zines and storytelling projects, culminating in a gathering at Stockholm Pride. Today, as a board member of Derechos Humanos y Diversidad, Eddy continues to advance dialogue, diversity, and inclusion through his lived experience of displacement and resilience.