Creating Sanctuaries
A sanctuary is a place of refuge, protection, or safety
A sanctuary is a place of refuge, protection, or safety.
Casa Hogar Buen Rostro is a sanctuary near Mexico City for trans women seeking safety and redefining their destiny.
When I learned about the home & project through the film TRANSMEXICO, a seed was planted. Months later, I visited the home and met some of the women and interviewed them about their stories.
When I was introduced to the founder of the home, Kenya Cuevas, an activist and organizer known for igniting the uprisings that led to the legal recognition of trans femicide in Mexico, I learned that there is a groundedness to her work. She launched the home project as an extension of her organization in response to her friend Paola Buenrostro being unalived. This became the catalyst for her to challenge the systems that uphold this political climate for trans women.
The home is a living, breathing refusal to be erased. It holds and is held by women who get to keep going, start over, transition, and just feel a little safer.
Overall, this experience has shown me that creating sanctuaries is needed, and that can mean in our communities or for ourselves.
What makes you feel safe and protected? What can you do for your loved ones to create a stronger sense of safety for them? What can you ask for from your connections so you can feel more safe? Let’s practice creating and nurturing the sanctuaries that help us heal.
I’m currently working towards publishing their stories and these images — so please let me know of any connections to magazines or publications that highlight trans women and their work and healing.
©gí tenamá