Board of movement
The Board of the Russian LGBT Network is a governing body in charge of the strategic management of the Movement. It is the Board who coordinates the implementation of the Russian LGBT Network’s Strategic plan and is responsible for achieving the main objectives of the Movement. The Board is elected for three years by the Conference of the Movement. At this moment there are seven people on the Board (six elected members of the Board + the Chairperson of the Movement).
The Board of the Movement calls the Conference, prepares issues to be discussed, opens and closes Regional divisions, accepts and excludes participants of the Movement, cooperates with other organizations, forms committees, commissions, working groups; and adopts normative acts regulating certain activities of the Movement. The Board meeting is called once in 3 - 4 months by the Chairperson of the Board. The Board elects a secretary from among its members, whose job is to coordinate informational and organizational support of the Board’s activities.
In November 2017 the following members of the Board were elected:
- Mikhail Tumasov (Chairperson of the Board) is an LGBT activist and human rights defender. Mikhail has an extensive managerial experience. In 2011, he founded Samara’s social LGBT-movement “Avers” and Samara’s regional branch of the Russian LGBT Network. Over the 3 years when Mikhail was the head of Avers, the organization became well known in the region and all over the country. Besides, Mikhail is an activist of the international LGBT Christians Movement. “My dear friends! I would like to express my gratitude to the Network for the trust and support showed! I sincerely hope that together we will succeed guided by our principle «different people – shared values» in a spirit of partnership, justice and responsibility. I wish us fruitful work”.
- Polina Balyava (Secretary of the Board) has a lot of experience of work with NGOs. Over last ten years, she is coordinating various social projects. Polina Balyaeva is an individual member of the Russian LGBT Network since the creation of the Movement. Moreover, Polina Balyaeva is a trainer of the Russian LGBT Network, specialist in fundraising and teambuilding. She worked with more than 25 projects in various NGOs.
- Svetlana Zakharova is an LGBT activist, feminist and a Communications Manager of the Russian LGBT Network. She received her first MA from St. Petersburg State University (School of International Relations), second – from the Central European University (Gender Studies Department). Since 2014, she is responsible in her role for all the external communication channels and work with mass media. She was also involved in the advocacy work with the Russian LGBT Network. Coordinated the project that was aimed to address gender-based violence against young women in St. Petersburg (Girl-talk-Girl).
- Artem Nikiforov is an LGBT activist. He has extensive experience of work within the Discrimination Monitoring Project. He also took part at the preparation of a series of document and policies of the Movement, including the adopted security policies. He also actively cooperates with HIV-prevention groups, human rights groups and trade unions in Tomsk.
- Oksana Berezovskaya is a lawyer, queer activist, human rights defender. As a lawyer, she has experience of work with the Russian LGBT Network, International Association AGORA, American Bar Association, and Transgender Legal Defense Project. She was also the organizer of the legal support program within the Samara Social LGBT Movement Avers. Represented the interests of LGBTQ+ people, journalists, and civil activists and human rights defenders in courts. Oksana is a Chairperson of the Samara Social LGBT Movement Avers.
- Thor Shirokov is an LGBT activist, human rights defender, the Chairperson of the Board of Krasnodar Social LGBT Movement Revers. In 2015, he founded Social Movement Revers, which is currently the biggest LGBT organization in the South of Russia. He also initiated Service project for transgender people T-Revers, which is aimed at support of Transgender people in the South of Russia. Already in 2016, the T-Revers project was opened also in Rostov-on-Don, and in 2017 branch of Revers was opened there. Thor Shirokov is also the coordinator on the Discrimination Monitoring Program in the region, and the initiator of the regional Queer Festival “Chernomorye” and of the Trans-Camp.
- Zoya Matisova – an LGBT activist, human rights defender, business trainer and psychologist. Zoya Matisova became part of the activist community in 2013, when a series of laws violating human rights were adopted in Russia. Being an activist, she realized that her business experience is relevant also for the human rights protection sphere. Zoya participated in the organization of some important for LGBT community projects such as a Conference on Protection of the Vulnerable Groups at the Workplace and the Auction to support the victims of hate crimes on the basis of SOGI. “I am happy and thankful for being elected at the Board. I hope that my knowledge and my experience will be useful in our work. I also believe that we all together and each of us should constantly learn new things: tolerance, teamwork, openness towards new people and new information. Ignorance and lack of cooperation can offset any initiative, so let’s show our solidarity and unity”.
Vyacheslav Slusarev was elected Auditor of the Movement.
The Board is open to suggestions on issues to do with the Movement’s activities from all its participants (both collective and individual). If you would like to contact the Board, send an email to [email protected]
Английский
