Alí is an Afro-Colombian lawyer and human rights defender from Timbiquí, Cauca, dedicated to fighting racial injustice and police violence. As the co-founder and director of the Colectivo Justicia Racial (Collective of Lawyers for Racial Justice), he leads a network of 100+ Black lawyers who work pro bono to defend victims of police brutality, racial profiling, arbitrary detentions, and extrajudicial killings.
His impactful advocacy experience includes:
Expert Commissioner for Justice Reform (appointed by President Gustavo Petro, 2023)
Leader of Voto Pacífico (2022) – a campaign mobilising 350 lawyers to protect voting rights in Black communities
Champion for racial justice in the Colombian legal system
Louise Arbour is a distinguished legal expert, human rights advocate, and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. She has played a pivotal role in advancing international justice, having served as Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, where she led groundbreaking prosecutions for genocide and war crimes. She later became a Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and has led major inquiries into human rights and institutional reforms.
She is a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, contributing to efforts to shift global drug policies toward an evidence-based, human rights-centered approach.
Kojo Koram is a writer and academic, teaching at the School of Law at Birkbeck College, University of London. His work critically examines the intersections of law, empire and the global war on drugs. He is key voice in harm reduction and drug policy reform.
As the author of Uncommon Wealth: Britain and the Aftermath of Empire and editor of The War on Drugs and the Global Colour Line, his research challenges dominant narratives and sheds light on the historical and political forces shaping policy today.
Dandara Rudsan is a distinguished Afro-Brazilian trans activist and human rights defender based in Altamira, Pará, Brazil. Dandara has served as:
Project Advisor at the Black Initiative for a New Drug Policy
Founder of LesBiTrans, an organisation dedicated to advocating for the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals in the Amazon region.
Member of RENFA – National Network of Anti-Prohibitionist Feminists
Former National Rapporteur on Human Rights of the DhESCA Platform on the agenda 'Racism, Public Security and Lethal Violence
Dandara's unwavering commitment to racial justice and trans rights has significantly impacted marginalised communities in the Amazon. Her work exemplifies the power of grassroots activism in driving systemic change.
Luz Mery is dedicated defender of Indigenous rights and the Amazon rainforest. She has spent over a decade advocating for peacebuilding, environmental protection, and the rights of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. Luz Mery played a key role in drafting the ethnic chapter of the Havana Peace Agreement – the historic agreement signed in 2016 which ended the 52-year conflict between the Colombian government and the FARC guerillas.
She continues to push for its implementation through her role in the High-Level Special Body for Ethnic Peoples (IEANPE). As a representative for the Special Electoral District for Peace, she brings the voices of the people of the Amazon to the highest levels of power. She has been a leader in ensuring sustainable, community-led development in post-conflict Colombia.
Ahmed is a dedicated advocate and activist from Kenya, working to advance harm reduction and amplify the voices of people who use drugs. With 14 years of experience in the field, he has played a crucial role in shaping harm reduction policies across Kenya and beyond.
Ahmed’s advocacy experience includes:
🔹 Regional Coordinator of AfricaNPUD
🔹 Founding Executive Director of KwaNPUD Kenya
🔹 Former Secretary Board Member of AfricaNPUD (2019-2023)
🔹 Executive Committee Member, Key Population Consortium of Kenya
🔹 Alternate Member, Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism (Kenya)
Ahmed has broken barriers as the first outreach worker to distribute needle and syringes in Kenya, paving the way for life-saving harm reduction services. His advocacy has driven major policy shifts, ensuring meaningful involvement of people who use drugs in decision-making.
Claudia is a powerful voice for rural women and campesino communities in Colombia. As president of the Community Action Board of San Agustín Medio since 2015, and a leader within the Association of Peasants of Bajo Cauca (ASOCBAC), Claudia has championed gender justice, human rights, and sustainable alternatives to punitive drug policies.
Her work includes advocating for the inclusion of rural women in peacebuilding processes, contributing to research on the gendered impacts of chemical fumigation, and participating in national dialogues and coca growers' strikes to promote just and community-driven development.
We look forward to hearing her reflections on grassroots leadership, rural justice, and the path toward drug peace.
Paula is a community-based health worker, policy advocate, researcher, movement strategist. With a deep commitment to social justice and community care, Paula has worked across migrant justice, public health, and drug policy reform movements—from supporting asylum seekers at the U.S./Mexico border to decarceration and harm reduction initiatives in California.
Currently serving as Education Developer & Advocacy Specialist at Community Health Project LA, Paula’s work is rooted in the legacy of queer, trans, and BIPOC-led resistance to the HIV-AIDS epidemic. Their academic and advocacy work bridges science, community healing, and ancestral knowledge—including research on entheogens and trauma healing as part of conflict transformation and violence prevention strategies.
We are excited to have Paula join us at HR25 to share their powerful insights at the intersection of harm reduction, healing, and liberation.
Silvie Ojeda is a communications strategist, art director, and human rights advocate with experience creating bold, justice-driven campaigns for harm reduction and drug policy reform.
From grassroots movements to the UN, Silvie has helped tell powerful stories that centre feminist, decolonial, and anti-prohibitionist voices—turning complex policies into emotionally resonant calls to action.
We’re thrilled to have her join HR25 to share insights on how communication can challenge oppressive systems and strengthen collective movements for change.
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