Kalaya’an Mendoza | Activist
Kalaya’an Mendoza has spent the last twenty years of his life fighting for social justice in various movements from the fight for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender rights to Tibetan Independence to anti–racist organizing.
His background in activism is rooted in strategic nonviolent direct action and community organizing. As a Queer Filipino with a disability, he has always gravitated towards working in solidarity with communities across the globe.
He most recently served as a Field Director with Amnesty International USA and has led the Tactical Safety and Security Unit within the Human Rights Observation deployments in Ferguson, DNC, RNC, Charlotte and in Standing Rock.
Kalaya'an has co-facilitated, trained and worked alongside frontline communities around the world, fighting to secure their fundamental human rights in the face of repression. From Oakland to Tibet to Taiwan, he has supported the work of activists through experiential workshops that focus on grassroots community organizing, nonviolent direct action, holistic safety and security for human rights defenders and activist self/community care. His approach has been profoundly shaped by trainers from the Ruckus Society, Students for a Free Tibet and Training for Change.
His work as an activist, organizer, facilitator and trainer have been recognized by human rights icons like His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, featured in publications ranging from OUT Magazine to the New York Times and honored by organizations and local governments across the world and across frontlines.
