Events
Stefan Ruiz and José Parlá in December 2024 @Argenis Apolinario
Strand For Women Concert X Kids Rocks for Kids
Since May 2025, Catharsis Arts Foundation launched a series of collaborative concerts with Kids Rock For Kids, with Rahela Trust, Civic Engagement Project, Uplift Afghanistan and Malala Fund, around the collaborative project Strand for Women .
The concerts– including performances from young musicians from 13 to 23 years old–celebrat solidarity and are designed as a dialogue between girls in New York and Afghanistan. They are attended virtually by over 100 students from Rahela Trust, a Malala Fund grantee partner.
@Julia Smerling
Between the sets, the musicians can speak to the girls attending virtually, who in turn are able to share messages:
“In the shadow of my shattered dream to become a musician — a dream crushed by the harsh realities of life in Afghanistan — I found a glimmer of hope in you amidst the despair and the belief that the world has died, especially for girls like us. Your presence reminded me that there is still life and light in this world.”
“For the first time in a long while, I felt a sense of freedom and it was through your peaceful voices. Thank you for bringing hope to Afghan girls who have not seen happiness for nearly four years.”
“Thank you for filling the air with magic, we will remember it always.”
Imani White wrote for the Malala Fund that “The concert provided a space for girls to share in their grief and anger, but also feel hope and solidarity.” “Every single girl [from Rahela Trust school] joining us today is a symbol of courage, resilience and the unspeakable belief that education and solidarity can transform lives,” said Rahela Sidiqi, founder of Rahela Trust.
Read an article describing the concert here.
The series continued on November 12th, 2025, in collaboration with Uplift Afghanistan, the Civic Engagement Project, Rahela Trust and the Malala Fund.
Chibok Remembrance
On April 4th, 2024, in Lagos, Catharsis Arts Foundation and its affiliate, the Catharsis Arts Foundation Nigeria, together with the Chibok Parents Association, organized an event to honor the Chibok Girls, a decade after the tragic abduction of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in the town of Chibok in Nigeria.
This event featured the screening of the Statues Also Breathe documentary, portraying the girls' experiences and the continuing effects of the kidnappings on their community. The discussion that followed with members of the Chibok community provided a platform for engagement and reasserted the shared goal of ensuring the safe return of every girl still missing.
A decade on, the urgency of this issue has not diminished, with the fate of many girls remaining unknown. This gathering served as a poignant reminder and a clarion call to action, emphasizing the necessity to keep their stories alive.
@Dohdohndawa Photography
Strand For Women was first activated in New York City in 2023.
The Catharsis Arts Foundation led its re-activation in 2025 in New York City.
Our goal is to make the project travel across the globe in the upcoming years .