Santamaría Fundación

María Paula Santamaría was a transgender woman, friend, and sister of the co-founders of our organization, who died on May 21, 2004, as a victim of discrimination and medical negligence, reflecting the human rights violations experienced by transgender women in Colombia. A year later, the co-founders met María Belén Correa, an Argentine trans activist living in exile in the United States, who encouraged them to organize. This is how, Santamaría Foundación was established on July 19, 2005, as a social organization working to defend, promote and guarantee the human and constitutional rights of transgender people. In memory of María Paula, our organization bears her name: Santamaría Foundación. Mission: To promote the self-determination of transgender people in order to claim and defend our human rights, influence public and state policies, and achieve social inclusion and full citizenship, thereby contributing to the recognition of sexual and gender diversity in Colombia through national and international networks. Vision: By 2025, to have generated and led community-based processes in southwestern Colombia that strengthen the defense of the human rights of transgender people. The Santamaría Foundation has two lines of work (internally referred to as Lines of Transformation), which are aimed at promoting actions to defend civil and political rights (life, integrity, freedom, security, participation, non-discrimination) and, secondly, economic, social, and cultural rights. These lines are structured into eight Organizational Programs and eight Strategies.