Salamata Barry, Fenway High, Boston, 2019
Salamata Barry was born in Guinea. When she was eight years old, she was forced to undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a dangerous cultural custom practiced throughout West Africa, as well as several other regions around the world. Nearly a decade later, Salamata found herself preparing her college application at Fenway High School in Boston. Titled “Run Away, She’s Coming,” Salamata’s essay shows how she found her voice against FGM, and her dream to fight against it by sharing her story.
Combatting FGM requires initiatives in health, justice, and education. Follow the links below for more information about the practice, what is being done to stop it, and how you can help.
To learn more about FGM, you can visit the World Health Organization or United Nations pages.
Organizations accepting donations:
For a list of how other groups are fighting FGM and how to support them, you can go to GlobalGiving.org.
Scarlet Udaan provides a toolkit of information, as well as letter templates for raising awareness about FGM.
After High School
Salamata attended Bates College in Maine with a focus on Mathematics and Education.
- Dr. Doctor, “Semilanceata,” Fungi Compilation, freemusicarchive.org
- Audiobinger, "Starting Over" & "New Hope," Skid Row EP, freemusicarchive.org
