Well know human rights activist Zenita Nicholson has died. Nicholson for many years volunteered with the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) against LGBTI discrimination and abuse.
In 2014, the United States Embassy here in recognition of her works presented her with the Woman of Courage Award.
While no cause of death has officially been announced, sources say that Nicholson died by suicide.
In a statement on its Facebook page, the US Embassy here said:
“We are very saddened to learn about the passing of our friend, Zenita Nicholson. In March of 2014, the U.S. Embassy awarded Zenita with our first ever International Woman of Courage Award in recognition of her exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment and raising public awareness to protect the human rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender persons. Zenita’s unwavering commitment to justice and equality has given hope to many both in Guyana and throughout the Caribbean. We convey our sincerest condolences to Zenita’s family and friends. She will be sorely missed.”
SASOD today issued the following press release:
The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) is shocked and saddened by the news of the death of one our leading activists and former board member, Zenita Temall Nicholson. Zenita joined SASOD in May 2011 as a member and Coordinator of the “Human Rights Education for the Protection of Sexual and Gender Minorities in Guyana” Project. Zenita was passionate about human rights and a fearless defender of the rights of vulnerable people. She applied this drive and commitment to her work, delivering exceptional results at SASOD to raise awareness and strengthen advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Due to her dedication and hard work, she became Secretary on the SASOD Board of Trustees in September 2012 – a volunteer position which she held for two years, until September 2014. Zenita remained a member of SASOD and represented the organisation at the 45th Regular Session of the Organisation of American States General Assembly as recently as June of this year in Washington, D.C. Zenita was recognized for her outstanding leadership and courage by the United States Embassy in Georgetown in March 2014 when Charge d’ Affaires Bryan Hunt presented her with their first International Woman of Courage Award. The citation reads: “In recognition of your exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment and raising public awareness to protect the human rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender persons.”
At the time of her death, Zenita had been working as Country Coordinator of the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (CVC) and the Centre of Integral Orientation and Investigation (COIN) under the PANCAP Global Fund Round 9 “Vulnerablized” Groups Project.
Her death is an irreplaceable loss to the Guyanese and global human rights movement.
Zenita leaves to mourn her two children, Dmitri and Daria Nicholson, mother, Kamanie Singh, brother, Andrew Temall, and countless relatives, colleagues and friends whose lives she touched. SASOD extends sincerest condolences to her family, friends and the local, regional and global human rights movement in Guyana, across the Caribbean and worldwide
