Salome (Salo) Beyer

What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?

When I was 11 years old, I realized that I was living in a community that constantly objectified women. At the same time, I began to get involved with Model United Nations, and through this, realized that such objectification wasn't okay.

Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.

My Girl Up club organized the very first Regional Leadership Summit in Colombia in 2018. We replicated the Girl Up annual Leadership Summit, brought inspiring speakers, and made the event free for everyone who wanted to attend. Additionally, we ensured to have both free snacks and lunches for every participant, which made members of underprivileged communities able to attend. In 2019, we decided to do the event again, which brought even more participants. Our first summit had about 90 participants, but our second one had around 150. As a result of these events and the amazing panelists which participated in them, five more Girl Up clubs opened in different schools throughout the city, and the gender equality movement intensified. Also, these events served as an introduction to the feminist movement to lots of students from underprivileged communities. This made them begin their own gender equality campaigns in their neighborhoods and communities.

Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?

I love reading, playing volleyball, attending Model United Nations, playing the guitar and piano, songwriting, and spending time with my family.