AAI has announced the appointment of Ricki Kgositau, a young African trans woman and respected human rights defender as its new Executive Director. Ricki brings a wealth of professional training and experience on legal & policy reform, sexual and reproductive health and rights, human rights and LGBTIQA+ issues amongst other areas.

30 year old Ricki’s approach to her work is from the perspective of intersectionalities and she embodies AAI’s principles of Dedication and Participation as a collaborative leader. Ricki is best known for her work as a trans human rights activist and is currently Executive Director at GenderDynamiX, a close partner of AAI. Ricki completed her graduate studies in International Relations, with a specialty in International Human Rights Law & Diplomacy. Ricki is also a 2016 Mandela-Washington Fellow, University of California-Berkeley (Goldman School of Public Policy in the USA). Ricki also recently won the Other Foundation’s Feather Award for Role Model of the Year and the overall award The African Feather of the Year.

Rodrigo Garay, Founder of AAI, proudly made the announcement today after a rigorous six-month recruitment process that determined the new ED for the innovative think tank. AAI is known best for using scorecards to hold leaders accountable, and will be the first non-profit organisation working globally to be led by a young African trans woman.

AAI prides itself on being an international organisation that is led by Africans, and now to be the first non-LGBTIQA+ organisation to have a trans person as ED. One of our key principles is participation and Ricki’s appointment, a young trans woman from Botswana shows our commitment to be led by the communities and movements we are a part of. All these identities also make her an intersectional leader who will be able to connect well with AAI’s various partners and community.Read more via AIDS Accountability