Alisha Kohn
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Presenting HVTF Keynote Address on Saturday, November 21st | 10:10-10:25am
Trans Liberation in the Abolition Movement

Keynote Description: Alisha will discuss the intersection of Transbodies and the Criminal Justice system and how the fight for liberation must be in harmony with the Abolition of the gender binary and Prison Abolition.

Bio:

Alisha Kohn (she/her) is a transgender womxn, formerly incarcerated resident living, working, playing, loving, and fighting for change in the Mid-Hudson Valley. After spending ten years behind bars, she knows first hand the cycles of trauma that are perpetuated through being incarcerated. She uses her trauma and her passion as a transformative practice to move forward an abolitionist movement in the Mid-Hudson Valley.

Alisha is leading advocacy, research, and civic engagement work in the role of Director for the Queers Justice committee with the Newburgh LGBTQ+ Center.

Her work to further strategy to divest from prisons, Alisha has taken a role with the International Alternative to Violence Project (AVP) as Vice President. AVP brings conflict resolution workshops to prisons and in the community drawing from the interpersonal transforming power each individual has within themselves. When Alisha is not destroying the carcel system she loves to cook, play video games, binge-watches tv shows, and spends time strengthening her relationships with her loved ones.