The Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research and the Centre for Research in Latin America and the Caribbean invite you to join us at this seminar.

Since 2014, 6.8 million Venezuelans have fled the country due to economic, political, and social collapse, making this the world's second-largest external displacement crisis. Venezuelans are often forced to take dangerous routes—through trochas (informal trails guarded by paramilitary or gangs) and the Darién Gap (a deadly trek through Panama's jungle)—to reach host countries. When they are received, they face other challenges, especially accessing health care and employment, as well as suffering violence and discrimination. Yet, despite these unprecedented numbers and the risks displaced Venezuelans have to take, international funding for the crisis is severely lacking, and now Venezuelan refugees are being weaponized in the United States by Republicans who are bussing refugees across state lines under false pretences.

Yvonne Su and Gerson Scheidweiler will provide an overview of the Venezuelan refugee crisis and discuss the experiences of LGBT Venezuelan refugees in Brazil, particularly those in Pacaraima, Boa Vista, and Manaus.

This event is co-sponsored by the Centre for Research in Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLAC).

Speaker profiles

Yvonne Su is faculty fellow of the Dahdaleh Institute and an assistant professor in the Department of Equity Studies at York University. She is an expert on forced migration, queer migration, climate refugees, and post-disaster recovery. She currently holds three SSHRC grants that examine the Venezuelan refugee crisis and compare local, national, and international responses to LGBT Venezuelan refugees in Colombia and Brazil.

Gerson Scheidweiler is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Equity Studies at York University. He is an expert on gender, communication policies, human rights, and sexual health. His postdoctoral research explores the extent to which local, national, and international responses to receive and integrate Venezuelan refugees in Brazil have taken into account the sexual health of vulnerable populations (e.g., women and LGBTQI+ migrants). 

Register below and join us on Wednesday, October 19, at 1 p.m.

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Thank you for your interest in this seminar. 

Please find the recap and recording here.