WGSS PhD Candidate Hafza Girdap Recognized at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Visionary Awards Gala

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WGSS PhD candidate Hafza Girdap was recognized at the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Visionary Awards Gala. In celebration of Women’s History Month, the New York State Senate and Nassau County named Hafza a “Woman of Destiny” for her work with Advocates of Silenced Turkey.

The 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Visionary Awards Gala took place on March 9th. Organized around the theme “Women of Destiny,” this event honored women living in New York who have dedicated themselves to advancing fairness and justice in their communities.

Hafza Girdap – a WGSS PhD candidate and Hartog Teaching Award winner – received special recognition for her activist work with Advocates for Silenced Turkey, an organization dedicated to utilizing all human rights advocacy tools to protect those whose voices are being silenced in Turkey and beyond. As the Executive Director and spokesperson, she is regularly visiting the United Nations, international venues, and community education forums to discuss the current political situation and advocate for women’s rights in Turkey. In 2024, Hafza received the Early Career Research Knowledge Exchange Award from the International Association for Political Science Students as well as the PhD Works Award for Career Exploration Award from the Graduate School at Stony Brook University.

This spring, in addition to being honored at the Dr. King Visionary Awards Gala, the New York State Senate issued an official proclamation recognizing Hafza’s unparalleled leadership and service in improving lives and transforming communities.