6 JANUARY 2, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Ozone Park’s Indo-Caribbean community
gathers to mourn following spousal murder
BY MAX PARROTT
MPARROTT@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
The murder of a 27-year-old
Guyanese woman committed by
her husband in early November
pushed Ozone Park’s Indo-Caribbean
community to refl ect on the recurring
incidents of gender-based violence in
their community.
On Sunday, Dec. 15, a group dedicated
to empowering Indo-Caribbean
women and addressing gender-based
violence organized a vigil to honor
the life of Donna “Rehanna” Dojoy
and facilitate a conversation on how
to address spousal violence and other
forms of gender inequity in their
community.
That group, the Jahajee Sisters, was
formed in 2007 soon aft er the murders
of two young Indo-Caribbean women
that fit a pattern of gender-based
violence, which the group defi nes
as crimes that are rooted in gender
inequality.
A group of over 50 gathered to listen
series of musical performances
and eulogies for Dojoy that took place
in front of an alter for her and fi ve
other female victims that the group
has memorialized since its inception.
One of these victims, Natasha Ramen,
a Guyanese woman from Hollis,
was stabbed to death by her alleged
rapist before she could testify against
him in court.
“We felt at that time like the silence
around her death was devastating
and deafening. It felt like none of
our community leaders at the time,
who were mostly men, were speaking
up for us,” said co-founder Shivana
Jorawar.
Dojoy, a “joyful, kind and caring
child” who loved to karaoke Bollywood
songs at the bar where she
worked, was stabbed by her husband,
33-year-old Dineshwar Budhidat,
whose body was found hanging from
a tree later the same night aft er texting
his cousin that he intended to kill
himself.
Dojoy had an order of protection
against her husband, aft er he was
arrested Aug. 21 for slapping and
strangling her in their apartment.
“She grew up to be a beautiful lady —
was educated at the University of Guyana.
She came here for a better life.
She was seeking an opportunity to
be able to better help her family back
home,” said her aunt Sweta Dojoy.
After the ceremony, organizers
split the group into men, women and
gender-nonconforming groups in
order to have a discussion on what
gives rise to gender-based violence
in their communities and how they
can counteract it.
In the men’s circle, the conversation
moved from moments where
intervention is necessary to forms
of masculinity that are commonly
reinforced in Guyanese culture.
“I don’t think there’s many spaces
for men to get together and talk about
something this sensitive,” said Rohan
Narine. “I realized being in spaces
like this–how it’s so important.”
Together the groups put together
a series of recommendations and
projects based on the conversations.
Guides on how to identify toxic behavior,
sensitivity trainings, advice
for religious leaders and parents to
address gender-based violence will
all be taken into consideration as the
Jahajee Sisters create their program
for the next fi scal year, according to
Jorawar.
Aft er the Dojoy family sat through
dedication and candle lighting for
their dead loved one in tears, her
aunt praised the work of the Jahajee
Sisters.
“I’m grateful and hopefully it will
help other young people to avoid
this kind of tragedy and families to
endure this kind of suff ering,” said
Sweta Dojoy.
Donna Dojoy’s family participates in a candle lighting in her name.
Photo:Max Parrott/QNS
Meet the president!
The Queensboro and North Shore chapter of UNICO National enjoyed
a wonderful evening meeting the UNICO National President Dr. Frank
DeFrank.
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