In an era in which a court finding of sexual abuse is no bar to electing a president, where the federal government attempts to deny the very existence of transgender people, and state legislatures have sanctioned forced childbirth, the gender justice movement is in a fight for its life. 

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Survivor Genius presents a road map for reinvigorating a part of that movement, arguing that survivors of gender-based violence are themselves the bold, resourceful, and creative leaders we need to end it. 

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Sheerine Alemzadeh, a co-founder of one of the leading anti-violence groups in the country, dismantles, one by one, arguments that survivors are too fragile, broken, or scared to do more than share their stories in a legislative hearing.

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Survivor Genius offers a sharp analysis of the failures of traditional advocacy models led by “professionals” and argues for a new paradigm in which survivors, particularly those with marginalized identities, are leading players in the movement to end gender-based violence.

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Through a collection of powerful stories drawn from her organization’s work, Survivor Genius offers powerful examples of how survivors of violence can both identify better solutions, tailored to their needs, and foster their own healing through collective action. Her book provides practical advice for field organizations and public institutions that would allow survivors to participate in and lead anti-violence work.

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For readers invested in social movements and community empowerment, Survivor Genius offers a brilliant reframing capable of transforming our cultural understanding and public policy around a problem too often normalized as inevitable.​​