Who We Are.

Project Resist draws on decades of front line experience. We have a long history of conducting pioneering casework, policy work and campaigning work in support of women’s right to justice and self-determination.

Co-Founders

Decades of frontline experience and advocacy.

Co-Founder & Co-Director

Pragna Patel

Pragna Patel is the former director and founding member of the Southall Black Sisters (SBS) advocacy and campaigning centre where she worked from 1982 to Jan 2022 with a break in 1993 to practice as a solicitor. Over 40 years, she led SBS in some of its most important cases and campaigns on gender-based abuse, immigration and religious fundamentalism. She was also a founding member of Women Against Fundamentalism. She is a member of Feminist Dissent.

Co-Founder & Co-Director

Rosie Lewis

Rosie Lewis's work, writing and politics are informed by her roots in anarcha-socialist punk DIY music, collectivist organising and activism. She has over two decades of advocacy and movement building experience with minoritised and migrant women, children and young survivors. This includes working in frontline advocacy and management roles across national social and cultural policy, research, and consultancy. She holds a Doctorate in Philosophy from Durham University.

Advisory Board

The members of the Project Resist’s Advisory Board have the specialist skills and expertise needed to drive forward the work of the organisation. Their role is to provide support and effective oversight across all aspects of our work by providing strategic guidance, advice and support, ensuring that we fulfil our vision, values and objectives, and helping us to achieve and maintain the highest standards possible.

Navita Atreya

Navita Atreya is a human rights lawyer specialising in asylum and immigration law. She has appeared extensively before immigration judges both at first instance and appeal in asylum, human rights and Immigration cases as well as judicial review cases. Navita has dealt with numerous entry clearance appeals before immigration judges and has an interest in business immigration and European law. She also specialises in trafficking cases and cases involving sexual violence and sits as a part time judge. Navita is also a qualified mediator and committed to social justice.

Meena Patel

Meena Patel is an immigration services and domestic abuse project co-ordinator for the organisation Asylum Welcome which provides support to refugees and asylum seekers in Oxford. As an OISC level 2 qualified advisor, she co-ordinates immigration advice services with a range of partners in the Thames Valley area. She previously worked for 35 years at Southall Black Sisters (SBS) where she undertook a variety of roles that made a significant and award-winning contribution to its milestone cases and campaigns.

Dania Thomas

Dania Thomas is a first-generation migrant who holds a PhD in law and currently works full time at the University of Glasgow as a lecturer in business law. Her research interests include racial capitalism, the black radical tradition and financial law. She is a founder member and volunteer-director of the Ubuntu Women Shelter, Glasgow, a trustee of Sangini and the Playwright Studio Scotland. She was the first Asian woman to be elected branch president of UCU Glasgow in 2021.

Jasmine Mohammad

Jasmine Mohammed is the Director of Safety4Sisters, a specialist Black and minoritised by and for women’s organisation based in Manchester. Safety4Sisters is dedicated to upholding the rights of Black and minoritised migrant women with no recourse to public funds. Prior to this role, Jasmine worked as the VAWG Services Manager at the Angelou Centre. Jasmine is also the chair and co-chair of Ubuntu Women’s Shelter and Humraaz.

Umme Imam

Umme Imam is the former executive director of the Angelou Centre, a black feminist organisation that has promoted economic independence for Black and minoritised women in the North East for thirty years. She has extensive experience in community development work in India and the UK. For the last forty years she has been active in the development and management of voluntary projects for Black and minoritised women. In 2019 she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree by Newcastle University.