Chryssa Mela

Chryssa Mela has graduated from the University of Athens Law School. She has a keen interest in human rights, displacement, and political activism. In the past year, she worked as a research trainee at the International Law and Human Rights Unit of the University of Liverpool. In 2019, she was granted the HIA John Lewis Fellowship through which she had the opportunity to explore grassroots solidarities and antiracism in the US South, as well as to develop an action project in Athens – a series of seminars for law students focusing on the interplay between law and racism in the Greek context. During her studies, she volunteered at Amnesty International as coordinator of the Activists’ Network for Refugee and Migrant Issues and at the Legal Department of the Greek Council for Refugees. She is currently working with Chamomile Housing Project, which accommodates displaced people with mental health issues, and Khora Asylum Support Team (KAST).

KAST is a self-organized, volunteer-run collective of caseworkers, lawyers, and interpreters who aim to fill the gap in information sharing and advocacy in Athens. It’s part of Khora, which is a humanitarian co-operative foundation, focusing on the provision of services for refugees and displaced people in general.