Matcha Phorn-In

Matcha Phorn-in is a Thai ethnic minority/indigenous lesbian women, feminist activist and human rights defender. She is the founder and executive director of the Sangsan Anakot Yawachon Foundation, which empowers young indigenous people through human rights education, leadership development, and movement building. Matcha is the former president of the board of directors of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) and former president of the ILGA ASIA Foundation. She is a board member and regional council of APWLD and has been a board member of the International Family Equality Day (IFED). Matcha has supported social movements on various regional platforms in the Asia Pacific region. Matcha is a co-founder of Chiang Mai Frontrunners, an ethnic minority and/or indigenous human rights defender trail running club that promotes mental well-being, solidarity, and activism through sport. She is also the country coordinator of V-Day, a global movement working to end gender-based violence. In 2023, Matcha was recognized as one of BBC’s 100 Women in the category of Climate Pioneers, honouring her contributions to climate justice and the empowerment of indigenous and marginalized communities affected by environmental crises.