- Season 2 | Episode 04
Healing Through Resistance | SDG 10&16
Joanna Terán Romero shares how Colectivo Kuska is advancing the fight for justice by defending the rights of Indigenous communities in Peru. The collective offers trauma-informed psychological care to victims of state violence, challenges systemic oppression through grassroots mobilization, and fosters inclusive leadership rooted in cultural pride and collective healing.
Episode Introduction
Credo Voices, the podcast where we bring you inspiring stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I’m your host, Awele Okigbo, the CEO of Credo Advisory.
For decades, marginalized communities worldwide have faced violence, repression, and systemic inequality. In Peru, this reality is even more stark. Since 2022, the country has been in political turmoil, with indigenous and rural communities bearing the brunt of state violence. Though they make up only 13% of the population, indigenous Peruvians account for 80% of deaths recorded in the recent crisis. Amnesty International reports.
On this episode of Credo Voices, we meet Joana Terran Romero, a psychologist, activist, and the president of Colectivo Kuska. From fighting misinformation to advocating for mental health support, Joana is on the frontlines of resistance, ensuring that indigenous voices are heard and protected. Through grassroots advocacy and community-led mental health solutions, she is advancing Sustainable Development Goal 10, Reduced Inequalities, working toward a Peru where justice, dignity, and equality are not just ideals, but reality. Join us as Joana sheds light on the fight for indigenous rights, equity, and systemic change.
Hilda Joanna Terán Romero is a Quechua psychologist, activist, and Executive President of Colectivo Kuska, a grassroots organization advancing mental health, gender equality, and Indigenous rights in Puno, Peru. A leader in trauma-informed care, Joanna founded the collective to support communities impacted by political violence, particularly following the deadly 2022–2023 protests that disproportionately affected Indigenous Peruvians.
With a master’s in Community Psychology and specialized training in gender and rural women’s empowerment, Joanna has led social and educational initiatives across public and civil society sectors. Under her leadership, Colectivo Kuska combines psychological care with grassroots activism, documenting human rights abuses, organizing vigils, and creating safe spaces for healing and resistance.
Her work promotes SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), centering collective care and cultural pride to build more just, inclusive communities. As a bridge between institutional and traditional spaces, Joanna continues to amplify the voices of Indigenous women and communities long pushed to the margins
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