The Dolls Initiative

Who We Are

The Dolls Initiative is a pan-European network of connection, protection, and visibility for trans migrants. We were born from necessity, pain, and the determination to create a space where our community can thrive with dignity and mutual support.

We are committed to building a radical system of trust and care, where each person is seen, protected, and valued. Founded by Dinah Bons Paris (House of Xtravaganza, NYC), Victoria Maxima Caram Amsterdam (founder of Miss Star International), and Aryelle Freeman Hopelezz (House of Hopelezz, Amsterdam), The Dolls Initiative was born not in boardrooms, but in nightclubs, back kitchens, WhatsApp chats, and late-night calls across borders. It grew from mutual survival and the urgent need for care when institutions turned their backs.

Our Mission

We develop a secure and encrypted network to protect trans sex workers in Europe, preventing our sisters from disappearing without a trace.

Protection

Confidential database to ensure that each member of our community is connected and protected.

Connection

Network of trusted contacts that transcends borders to keep the community united.

Sophisticated Power

Organization based on care, coded in trust, and focused on radical integrity.

Core Principles

Radical Honesty

We value truth and transparency over drama and defensiveness.

Collective Over Ego

We prioritize the well-being of the community over individual interests.

Care and Transparency

Our response to tensions is always guided by care and clarity.

Integrity

Protecting the integrity of The Dolls Initiative is always a priority.

The Dolls Network

Inspired by the story of Ela and Sabrina, our network includes:

A confidential, encrypted database of trans sex workers in Europe.
System safeguarded by radical trust: only accessible when two registered members input the password simultaneously.
Protection against unauthorized access by government agencies, police, or misuse.
Exists solely to prevent families from losing their daughters without knowledge.

Currently Operating In:

Amsterdam

Our founding location with established community connections and support network.

Paris

Our second operation center providing support and community for trans migrants.

The Dolls Initiative is planning to expand to more European cities. Follow our journey or get involved.

Get Involved

"They may try to shake us, but we don't break. We're built on ballroom, on blood, on bonds. We protect each other. Always."

Governance Model

We have implemented a radical governance model designed to prevent power abuse:

Three Directors, Equal Power

Each with full and balanced authority.

Consensus-Based Decision Making

No decisions without the agreement of all three.

Customized Articles of Association

Legal provisions written into our foundational documents.

Dispute Resolution Protocols

In case of impasse, a neutral mediator will support alignment.

In Memory

The death of our sister Ela was a heartbreak that moved us from mourning into motion. For days we fought tirelessly to get her body repatriated, navigating bureaucracy, silence, and indifference.

With the determination of our community and the courage of our leaders like Dinah and Maxima, we succeeded. Not just in honoring her death, but in sparking a vision of what must never happen again.

From this pain was born "The Dolls Initiative Network": a secure, pan-European web of connection, protection, and visibility for trans migrants.

Who is behind The Dolls Initiative?

Three lives, three cities, three stories. Their paths, marked by struggle and brilliance, converged to create a network of radical care. Where their circles meet, The Dolls Initiative is born.

Dinah Bons Paris

House of Xtravaganza, NYC

Dinah Bons is a powerhouse activist, legal expert, and creative strategist, co-chairing Transgender Europe (TGEU) and founding Trans United Europe. A visionary force behind the Amsterdam Trans Clinic, she combines lived experience with deep structural insight to build systems of radical care, resistance, and connection for trans and migrant communities across Europe.

As the former political leader of BIJ1 in the Amsterdam City Council and current creative strategist at Female Economy, Dinah has consistently used her platform to advocate for decolonization, sex workers' rights, and gender justice. Her work bridges the grassroots and institutional worlds, fusing political strategy with ballroom brilliance.

Co-Chair, Transgender Europe (TGEU)
Founder & Former Chair, Trans United Europe
Founder, Amsterdam Trans Clinic
Former Group Leader, BIJ1, Amsterdam City Council
Creative Strategist, Female Economy
Co-Founder, The Dolls Initiative
Pride Amsterdam Ambassador (since 2019)
International Speaker & Mentor

Motto:
"Do beautiful things for others and yourself."

Featured in Media

Victoria Maxima Caram

Founder of Miss Star International

International activist, visionary leader,cosmestic doctor and world media icon. Victoria Maxima Caram has dedicated her life to advancing the rights and visibility of trans women and sex workers across continents. As the founder of Miss Star International, she has created platforms of empowerment and beauty for trans women globally, breaking barriers and stereotypes in every step.
Her leadership extends from grassroots organizing in Amsterdam and Barcelona to global advocacy on the world stage. Victoria is a sought-after speaker, media personality, and strategist, known for her bold presence and her ability to unite communities through care, dignity, and radical visibility. Her work has been featured in international media, and her influence resonates from the ballroom to the boardroom.

Founder & CEO, Miss Star International
International speaker & media icon
Community builder in Amsterdam, Paris & beyond
Advocate for trans sex workers' rights
Featured in global media & conferences

Her intersection: Latina, trans, migrant, beauty queen, activist, global leader.

Featured in Media

Aryelle Freeman Hopelezz

House of Hopelezz, Amsterdam

Aryelle Freeman Hopelezz (also known as Aryelle Foster) is a key figure in the European LGBTQ+ community and a tireless advocate for HIV prevention and the rights of marginalized people. Survivor, performer, and activist, Aryelle has dedicated her life to dismantling HIV stigma and educating about prevention, especially among key populations in Europe.
Her activism fuses with drag and performance art, using the stage to deliver messages of resilience and hope. She is a board member of Global Black Gay Men Connect (GBGMC) and actively participates in global conferences and events, always advocating for inclusive healthcare and access to PrEP for all. Aryelle is recognized for her intersectional approach, addressing race, gender, and sexuality in her work, and for her ability to inspire through vulnerability and strength.

Board Member, Global Black Gay Men Connect (GBGMC)
Mother, House of Hopelezz
Performer, model & activist
HIV prevention & stigma reduction advocate
Speaker at international conferences

Featured in Media

Profile: PLHIV Documentary (2025)

How Their Stories Crossed

In the shadows of European cities, their paths crossed in moments of crisis and celebration. Each brought her own battles, her own brilliance. Together, they saw what was missing: a network built not on charity, but on radical trust. The Dolls Initiative was born where their lives intersected—at the crossroads of migration, gender, and survival. This is not just an organization. It's a living web of care, forged by those who needed it most.

Three stories. Three cities. One pulse.
Where their journeys cross, a new web of care is woven—
alive, moving, unbreakable.
This is The Dolls Initiative.