Caribbean Equality Project

The Caribbean Equality Project mission is to promote social change, awareness, and acceptance by empowering and strengthening the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people of Caribbean descent in the New York area.

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WE DID A THING! Our 2020 virtual pride celebration continues with this feature on "Caribbean Drag: We Have Always Been Queer," a highlight of resilience, resistance, and transgression in the Caribbean and the Caribbean diaspora by Ryan Persadie. [#linkinbio] Our founder, @mohamedq_amin and Ryan curated the stories and perspectives of eighteen Caribbean drag artists on the meaning and urgency of their work. Join us in uplifting the culture-shifting work of @jahlove_thebrand, @djninaflowers, @phil_atioh, @zaman_aka_sundari, @bijuriya.drag , Michelle Ross, @detoxxbusti_ae, @sheila_d_dancingdiva, @stefonroyce, @amour_kimora, @currytingz, @devinedarlin, @tifa.wine, @thebusterhighman, @queen.karma.sutra, @lailagulabi, @thekingivy_ & @thevenusraj. Thank you to @gaycitynews for publishing this amplification of Black and Brown queer and trans Caribbean liberation. https://www.instagram.com/p/CD62zOOhNLL/?igshid=1n9ecdzm9b147

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#Repost @immigrationequality Join us tomorrow at 12PM ET as we call on ICE to release Yani! Yani has been held in detention for almost 6 months, and ICE has denied her of parole twice! We will be providing scripts, and it will only take an hour. Join us for the last day of Pride Month! RSVP @ Link in Bio. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCB3TvcBOTx/?igshid=12z6x7njyvrz8

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Police violence at the #QueerLiberationMarch. As our #queer and #trans community marched for #BlackLives & against police brutality, the NYPD arrested, pepper sprayed, and beat peaceful protestors at Washington Square park. #Pride @queermarch @gaycitynews #BlackLivesMatter #BlackTransLivesMatter https://www.instagram.com/p/CB__Rl8hO6A/?igshid=azlhy5xd8n0d

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Today, on the 50th anniversary of the first #PRIDE march in 1970, we marched with thousands of #queer and #trans community members in the #QueerLiberationMarch for #BlackLives and against police brutality. We marched to stand solidarity with our black queer community and to reaffirmed that #BlackLivesMatter, #BlackTransLivesMatter and #AllBlackLivesMatter. . . . . . #pride #blm #pridemonth #caribbean #lgbtq #caribbeanequalityproject https://www.instagram.com/p/CB_36FZh71w/?igshid=o4cf6b3f86l6

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#Repost @joelearlsimpson #FlashBack Last year this time we were among hundreds tramping with @caribbeanequalityproject for #WorldPride in #NewYork 🌈🔥🌎 Happy #Pride everybody! 🏳️‍🌈 https://www.instagram.com/p/CB_sxxsBBpq/?igshid=17fwndomxpu97

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#PrideIs FAMILY. “Within the word Pride, we celebrate our marriage, daughter and diversity. Pride also represents our LGBTQ Family, where for so many, its the only family in their lives who truly show acceptance. As an interacial lesbian couple, Pride enables us to raise our daughter in a more open minded world.” Icelyn and Sita Ugbomah-Ragbir Thank you Icelyn and Sita for your continued support of our work! Happy #Pride! https://www.caribbeanequalityproject.org/donate https://www.instagram.com/p/CB-4F8TB2wS/?igshid=8ykiyj3cshyl

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#Repost @nikkolas_smith: The list of lives violently taken is too long to paint... Today I add 3 more beautiful souls who should still be on this Earth. Say her name. #RemMie Say his name. #Tony Say her name. #Riah #BlackTransLivesMatter @TransLifeline >> 877-330-6366 #BlackLivesMatter #DominqueFells #TonyMcDade #RiahMilton #FlagDay #Pride https://www.instagram.com/p/CBivoNGBHUz/?igshid=k1n1zqe0waer

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If you identify as a queer or trans Caribbean person or ally of the #LGBTQ+ community, we want to hear from YOU! Participate in our 2020 virtual #PrideIs campaign by answering 1 of our 3 questions, share it on social media and tag us @caribbeanequalityproject, while using #PrideIs #BlackLivesMatter. Questions and more instructions are on the images☝🏽☝🏾☝🏿 https://www.instagram.com/p/CBisUTKBSVN/?igshid=1f4kdr97i2mv2

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Today, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled in favor of LGBTQ non-discrimination, stipulating that firing someone on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). Yesterday, our Unchained: Caribbean LGBTQ immigrant support group member @jade_stiletto, a black trans women from #Guyana attended the #BrooklynLiberation rally for #BlackTransLives- her first EVER protest!🇬🇾🏳️‍⚧. Here she is being featured on the front cover of The New York Times breaking news on the Supreme Court’s decision on LGBTQ employment/ workplace rights! . . . . #blacktranslivesmatter #caribbean #lgbt #lgbtrights #pridemonth #caribbeanheritagemonth #caribbeanequalityproject #nycimmigrants (at Brooklyn Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBdun1ZjPJS/?igshid=niodcdrdxrez

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WE WON! On October 8, 2019, our executive director @mohamedq_amin organized our queer and trans Caribbean immigrants to rally for LGBTQ rights outside of the Supreme Court as oral arguments were heard in three workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation cases. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the existing Civil Rights Act of 1964, forbids job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, a major victory for our advocacy to end workplace discrimination and to create employment equity for our LGBTQ family. #PrideMonth #employmentequity #Caribbean #LGBTQ #caribbeanequalityproject (at Supreme Court of the United States) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBdbe3vhRz0/?igshid=nd27f7olws3l

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Today, we joined our board member @doroshow, the founder of @glits_inc and over 15,000 people for the #BrooklynLiberation rally, an action to honor #BlackTransLives and to demand justice for #LayleenPolanco, #TonyMcDade and #DominiqueRemmieFells and so many others lost to police violence. . . . . . . . #blacklivesmatter #caribbean #lgbtq #pride #pridemonth #caribbeanequalityproject #brooklyn #nyc (at Brooklyn Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBb4hgKB5vs/?igshid=c3oi5eoae9ng

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More highlights of our prideful community members from our 2019 @brooklyn_pride Caribbean LGBTQ contingent! https://www.instagram.com/p/CBYwe2whIpR/?igshid=1h05ycs2jme9

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Happy Brooklyn PRIDE! Four years ago, we made our inaugural debut at the annual Brooklyn Pride, Inc. Twilight Parade in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Last year, in full solidarity and support of #WorldPride, our Caribbean LGBTQ+ contingent won the Brooklyn Pride 2019 Ron B “Simply The Best” Award. It is with great pride that we can declare, that we were the only Caribbean-themed section of this Parade procession in partnership with GMAD, as we marched throughout the streets of Brooklyn in celebration of our intersectional values, Caribbean culture, and the Black & Brown Queer and Trans Caribbean immigrant community in NYC. Thank you to ALL of our PRIDEful community members and partners for being a part of our visibility and representation journey at Brooklyn PRIDE (2016-2019) Powered by: #GMAD @nycdjecho @richardp_teamxse @mrdesignsnyc @haydenreed_production @proof032000 @enjprodu . While we can’t be together in person for 2020, we will continue to fight together in spirit for Caribbean LGBTQ+ immigrant rights, justice, and equity, as ONE Caribbean community in NYC. #LivePRIDEfully #Caribbean #LGBTQ #QueerCaribbeans #NYC #Famalay #CaribbeanEqualityProject #NYSTRONG #RoadToRecovery #strongertogether #BrooklynPride2O2O (at Park Slope) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBYmX2XB7Di/?igshid=177o1garar5bz

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#Caribbean #LGBTQ+ fam and allies, join our virtual Pride celebration by participating in our #PrideIs campaign in celebration of #Pride2020 & #BlackLivesMatter! . How to participate! You may choose one of three questions: 1) As a Queer or TGNC Caribbean person, what does pride mean to you? 2) As an Indo-Caribbean Queer or Trans person, how do you support the fight for #BlackLivesMatter? 3) As an ally, how do you support the fight for LGBQT+ equality and racial justice? . Campaign Instructions: 1) Record yourself answering our question, share the video, and tag us at @CaribbeanEqualityProject on Instagram or Facebook, and by using #PrideIs. 2) Share your answer to our question using a picture of yourself and tag us at @CaribbeanEqualityProject on Instagram or Facebook, and by using #PrideIs. . 3) Share your answer to our question using a picture of your flags and tag us at @CaribbeanEqualityProject on Instagram or Facebook, and by using #PrideIs. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBTOfh6B3gG/?igshid=8qji9qfotykj

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Five years ago, we made our inaugural debut at the annual @queenspridenyc Parade in #JacksonHeights, #Queens. Here are some highlights from our 2019 #WorldPride Caribbean LGBTQ+ contingent, consisting of prideful community members, partners, and allies. While we can’t celebrate together in 2020, we will continue to fight together in spirit for Caribbean LGBTQ+ immigrant rights, justice, and equity, as ONE Caribbean community in NYC. #LivePridefully #livingpridefully #Caribbean #LGBTQ #QueerCaribbeans #CaribbeanEqualityProject #QueensPride2019 #queenspride https://www.instagram.com/p/CBQ3dgXBqTj/?igshid=1fo32p19b9ty6

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We invite our #Caribbean #LGBTQ+ family and allies to participate in our #PrideIs campaign in celebration of #Pride2020 & #BlackLivesMatter! In celebration of Pride Month 2020 and in tandem with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement, the Caribbean Equality Project is reimagining our 2020 “Pride Is” social media campaign to amplify Caribbean LGBTQ+ diasporic visibility within the protests, initiatives, and other efforts in New York City. We know in the larger BLM movement, intersectionality is not often uplifted. This translates to Queer and Trans victims being completely ignored, and Caribbean LGBTQ+ survivors and other community members having their identities erased. How to participate! You may choose one of three questions: 1) As a Queer or TGNC Caribbean person, what does pride mean to you? 2) As an Indo-Caribbean Queer or Trans person, how do you support the fight for #BlackLivesMatter? 3) As an ally, how do you support the fight for LGBQT+ equality and racial justice? Campaign Instructions: 1) Record yourself answering our question, share the video, and tag us at @CaribbeanEqualityProject on Instagram or Facebook, and by using #PrideIs. 2) Share your answer to our question using a picture of yourself and tag us at @CaribbeanEqualityProject on Instagram or Facebook, and by using #PrideIs. 3) Share your answer to our question using a picture of your flags and tag us at @CaribbeanEqualityProject on Instagram or Facebook, and by using #PrideIs. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBLoNYhBBgJ/?igshid=1d4mje7gaaxze

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HAPPY PRIDE MONTH, EVERYONE! In 2020, we can still celebrate the liberties and merriment of PRIDE, owing to the advocacy efforts of Black & Brown LGBTQ+ people protesting police brutality and discrimination against Black bodies. In 1969, two Black and Brown Trans women, Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Rivera decided to RISE UP and take a resolute stand against homophobia, transphobia, racism, and police brutality during the Stonewall riots. This is where the Queer and Trans Liberation movement was birthed, and even during a pandemic, we are still forging ahead in the fight for LGBTQ+ equity and racial justice. What would have usually been a festive season of advocacy, Caribbean LGBTQ+ visibility, and renewed hope and pride, we are now collectively faced with one of the biggest challenges that we’ve ever encountered in this generation. Yet, we continue forward, together, on one accord as a Caribbean LGBTQ+ immigrant family towards equality and fair treatment for our most vulnerable community members. To move forward, it would be remiss of us to neglect to remember that we are all together in this fight to become unchained from the shackles of colonialism and neo-colonialism, and to break down white supremacist barriers and obstacles to our Black and Brown Caribbean intersectional growth and progress. We will also take this time to heal, open dialogue, and unshackle ourselves from the open wounds left behind by the abject disrespect and violence inflicted upon Black and Brown bodies since the colonizers uprooted us from our respective Mother Lands. We stand in solidarity against racial and gendered violence, what supremacy, state-sanctioned violence, patriarchal systems of oppression, and mass incarceration in Black communities. Thank you to our partners and allied organizations for the collective activism being done in New York City and around the world to advance the efforts of racial justice and equity in an imbalanced democracy (and whatever form your government appears in). The resistance continues, for this fight is NOT a sprint, but a marathon. And the marathon continues. #LivePridefully #Caribbean #LGBTQ #BlackLivesMatter #BlackTransLivesMatter https://www.instagram.com/p/CBBmYd1BpLq/?igshid=11jn0fkuyu1cx