I remember it like it was yesterday.
I was on a flight to Nairobi to attend a training with activists from Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda. I hadn’t done much advocacy but I was desperate to start. I was this journalist working for a notable media company but it was like I wasn’t using my platform for good. On the trip to Nairobi, I decided to do something – to create something for the community and play my part in advocating for change.
On the 18th of July 2017, we went live. The task was to change the narrative around LGBTIQ issues and persons not just in Nigeria but across the continent. Since then, we have taken the lead with sharing stories of members of our community who are out and proud. We followed up on the arrest at Owode and kept community members updated on all that was going on through that process. For the first time, we also celebrated Pride Month by unveiling our 2019 Pride Personality of the year and we have continued to publish opinion pieces from community members sharing their views on some of the issues that affect queer Africans around the continent.
2019 is proving the need for us to go harder in amplifying our voices. Trans murders (that are reported) are on the increase and blackmail is very high in Nigeria. Many are being harassed and assaulted for their sexual orientation and gender identity and it feels like no one cares about us.
We still believe in the power of storytelling and we are very passionate about doing so. We accept submissions on issues from politics, social justice and pop culture. We are also launching our fiction section at the end of the month to cater to our audience who would like to read great queer fiction. In addition, we would love to do more video content – from documentaries to short films. To this end we would need contributors to come through and share their gifts with us. We also need donors to help us achieve these dreams because we understand that money makes things happen, and we have a lot that we can do if we have the right financial push. We also want to give space to creatives struggling to find their voice on mainstream media. We would like to let them know that this is their home.
As we celebrate two years, we hope you will join us on this journey. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all our activities and for daily news updates. We have attached a contact form below so you can kick-start the conversation on how we can work together.
Together we can be the change we want to see.
Have questions? Want to contribute or share your story? Fill out the contact form below and let us start the conversation.
