Canada's LGBTQI2S+ heroes
by Christine Kinori
In every community, there are those who are ready to stand up and call out injustice and do their part in making the world a better place. These people remind us every day that change begins with ourselves. Let’s meet just a few of our amazing LGBTQI2S+ heroes who are making history in Canada.
Christopher Nkambwe
Nkambwe is a trans-activist from Uganda who sought asylum in Canada in 2019 after she snuck away from the Ugandan police. The police were trying to arrest her for “promoting homosexuality ’’ after she organized a sexual health outreach event. After arriving in Canada, she successfully claimed her refugee status and started her own LGBTQI2S+ charity which helps queer African asylum seekers to navigate the legal process of making a refugee claim, securing a job and housing.
Nkambwe drew inspiration for the charity organization from her own experience of seeking asylum. She didn't have a support system or a place to go upon arriving in Canada. Her organization, African Centre for Refugees in Ontario currently has a network of over 300 refugees from the African continent that it assists. Nkambwe has been vocal on the vulnerability these LGBTQI2S+ refugees have and she is dedicated to help in any way she can .Her selfless passion to help the community recently earned her a $10,000 grant award from the Community One Foundation. The foundation gives grants for projects that help the LGBTQI2S+ communities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Ziva Gorani
Gorani is a Kurdish LGBTQI2S+ activist who fled from Syria and settled in Canada in 2016 after receiving serious homophobic threats. Upon arriving in Canada, she was placed in a shelter with Syrian refugees but it made her uncomfortable as she was the only queer person. She was later temporarily moved into the home of a gay couple, but cultural differences made it hard for her to feel at ease and blend in. She felt like an outcast especially because she didn't understand the language .
Her struggle to fit in and deal with the new challenges she was experiencing led her to partner up with The 519, a city organization that advocates for the queer community in Toronto and Babbel the learning language app. Together , they came up with a joint content series designed to help the language and cultural barrier challenges many queer newcomers face when settling into new communities.
The app has helped many queer refugees to learn the history and culture of the LGBTQI2S+ community in their new chosen language. It also helps them understand some of the micro-aggressions that they may experience and teaches them how to respond to such situations .
Jeremy Dias
Dias is an LGBTQI2S+ activist born in Edmonton, Alberta who has dedicated his life to the fight against homophobia, racism and other social injustices the queer community face. From an early age, Dias has been championing and fighting for LGBTQI2S+ rights. He came out when he was in high school and underwent brutal bullying when in school. He sued the school when it denied his request to arrange an LGBTQ social club. The legal battle took three years but he won his case and received $5000.
Dias used that money to establish a scholarship for other queer students who were going through homophobia , bullying and discrimination. By the age of 22, Dias established Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative (now known as the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity). The main goal of the initiative is to encourage LGBTQI2S+ youths to have honest discussions about inclusion, diversity and respect. It also focuses on promoting mental health awareness for queer youth in Canada. Over the years, Dias has received numerous awards including the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal .
Samra Habib
Habib is Pakistani Canadian activist, author and photographer. At the age of 10, her family had no choice but to flee and resettle in Canada. Habib has been very open about her journey as a queer muslim and finding a life of fulfillment by living authentically. Her book ‘We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir! ’ is a must-read especially for queer muslim youth who feel they lack a role model. Habib has been using her work to do away with the barriers between faith and sexuality. Her journey to finding a safe space as a queer Muslim is illuminating and inspiring. She continues to champion for the rights of LGBTQI2S+ refugees to be able to raise awareness on the inequality and lack of access to opportunities most of them go through.
These queer heroes inspire us every day to live our truths and take action to realize the changes we want to see in our community. They continue to stand up and demand for equality and create awareness about the reality of being queer in these current times .
Youth Award
Sher Vancouver offers an annual Marie Lapuz Youth Leadership Award given to exceptional youth 16 to 30 who have shown commitment and leadership within the 2SLGBTQ+ community. In recognition of all those youth who work tirelessly for the 2SLGBTQ+ community please share this information. The deadline to receive applications is December 31, 2021. Here’s the link -
YOUTH AWARD - Sher Vancouver
Christine Kinori is a travel freelance writer. “I enjoy meeting new people and experiencing new culture. I believe in equality and I want my daughter to live in a better world.”
Photo by Ksenia Makagonova on Unsplash