Join us on 20th June from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm for a thought-provoking panel discussion on the intersection between the rights of LGBTQ+ people and migrants. The evening will be hosted by Amelia Abraham, joined by panellists Daniel O. Asaya from Living Free UK, Thelma Ndaula from Say It Loud Club, and Queer China UK.
This timely event will shed light on the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals within migrant communities, exploring the ways in which these two communities overlap and intersect, and the importance of targeted advocacy and support.
We are hosting a diverse range of high-profile refugee and migrant organizations, each bringing their expertise and experience to the conversation. Their contributions will provide valuable insights into the realities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals seeking asylum and refuge in the UK.
Host: Amelia Abraham
Amelia Abraham is a journalist, author, and cultural commentator known for her insightful analysis of contemporary issues. She is also the writer of ‘We Can Do Better Than This’ and ‘Queer Intentions.' Her work explores topics such as gender, identity, and social justice, often shedding light on marginalized communities.
About Panelists:
Daniel O. Asaya - Living Free UK
Dan is a U.K.-based Talent Acquisition Specialist within the Media/Creative Industry and Founder of Living Free UK – an organisation that supports and validates the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ Migrants of African descent, people seeking Asylum and Refugees. He is also the founder of the Cool Off Zone Club - a digital social hub for Queer Africans to connect globally on Clubhouse.
As a Queer Nigerian Refugee and jollof rice lover, Dan is passionate about Queer African representation, Mental Health awareness as well as creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ Migrants. He also volunteers on the Board of Directors for House of Rainbow."
Quiyan - Queer China UK
8 years of experience in LGBTQ+ activism, community building and empowerment. She established Queer China UK after realising the intersectional invisibility of the Chinese LGBTQ+ diaspora community. In recent years, Qiuyan has curated many interesting projects with her lovely community including Queer Chinese Art Festival, queering Chinatown zine making workshops, Decolonising queer tour in Chinese at the British Museum and ‘Drag up!’ project.
Say It Loud Club
Aloysius Ssali first set up the Say It Loud Club to campaign for LGBTQ+ rights as a student in Uganda in 1994. By 2003, he had become well-known enough to be a target and decided to live in the UK to study.
When he returned to Uganda in 2005, he was captured and tortured - just because of his sexuality. He still had six months left on his student visa, so he fled to the UK. The UK didn't formally recognize sexuality as a reason for claiming refugee status until 2010, so Aloysius was forced to live without papers for five years. In 2010, he successfully claimed refugee status.
Please note that this event will take place in our downstairs event space, which sadly is not currently wheelchair accessible.