2023 West Indian Day Parade - MARCH WITH the queer Caribbean liberation Collective
When: Monday, September 4, 2023 | 10:00 AM
Meet-up Location: Utica Avenue & Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213
Sign-up Here: https://bit.ly/QueerCaribbeanLiberation
Join Caribbean Equality Project and our community partners on Monday, September 4, as we convene a historic "Queer Caribbean Liberation Collective" contingent to participate in the 2023 West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn, NY. We will create visibility and awareness of Caribbean LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, while celebrating our intersectional identities and call for Justice for Josiah “Jonty” Robinson.
The West Indian Day Parade is the largest convening of Caribbean people in NYC. Since 2015, Caribbean Equality Project has been participating in the parade. This year, we are mobilizing our partners and community members to continue amplifying Caribbean LGBTQ+ visibility as an act of resistance and to raise diaspora solidarity support, as we demand action, accountability, and Justice for Jonty.
Come march with us in cultural and carnival-inspired apparel as we celebrate the life of Josiah Robinson. Wear your country colors, or come just as you are, as we proudly celebrate our Caribbean and LGBTQ+ identities! PLEASE DON'T FORGET YOUR FLAGS!
About Josiah Robinson:
On June 18, 2023, the body of 24-year-old Josiah Robinson was found on Morne Rouge Beach, a picturesque community space for locals and tourists in St George’s, the capital of Grenada. Robinson’s death was ruled a murder following a second autopsy.
The death of Robinson sent shockwaves throughout the Grenadian LGBTQ+ community and the Eastern Caribbean, a reminder of the daily struggles for safety and economic stability of openly queer residents, while illuminating the ongoing post-colonial tensions in the region. Our Caribbean regional community partners at GrenCHAP and the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) have been coordinating actions to raise local and international awareness of Robinson's death and support his family, while continuing to add pressure on local authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.
Sadly, more than two months after Robinson's death, there appears to be little progress on the case. The few updates authorities have made available to the public have revealed little urgency in seeking a perpetrator or motive for his murder. Queer Caribbean Lives Matter! Our community deserves the right to exist without the fear of violence in our home country and throughout the Caribbean diaspora.
Far too often, Caribbean LGBTQ+ people in the region who are survivors of hate crimes are revictimized by local law enforcement officers, who typically will not investigate due to anti-LGBQ+ sentiment and transphobia. Police extortion of LGBTQ+ individuals is common, and the police are known to encourage violence against LGBTQ+ people—including urging inmates to rape LGBTQ+ individuals in custody. Despite incredible progress in the Caribbean, societal discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals remains widespread, forcing community members into isolation, homelessness, and displacement, including dangerous migration journeys for survival.
To march with us or learn more, please email us at info@CaribbeanEqualityProject.org or phone us at (347) 709-3179.
Caribbean Equality Project is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, registered non-profit organization. All contributions and donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law (EIN 47-2806715).
To learn more about the Caribbean Equality Project and for regular updates on our work, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube at @CaribbeanEqualityProject, and on Twitter at @CaribEquality.
community partners
