JAMAICA 2019 AMBASSADORS
Get into our Jamaica ambassador living out and proud in Kingston, Jamaica inviting you all to join the CONNEK project. The CONNEK team will continue to showcase our ambassadors leading up to the Jamaica trip on the CONNEK IG and encourage you all to support these amazing queer artists in Jamaica helping us build this CONNEK project.
Ear Audigy
Ear Audigy is a DJ and audio engineer that mixes different genres of music from afrobeats to zydeco to create a global musical experience. She has played at venues that celebrate and make space for queer people in Jamaica, and makes all her mixes free and available to the public. She is happy to be a Connek ambassador.
Rashade St. Patrick
Rashade is an art director, writer, and trail blazer. “I’ve been working in the creative industries for 7 years and I’m forever moved and inspired by Jamaica’s boundless, pulsating energy and creativity found especially in vibrant communities like the LGBTQ” - Rashade.
Yemi
Yemi is a PR and media consultant from and living in Kingston, Jamaica. Out, thriving and BOSSED UP. He is excited to show the sides of Jamaica that are least talked about in media. Get into him!
Dom the Poet
“Growing up in St. Catherine, Jamaica, I never took writing or art seriously. Now, art is one of my escape routes, but my favorite form of art would most definitely be writing, especially poems or songs. It’s just a way to express, not just myself and my personal feelings, but to bring across issues that may not be spoken about on other platforms. I tend to write a lot about love, heartbreak and social issues because I feel like those are things I’m most passionate about. However, a few times you’ll actually find me producing pieces that are distant from those 3 topics.” - Dom
Wixard
The Musical Savage Wixard is doing big things in Jamaica that will storm the world. Making some of the most amazing rhythms out of Jamaica that you can hear on the radio in Jamaica and abroad. She has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry and we are honoured to have her on the Connek team.
Moon
Moon is a musician, singer/songwriter, & business owner in Kingston, Jamaica. Born in Canada to Jamaican parents, she's been living in Jamaica for nearly 9 years. Through her business @earthtonesdesigns she offers handmade intentional crystal jewelry, divination tools, & herbs, reiki, and tarot readings. Check our her music at @osu.emi or www.youtube.com/c/moonwaves
Neish McLean
We are honored to add Neish to our line up of Jamaica ambassadors helping us with this CONNEK project. Neish is a trans activist, co founder and executive director of @transwaveja which is an organization that promotes trans health and well being in Jamaica. We have been a fan of Neish for sometime time now and amazed by the work they are doing. Thank you sooo much Neish and big up to everyone at @transwaveja.
Mainz
The beautiful Mainsz is a fashion designer, stylist and dancer. “Dancing is something I have loved from a young age and I started dancing professionally in 2008 when I got my first scholarship at Praise Academy of Dance. There I’ve been exposed to all genres of dance and different people in the field. In May 2018 I created a dance group that had our first performance at the ‘Supermodel International’ fashion show at Gardening Academy @cotterells__emphasis.” - Mainz.
Mike
In 2018, Kingston Tours started DudeJa Vacation, a members-only travelers club that seeks to promote and assist LGBT travelers explore and engage in Jamaica freely. Providing services like tour guides, travel buddies and concierges - DudeJa Vacation is doing the important work to make safe spaces for queer travelers on the island and abroad. Owned and operated by Mike, our CONNEK ambassador, DudeJa Vacation is helping us build the ties between kin on the island and globally.
Daniel Lee
Daniel is the owner of De. N’arr a collection of beauty, fashion and talent. Check out the beautiful work Daniel is making here.
J- Flag
J-FLAG is a human rights and social justice organisation which advocates for the rights, livelihood and well- being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Jamaica.
Our work seeks to build a Jamaican society that respects and protects the rights of everyone. Our board and staff are committed to promoting social change, empowering the LGBT community, and building tolerance for and acceptance of LGBT people.
Since 2012, the organisation has been operating under five broad objectives:
Increase public tolerance and understanding of LGBT peoples
Transform J-FLAG into an effective umbrella group to improve service to the LGBT community
Create the foundation for legal reform
Increase organisational Sustainability
Improve community engagement and mobilization
In pursuit of these objectives, the following strategic approaches are being used:
1. Create a powerful J-FLAG brand whose promise is that of a caring, value-driven organisation dedicated to promoting inherent human dignity and the right to be.
2. Strong, proactive leadership of the LGBT Community.
3. Collaborate with other human rights groups and stakeholders in pursuit of incremental gains against all forms of discrimination.
4. Create a culture of excellence that attracts creative, high-calibre personnel who will develop efficient operating systems and a buoyant stream of donors.
History
J-FLAG was launched on Thursday, December 10, 1998, to serve the needs of lesbians, gays and bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) peoples.
J-FLAG was started by a group of 12 men and women: educators, lawyers, public relations practitioners, advertisers and human rights activists who saw the need to advocate for the protection of LGBT people from state-sanctioned and community violence. In this regard, J-FLAG’s call was for the fair and equal treatment of gays and lesbians under the law and by the ordinary citizen. Among the individuals who helped to found the organisation and were part of its Steering Committee are:
Thomas Glave
Philip Dayle
Julia Lowe
Larry Chang
Ian McKnight
Edward Akintola Hubbard
Julius Powell
Donna Smith
Robert Cork (deceased)
Brian Williams (deceased)
One of J-FLAG’s first major undertakings was a submission to the Joint Select Committee on the Charter of Rights Bill seeking to amend the non-discrimination clause to include ‘Sexual Orientation’. J-FLAG has expanded its Legal Reform and Advocacy efforts and expanded its activities to include Public Education and Crisis Intervention and Support Programmes. J-FLAG continues to encourage Jamaicans to have a deeper understanding of their plurality and their democracy; it will continue seeking to raise the level of debate in the society about the meaning of tolerance and the acceptance of difference. Accordingly, J-FLAG will attempt to forge new relationships with a wider cross-section of organisations committed to strengthening democracy and the promotion of respect for all Jamaicans, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, creed, religion or social status. Over the twenty years of our existence, J-FLAG has stood as the foremost voice in Jamaica and English speaking Caribbean calling for the respect of LGBT peoples as citizens with the same rights and value as heterosexual Jamaicans.
TransWave Ja
Established in 2015, TransWave Jamaica is the country’s first non-profit organization solely dedicated to focusing on promoting the health and well-being of the transgender and gender non- conforming communities. At TransWave, we take a holistic approach to advocacy, addressing not only the socio-political issues we face, but also the mental, emotional and physical health of our community through our various initiatives.
We are honored to be working with you and appreciate all the work y’all do and have been doing for some time now in Jamaica.