Voices of Solidarity Podcast

Los Angeles-based Rainbow Advocacy, producer of the 2025 OUR PRIDE Short Film Festival, has announced the winner of Best Short Film Series: "We're Not Criminals," a trilogy of poetry short films that boldly call for dignity, visibility and equal rights for those pushed to the margins. It is a creation of "Unmute," a spoken word project created by Omary Baajun and filmmaker Brother Zaheed. The project challenges prejudice and celebrates the power of poetry to reclaim identity and belonging.An Official WorldPride 2025 Partner Event, the 2025 OUR PRIDE Short Film Festival was hosted by and in partnership with the Charter for Compassion. Omary Baajun is an award-winning poet, writer, editor, publisher, and ambassador of peace and human rights. The trilogy is rooted in Baajun's work as the founder and executive director of GenDAR Initiative, a grassroots organization based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. GenDAR utilizes arts, education, and research to amplify human rights, particularly for the LGBTIA+ community. The poems in “We’re Not Criminals” directly address the experiences and struggles of the queer community in Tanzania and Africa at largeUKIWA / The TragedyA reflection on love, loss and the quiet struggles faced in a society that resists difference -- and justifies hate, selfishness, violence, and silence.HOPEThe poem gives voice to the quiet pain of hiding, the weight of fear, and the grief of love denied. But within that darkness, it also honors strength, love and resistance that continue to grow.A tribute to queer lives across Africa, where being queer often means facing criminalization, violence, and deep social rejection. The poem gives voice to the quiet pain of hiding, the weight of fear, and the grief of love denied. But within that darkness, it also honors the strength, love, and resistance that continue to grow. “HOPE” is a reminder that even where freedom is denied, the human spirit endures—and that hope, however fragile, still exists.ALIVEThe poem reclaims voice and identity. It speaks for those buried in silence, erased by family, and judged by society, and executed by the law -- but still standing strong. ALIVE is resistance, truth, and the demand to be seen as fully human. It reminds the world that being a human must not be a crime.A defiant declaration of queer existence in a world that often denies it. Rooted in the harsh realities of rejection, misrepresentation, and spiritual violence, especially within traditional African communities, the poem reclaims voice and identity. It speaks for those buried in silence, erased by family, and judged by society, and executed by the law—but still standing. “ALIVE” is not just survival; it is resistance, truth, and the demand to be seen as fully human. It reminds the world that being a human must not be a crime.Omary Baajun is a multi-award-winning poet, writer, editor, storyteller, researcher, curator, environmentalist, and certified ambassador for peace and human rights. He proudly identifies as non-binary and queer.His involvement in diplomacy includes serving as a Young African Diplomat and a member of the U.S. Department of State’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), as well as participating in other notable programs such as Tanzania International Model United Nations (TIMUN), Business Scouts for Development, and The Dream Academy. These efforts earned him the WLFPH International Ambassador of Peace Award, conferred by the World Literary Forum for Peace and Human Rights in 2022 (South Asia), and the WAOW Global Humanitarian Award in 2023 (India).In the artistic realm, Baajun is known for his dynamic poetry performances, theatre work, and his band. He also curates youth art programs and has been involved in projects such as Kwetu ni Kwetu, City Pride, Unmute, The Pitching Lab, among others. A significant aspect of his work is advocacy and activism — he uses his platform to champion human rights, peace, and justice.Baajun is the founder of GenDar Hub Tanzania, a creative space in Dar es Salaam that utilizes arts, education, and research to promote gender equality, inclusion, and human rights.He is also the CEO of Kwetu Publishers, a small publishing firm dedicated to empowering marginalized voices.Additionally, he serves as the Deputy Secretary-General of the Tanzania Writers Association, Chairman of the Queer Creatives Tanzania Network, and Country Ambassador for both the World Association of Women Warriors and Our Pride Tanzania.Selected Awards and Honors: • Honorary Award for Swahili Literature • AWT Creative Luminary of the Year 2025 (Nigeria) • TAMEYA Special Ability Award 2024 (Tanzania) • UNI Awards: Best Performance Poet & Author 2023 (Tanzania) • AfriCAN Honoree Authors’ Award 2023 (South Africa) • Kwanzaa Award 2022 (USA) • Mulher Forte African Literature Award 2022 (Botswana)“For decades, our stories, creativity, innovations, music, literature, and art have been denied the chance to be showcased and celebrated in art spaces, cultural centers, and innovation hubs across Tanzania. This is why we are raising funds to create our own space — a place where we belong. A place where LGBTQ people can thrive as artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs. A space where our ideas are welcomed, our talents are celebrated, and our community can build a future on our own terms. With your support, through this hub, we will create opportunities to generate income, create jobs, and empower each other through our work.”- Omary Baajun Get full access to Voices of Solidarity at ourpride.substack.com/subscribe

Grace Stone, one of our Voices of Solidarity artists, runs a shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth and was again raided and evicted from the property. He's part of our official WorldPride 2025 Partner Event, OUR PRIDE Shorts & Arts Fest. With USAID funding cuts and fear rising recently in Uganda, Grace is responding with love and resistance. He's been planning to stage the play "Every Brilliant Thing" by Duncan Macmillan in order to spark hope and conversations about mental health -- while running this rural LGBT shelter offering food, beddings, and safety.Details & GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/.../support-lived-realities...Across Uganda, LGBTQ+ individuals face growing insecurity--ranging from arrests, violent attacks, forced evictions, and media outings. This has worsened under the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which legalizes discrimination and fuels public hostility. Many queer people are now homeless, hiding, or struggling with trauma and mental health crises.#lgbtq #humanrights #worldpridedc #worldpride #capitalpride #capitalpridedc #interpride Get full access to Voices of Solidarity at ourpride.substack.com/subscribe

For our WorldPride 2025 Global Gatherings, Aggie Dennett Harmon, Uganda's first open trangender pastor joins host Wyatt O'Brien Evans in this intimate conversation as they explore the intersections of faith, trans visibility, storytelling, and liberation. They talk about how queer and trans people especially in places like Uganda are reclaiming spirituality as a tool of resistance and healing.Aggie also discusses her new book “Echos of Grace” and the many challenges faced under the Homosexuality Act of 2023 and the end of USAID in Uganda and throughout Africa, directly affecting the survival of untold numbers of people.Listen to this Deep Dive Discussion on Aggie’s “Sacred Resistance”DETAILS about Echos of Grace"Sacred Resistance: Faith, Stories, Liberation" (Excerpts)Key Themes and Ideas:* Resilience and Resistance: A central theme is the unwavering resilience and resistance demonstrated by Aggie Dennett Harmon and the broader Ugandan trans and queer community in the face of immense adversity, violence, and systemic oppression. Harmon's own journey is presented as a testament to this, highlighting her refusal to give up despite significant challenges.* Reclaiming Faith and Spirituality: Harmon's ministry and her book, Echoes of Grace, emphasize the importance of reclaiming faith and spirituality as tools for healing, resilience, and resistance for trans and queer individuals. She challenges traditional interpretations of religious texts that condemn LGBTQ+ identities, arguing that God knows and loves people as they are.* The Power of Storytelling: The interview underscores the transformative power of sharing silenced stories. Echoes of Grace is explicitly presented as an "archive of many sacred stories" intended to make visible the experiences of rural trans and queer women who have endured rejection, violence, and exile. Harmon believes these stories can change perspectives and foster empathy.* Intersectionality of Identity and Oppression: The discussion highlights the complex intersections of being transgender, queer, and a person of faith, particularly within the context of a country like Uganda where these identities are often seen as contradictory. The source also touches on the specific vulnerabilities faced by rural trans and queer women.* Impact of the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023: A significant portion of the interview is dedicated to discussing the devastating impact of Uganda's anti-homosexuality law. Harmon details how the law has not only criminalized identities but also encouraged violence, forced people into hiding, restricted access to healthcare, and effectively denied LGBTQ+ individuals basic rights like housing.Most Important Ideas and Facts:* Aggie Dennit Harmon's Identity and Role: Aggie Dennit Harmon is Uganda's first openly transgender woman pastor. Her mission is explicitly stated as: "Whether behind a pulpit or microphone my mission is clear to uplift sacred stories reclaim faith and radiate grace in the face of adversity."* Echoes of Grace: The Sacred Lives of Rural Trans and Queer Women: Harmon's forthcoming book is not just a book but a "game changer" and a "living archive" of the stories of rural trans and queer women who have experienced rejection, violence, and exile. The book aims to amplify silenced voices and change the narrative around trans and queer identities within the context of faith.* Personal Experiences of Adversity: Harmon shares deeply personal experiences of having to leave her parents' home at a young age, experiencing denial and battling internal struggles related to her identity, and being a victim of rape. These experiences directly inspired the writing of Echoes of Grace.* Challenging Religious Narratives: Harmon directly confronts the misuse of religious texts to condemn LGBTQ+ individuals. She argues that God knew her before she was born and does not make mistakes, asserting that being trans and being a Christian are not mutually exclusive. She aims to change the narrative that LGBTQ+ people do not belong in faith communities.* Impact of the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act: The law is described as one of the harshest anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Africa. Its consequences include:* Encouraging violence.* Forcing people into hiding.* Cutting off access to healthcare (e.g., providing condoms or lubricants is seen as promoting homosexuality).* Making it difficult for LGBTQ+ individuals to find housing or purchase necessities.* Silencing the entire community.* Vulnerability of Rural Trans and Queer Women: While the law affects all LGBTQ+ individuals, Harmon highlights the particular vulnerability of trans and queer women in rural areas who may lack access to community support, organizations, or resources like mental health services. She aims to bring awareness and support directly to them.* HIV Advocacy and Challenges: Harmon discusses the increasing HIV rate among LGBTQ+ citizens in Uganda, exacerbated by the anti-homosexuality law's impact on access to healthcare. She also highlights the desperate circumstances that lead some members of the community to sex work for financial stability, increasing their risk of exposure to HIV. Furthermore, she points out the alarming rise in the price of HIV drugs, making medication less accessible.* Goals for Echoes of Grace: Harmon hopes the book will touch hearts, move people, and potentially change the perspectives of even those who are homophobic. She wants it to be a message of hope and visibility for those hiding, showing them they are seen, valued, loved, and worthy.* Fundraiser for the Book: A fundraiser is underway to raise 7,500 US dollars to support the Echoes of Grace project, covering graphic work, editing, and compensating contributors for sharing their stories.* Owning Scars and Stories: Drawing a parallel to Christ rising with scars, Harmon emphasizes that scars are living testimonies and foundations for future success. She encourages owning one's story and allowing scars to be a reason to keep striving.Quotes:* Aggie Dennett Harmon: "Whether behind a pulpit or microphone my mission is clear to uplift sacred stories reclaim faith and radiate grace in the face of adversity."* "Echoes of Grace one is not just a book project... it is being a game changer... it is a living a living... of many stories... of women who have endured rejection like I like I have... violence and exile."* "To be happy you have to embrace who you are you never find happiness in a partner." (Quote from her "trans mother," Mama Annet).* On the anti-homosexuality law: "One is the law... when the law was just passed it didn't just criminalize identities our identities it just it encouraged violence... it has cut it has cut off access to health care basically... it has silenced the entire community."* On religious condemnation: "basically growing up... I've been told that would not belong because according to the Bible God destroyed the city of Sodom and Gomorrah which is entirely wrong..."* On God's acceptance: "God does not make mistakes in the Bible to what I've read god knew me before me before I was even born he knew that AI would exist the way I am so God does not make any mistakes so I have to live to it i have to spread the word and and you know change the narrative..."* On the inspiration for Echoes of Grace: "Echoes began in my own silence and of so many other rural and rural trans and queer women that have been harassed women that have been... misunderstood to completely ignored..."* On her message to those hiding: "I hope to tell that little girl somewhere of hiding that is that is that little girl that little girl but the boy that is hiding or that is not living authentically that you can be who you are i see you we are here we have gone through a lot but we are still living does not mean that life ends life still moves we are human beings..."* On scars: "we are resilient we are meant to be... despite our scars are our found our scars... these scars make us who we are they are living testimonies to who we are to why we exist." 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In this episode, we will take a "deep dive" into the Voices of Solidarity program and its mission to raise awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues through art, media, and social action.It’s a quick discussion of the elements of Voices of Solidarity, the global arts & advocacy experience, which is an official event of WorldPride 2025 through the OUR PRIDE Shorts & Arts Festival.The "Fabric of Freedom" theme: Voices of Solidarity launched in 2025 with the WorldPride theme "The Fabric of Freedom".The Voices of Solidarity: Africa initiative: Which focuses on supporting and amplifying African queer voices through media and digital storytelling.The Youth Media Challenge: Which encourages young people to express their perspectives on LGBTQIA+ issues through various media.The Program Features: Including art, video, music, social media, short films, feature films, history and educational resources, story maps and global maps, WeVideo collaborative video editing network, and crowdfunding campaigns.The organization's strategies: Such as the creation of queer-centric media content, engagement with journalists and influencers, social media campaigns, and the development of an online LGBTQIA+ resource hub.The fundraising campaigns: Voices of Solidarity uses crowdfunding and auctions to support its programs, with a specific focus on initiatives in African countries such as Namibia, Uganda, and Tanzania.The voices of musical artists: Such as Shishani and Angel Maxine. Get full access to Voices of Solidarity at ourpride.substack.com/subscribe