Red Ribbon Awards Acceptance Speech: Advocacy and Human Rights

His Excellency the President of Fiji, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, Minister of Health of Indonesia, Dr. Nafsiah Mboi, Vice-Minister of Health Surveillance of Brazil, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Former Member of Parliament of Paupa New Guinea, Dame Carol Kidu, UNAIDS Deputy Director, Jan Beagle, GNP + Executive Director, Dame Suzette Moses-Burton, PANCAP Director, Dereck Springer, National AIDS Programme Scretariat Programme Manager, Dr. Shanti Singh-Anthony, international media, fellow awardees, human rights and AIDS researchers, activists, students, service providers, distinguished delegates; good afternoon to you all. And thank you for joining us at this special session  for the presentation of the 2014 Red Ribbon Awards at the 20^th International AIDS Conference, AIDS 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. I am Joel Simpson, speaking on behalf of the two award-winning community-based ogranisations from Indonesia and Guyana.

While we are happy to be here to accept this excellence award for our work, we  remember and pay tribute to our peers and colleagues who lost their lives traveling here on Flight MH 17. May their souls rest in peace, and their work not be in vain.
On behalf of the Indonesian Drug Users Network (PKNI) and the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Red Ribbon Awards committee, programme and funders for honouring our work with this excellence award in HIV advocacy and human rights. In Indonesia and Guyana, PKNI and SASOD, represent and work with marginalised groups who are treated like outcasts because they use drugs, sell sex and have diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Our communities are castigated as third-class citizens; their humanity and dignity is denied, and their rights are not respected. It is often difficult in this sector which is obsessed with data, numbers, monitoring and evaluation, and return on investment to make the business case for investing in human rights and advocacy programmes for key populations. But this Red Ribbon Award category for advocacy and human rights recognizes that we are “stepping up the pace” by putting pressure on state and non-state actors alike to end criminalization, prohibition and discrimination which create barriers to access for our communities. If we are to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, then we must protect the rights of the most vulnerable in our societies. We know 'getting to zero' is only possible if there is zero discrimination, zero new infections and zero AIDS-related deaths. But we cannot 'get to zero' if donors do not invest in community-based organisations who represent and work with key populations to advocate and improve human rights protections for these disadvantaged groups. Human rights is prevention. Human rights  is treatment. Human rights is care and support. Invest in human rights now!
And today as we celebrate our work with this most prestigious Red Ribbon Award, we are reminded that the struggles for human rights, dignity, equality and justice are far from over. Yesterday Sunday, July 20, two transgender youth, Jada and Tyra, were brutally murdered in Guyana's capital city, Georgetown. Both Chelauna and I know Jada and Tyra personally as vibrant and talented young advocates in the Guyanese lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender  (LGBT) movement. Our work is not complete until every human being in our countries – every drug user, every sex worker, every LGBT person – can live their lives freely and openly without fear, hatred or stigma. We dedicate SASOD's Red Ribbon Award  to the loving memories of Jada, Tyra and countless other LGBT Guyanese whose lives have been snuffed out, due to bigotry and prejudice in our beautiful country.

Jada and Tyra, may your souls rest in peace. Your bravery will not be in vain.

Thank you.

Joel Earl Simpson

SASOD – Guyana

Red Ribbon Awards Special Session

XX International AIDS Conference

Melbourne, Australia

July 21, 2014

CAFA LAUNCHES FILM PROJECT IN SUPPORT OF CARIBBEAN SCRIPT WRITERS

The Caribbean Film Academy (CaFA) and its partners - Groundation Grenada, Audiovisual Society of Dominica, ChantiMedia and SASOD Guyana – is set to launch Caribbean Film Project, an initiative which aims to showcase the talent of unknown and emerging writers in the Caribbean and Diaspora.

Through Caribbean Film Project, CaFA and its partners will not only tackle storytelling in films coming out of the Caribbean, but will provide an opportunity for Diaspora filmmakers to have their work included in a Caribbean film compilation. The initiative will focus on assisting in the production of films in countries which have mostly been absent from the current Caribbean filmmaking renaissance – Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, and St. Kitts & Nevis, as well as Caribbean filmmakers in the Diaspora.

Caribbean Film Project will be run as a script competition open for entries from January – February 2015.  The winner from each country will be paired with a coach who will work with the writer to make their script production-ready.  With the help of each producing partner, the films will then be produced. CaFA plans to raise the funds needed for the project through sponsorship, fundraisers and crowd-funding.

This focus on writing is long overdue, according to CaFA’s Co-Founder, Romola Lucas, who has led the effort to organize this new project.  She says, “Spurred by the availability and increasing affordability of filmmaking equipment, the Caribbean is currently experiencing a surge in filmmaking.  More and more people, who may never have considered filmmaking an option are making films encouraged by new opportunities to have their work screened at the growing number of Caribbean film festivals.  Many of the films are excellent – well-written, professionally produced, and visually appealing.  However, there are many others which suffer from technical issues and incomplete storytelling.”

“From our perspective, well-written stories underpin every sustainable film movement, and in order for Caribbean storytellers to be counted among the best in the world, specific focus and attention must be given to the development of great writers,” Lucas continues. 

The Film Project competition is open to writers/filmmakers who are residents/nationals of Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and to those of Caribbean descent/heritage living in the Diaspora and writing Caribbean stories.  Submissions open on Friday, January 2, 2015 and close Friday, February, 28, 2015.  To learn more about the Project and submit a script, visitwww.caribbeanfilm.org or email us at submissions@cafafilmproject.org.

 For further information, please contact:

Chantal Miller – ChantiMedia

hello@chantimedia.com

Jessica Canham – Audiovisual Association of Dominica

jessica@earthbook.tv

Joel Simpson – SASOD Guyana

manager@sasod.org.gy

Malaika Brooks – Groundation Grenada

malaika@groundationgrenada.com

Romola Lucas – CaFA

romola@caribbeanfilm.org

About CaFA

Established in 2012 in Brooklyn, NY, The Caribbean Film Academy (CaFA), is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and support of Caribbean filmmaking and filmmakers, in the Region and the Diaspora.  CaFA’s work is focused on promoting and sharing the art of storytelling through film from the unique perspective of the Caribbean.

About CHANTIMEDIA

ChantiMedia was born out of a passion for the Caribbean’s unparalleled and vibrant creative expression. Founded in 2012 by Chantal Miller (presenter and voice over artist) as a primarily digital platform to share and promote the artistic diversity of the region, ChantiMedia has now evolved into a multi-faceted creative hub. Based between the beautiful island of Nevis and the cultural melting pot of London (UK) the company now focuses on production (film and television), the curating of exhibitions and film festivals, the facilitating of creative workshops and fostering creative collaborations throughout the Diaspora.

 About GROUNDATION GRENADA

Groundation Grenada is a social action collective which focuses on the use of creative media to assess the needs of our communities, raise consciousness and act to create positive radical growth. Its mission is to provide active safe spaces to incubate new modes of resistance, building from the local to affect regional and international solidarity and change. The organization pursues its mission online, through its website and social media, and also through live events and special projects in collaboration with local, regional and international artists, activists and institutions. Groundation Grenada’s website supports both local and diasporic voices, acting as an interface to connect people who are hungry for innovative change.

About SASOD GUYANA

SASOD is dedicated to the eradication of homophobia in Guyana and throughout the Caribbean. The organization has worked tirelessly to repeal discriminatory Guyanese laws, change local attitudes about the LGBT community, and end discrimination in the government, workplace, and community.  The organization has been hosting, for the past 10 years, the only LGBT film festival in the Caribbean – bringing many Caribbean LGBT films to home audiences.

About THE AUDIOVISUAL ASSOCIATION OF DOMINICA

AAD’s mission is to promote and support the growth of professionals and businesses in Dominica’s audiovisual sector.  Membership in the Association is open to both individuals and to businesses. Being a member of the Audiovisual Association of Dominica enables individual producers and companies to benefit from activities and initiatives designed to improve the business climate for audiovisual professionals, and to support professional development.  The Association provides training in production, and scriptwriting, it maintains a data base of industry professionals, provides networking opportunities for members, creates local and regional partnerships and advocates for a regulatory environment to promote and support the growth of the sector.