On Sept. 19, 2025, the Caribbean Equality Project (CEP) hosted its inaugural gala, entitled We Are Home, at Terrace On The Park in Queens.
As New York City’s only Caribbean LGBTQ+ immigrant rights organization, for a decade CEP has focused on advocacy for LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights, gender equity, racial justice, immigration, and mental health services. The organization’s public education, community organizing, civic engagement, storytelling, and cultural and social programming works to combat racialized, gendered, and sexual violence in the queer Caribbean diaspora. The gala celebrated 10 years of community organizing, culturally responsive programming, support services, and solidarity work since the organization’s founding in 2015.
Growing tremendously in size from a volunteer-led organization to now having a staff of 12, both in terms of infrastructure and community response to emerging needs since its establishment, the gala celebrated the past and present directions of the organization and its future ambitions.
One of the upcoming goals for the next three years, launched at the gala, is a $3 million capital funding campaign to build NYC’s first Caribbean LGBTQ+ center, which would act as a “home” and organizing base for CEP in Richmond Hill, Queens. The campaign has already raised $750,000 in state support from legislative champions, including NYS Assemblymembers Khaleel Anderson, Jessica González-Rojas, Steven Raga, Catalina Cruz, Grace Lee, and Karines Reyes. The movement for a permanent safe space of belonging, service, and impact will function as a multicultural sanctuary where queer and trans communities of color will be able to access direct services, attend in-person programming, and interact with our organization members face-to-face. This vision ensures that LGBTQ+ immigrants no longer have to choose between survival and dignity but can access resources under one roof of service, rooted in power building for LGBTQ+ immigrants and Caribbean New Yorkers.
The need for safe queer and trans “homes” is more needed than ever. Since the second presidency of Donald Trump began, we have seen a dramatically increasing and disturbing rise in hate crimes and violence towards queer and trans people, communities of color, immigrant and asylum seeker communities, Muslim and Jewish communities, as well as many others perceived as a “threat” by right-wing nationalist forces. As institutions such as ICE are in full swing, dispossessing racialized and immigrant communities from their residences, the devaluation of historic civil rights and initiatives supported by social justice movements is actively being erased. This can actively be seen through attacks against protections for LGBTQ+ communities, Black and Latinx communities, women and femme folks, disabled communities, and low-income communities, among many others. Thus, establishing safe homes for marginalized communities is incredibly important, serving as a hub to access “Know Your Rights” and immigration services, gender and trans affirming care, cross-movement legislative advocacy, and knowledge building to advance LGBTQ+ rights and safeguard democracy.
These topics were of utmost concern at the gala as attendees celebrated our political wins, including the recent $13.725 million City Council investment in transgender New Yorkers, and reflected on the heavy work to come. Over 300 guests joined CEP for their sold-out inaugural gala, hailing domestically from New York, California, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and as far as Canada and the United Kingdom.
Co-hosted by Tiffany Jade Munroe (trans justice manager, CEP) and Lana Patel (board secretary, CEP), the evening included a rooftop cocktail reception and seated dinner. It featured an incredible showcase of NYC-based artists, including a beautiful drag performance by trans artist Alicia Love (Miss Stonewall 2025), a legendary ballroom performance by the House of Garcon, live music from steel pannist Daniel Francis, and a lively after-party with music provided by Funky Reggae House and DJ Echo.
Six awards were presented to community leaders, political pioneers, and movement coalitions. The “Political Champion Award” was given to former NYC Councilmember Daniel Dromm, who chaired what was then known as the LGBT Caucus during his time in the City Council. This award was presented to an elected official who has played a transformative role in shaping CEP’s sustainability, visibility, and organizational growth. In his role with the City Council, Dromm supported the establishment of our 10-year-running support group for LGBTQI+ New Yorkers, “Unchained,” as well as the launch of the “Queer Caribbeans of NYC” exhibit produced by CEP. The “Caribbean Visibility Award” was received by trans Trinidadian actor, model, and activist Dominique Jackson, most popularly known for her groundbreaking performance as Ballroom house mother “Elektra Abundance” on the hit television series “Pose.” The “Caribbean LGBTQ+ Impact Award” was presented to DJ Debbie, a queer Afro-Trinidadian artist who stands as a trailblazing lesbian Caribbean artist and advocate for queer Caribbean visibility and representation.
The evening was filled with an abundance of queer joy. One of the many surprises was founder and executive director, Mohamed Q. Amin, receiving the “Colin Robinson Visionary Award” for his longstanding commitment to interracial solidarity, queer and trans liberation, and pro-immigrant and asylum seeker rights. The award honored the legacy of the late Colin Robinson, a prominent queer activist, writer, and poet from Trinidad and Tobago, who dedicated his life to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, HIV policy, and gender justice in the Caribbean and its diasporas. Awards were also presented to the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families and the New York Immigration Coalition, celebrating their cross-movement coalition-building work to advocate for AAPI, Black, and immigrant communities across New York State.
The gala welcomed several elected officials as speakers and award presenters, who continue to advocate for LGBTQI+ and immigrant rights and against ICE enforcement. This included NYS Senators John Liu and Jabari Brisport; Councilmembers Amanda Farías, Rita Joseph, Tiffany Cabán, and Shekar Krishnan; and representatives from the NYS governor’s office, Queens Borough President’s office, and the offices of Assemblymembers Catalina Cruz and Emérita Torres.
The Caribbean Equality Project is committed to another decade of leadership in supporting queer and trans communities of color. As expressed by Mohamed Q. Amin:
“Our work is far from over; the next decade presents even greater challenges,” Amin said. “To keep our community safe, we must deepen our outreach, expand our leadership, and build enduring infrastructures of care and sustainability. We will continue fighting for policies that safeguard us, resources that empower us, and cultural spaces that affirm us. We will ensure that Afro and Indo-Caribbean LGBTQ+ New Yorkers are safe, seen, and celebrated.”
Ongoing programming and services offered by the Caribbean Equality Project can be accessed at caribbeanequalityproject.org. The organization can also be reached on Facebook and Instagram at @CaribbeanEqualityProject.
