LGTBIQ+ JAM 2023
Urban art stands up for refugees who identify with dissident identities under the slogan “There is no home without LGTBIQ+ rights”
Last Sunday 18 June, the city of Barcelona hosted the Jam ‘There is no home without LGTBIQ+ rights’, an event that took place with the aim of vindicating the rights of refugees who are part of the LGTBIQ+ collective and promoting their inclusion and equality. Under the slogan “There is no home without LGTBIQ+ rights”, this Jam became a space for creative expression through which we seek to raise awareness and give a voice to those refugees who, in addition to facing the adversity of leaving their country of origin, also face discrimination and lack of rights due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
In order to carry out this event, we had the collaboration of ACATHI, a reference entity for the reception of LGTBIQ+ people seeking international protection in Catalonia. With two decades of experience, they focus on achieving real inclusion and fighting for the rights of these people in key areas such as housing, social protection, education and employment. They work in close collaboration with welfare services and public resources to ensure a successful integration and a full life in the host society. Their vision is based on intersectionality, interculturality, intergenerationality and innovation, recognising these people as subjects of rights and promoting dialogue, mutual support and recognition.
Marcel Serrano was the guest artist in charge of curating the event and painting a wall in the Parc de Les Tres Xemeneies together with: Popi Leguizamon, Killa.EK, Nirv_anna, Fractal Tattoo, G.Nivaria, MainMSR, El Sueño, LMental Wantson and Beti MDR. All of them gathered at 10am to vindicate through their pictorial styles the need to put an end to discrimination, threats, aggressions and prejudices towards the LGTBIQ+ community. All of them gathered at 10am to vindicate through their pictorial styles the need to put an end to discrimination, threats, aggressions and prejudices towards the LGTBIQ+ community.
The evening was enlivened with ambient music and ACATHI offered a complementary activity called “Living Library” where users of the organisation explained their experiences to give voice and body to the message of the day. In this way, dialogue and awareness-raising about the situation of LGTBIQ+ refugees was encouraged.
We are grateful for the support of Montana Colors and Montó Pintures, who defend the power of urban art to promote equal rights and inclusion in our society.
The Jam ‘There is no home without LGTBIQ+ rights’ brought together artists and citizens committed to defending human rights and building a more inclusive and diverse world in order to create an event with the message that we all deserve to be treated equally and with respect, regardless of our sexual orientation, gender identity or origin. We strive for a fair and just society where discrimination and intolerance have no place!