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“We believe we have saved lives on this journey. We’ve created safe spaces for queer individuals, their parents, their friends, and their families who could not find room in their churches,” Ecclesia de Lange at I AM’s 25th Anniversary Celebration
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Greetings!
It was very special to host our momentous 25th Anniversary Celebration on 25 November. Thank you to everyone who made this phenomenal event possible and to all who joined the online celebration. If you have missed the occasion you can watch the video that was screened at the event reflecting on our 25-year journey, “The Unlikely Friend”, or catch the full event here. You can also read more about IAM’s journey in our 25th Anniversary report on our website.
As Christmas and the new year approach, we thank and acknowledge all of IAM’s supporters during this challenging year. Over the last few months, the generosity and support showed by our partners has helped turn a period of disruption and uncertainty into one of opportunity and creativity. We celebrate you, your tenacity that never wavered in the face of adversity, and your determination to refuse to let this pandemic stop us.
We thank all who have supported IAM financially during this tough time. We acknowledge that your renewed financial support is critical to continue to build on our successes over the past 25 years.
As we look ahead, and despite reasons for optimism in 2021, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to weigh heavily on all of us. Please, stay safe and healthy over the coming weeks and months.
Luke 2:7 ‘…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.’ May we create safe and welcoming spaces for new life to be born over this festive season and 2021. Thank you, as always, for your demonstrated commitment to creating an inclusive world with all of us here at IAM.
We wish you a very Blessed Christmas and a prosperous new year.
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Ecclesia de Lange
Director, IAM
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We want to make an appeal to our supporters to consider giving financially towards IAM’s mission, either in your own name or in honour of a friend or loved one. Your contributions, whatever the amount, will help us continue our life-affirming and transformational work throughout Africa in the coming year. As a registered NGO we can provide a South African Section 18A Tax Certificate, which allows you to deduct your donation from your tax contributions. Should you require a tax certificate, kindly send your contact details to info@iam.org.za. Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
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IAM at 25: Learning institution partners reflect – UKZN
IAM’s partnerships with tertiary learning institutions form an integral part of the way that IAM works. We reached out to a number of our partners that we’ve worked with over the years and asked them to reflect on our work together and the impact that it has had on their work in the classroom. Professor Charlene van der Walt and three UKZN students reflect on the importance of the work that IAM is doing in the field of Gender and Religion.
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Actions speak louder than words
On this year’s International Transgender Day of Remembrance, IAM staff and Trans activist partners reflect on the losses the community continues to suffer, the impact of COVID-19, and how we can take concrete actions to support the transgender community.
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Travelling the road with the Dutch Reformed Church
IAM’s early and continued work with the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa has been foundational to how we approach transformation within the church. The power of using one’s own story to build empathy, the importance of dialogue to drive change, and the strength of long-term, sustained impact can truly impact change were beliefs that have all largely been borne out in our work with the DRC over the past 25 years, and continue to influence our work today.
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Remembering IAM’s past, celebrating the people
As we come together to celebrate IAM’s 25th anniversary, we take time to remember and honour our staff, leadership, board, and partners without whom we would not have been able to do this work.
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IAM 25th Anniversary Report
For the past 25 years IAM played an intentional and courageous role in working towards restoring the dignity of LGBTIQ+ people in Africa. This report is a remembrance and reflection of this journey, looking back and looking forward, highlighting the important milestones reached, achievements and growth of the organisation.
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Nandi Makhaye
Nandi Makhaye is IAM’s 2020 Scholarship Holder and Gender and Religion PhD Candidate at UKZN. In this video, Nandi reflects on the importance of the work that IAM is doing in the field of Gender and Religion.
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Sizwe Sithole
Sizwe Sithole is a Gender and Religion PhD Candidate at UKZN who has worked with IAM on personal transformation. In this video, Sizwe reflects on the importance of the work that IAM is doing in the field of Gender and Religion.
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Tracey Sibisi
Tracey Sibisi, Coordinator at the Gay and Lesbian Network, was awarded IAM’s 2019 scholarship for her Honours studies, and is a current Gender & Religion Masters candidate at UKZN. In this video, Tracey reflects on the importance of the work that IAM is doing in the field of Gender and Religion.
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Professor Charlene van der Walt
Professor Charlene van der Walt, Head of Gender and Religion Programme at UKZN, has worked closely with IAM since her time at Stellenbosch University and values their close collaboration. In this video, Professor Charlene reflects on the importance of the work that IAM is doing in the field of Gender and Religion.
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Professor Charlene van der Walt
Professor Charlene van der Walt, Head of Gender and Religion Programme at UKZN, heads up a programme that aims to enable African faith leaders to engage issues of gender and sexuality within their faith context in a comprehensive and intersectional manner. In this video, Professor Charlene reflects on the importance of partnering beyond the silos of individual sectors of work and talks about what IAM brings to their classroom.
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The Unlikely Friend
"The Unlikely Friend" has been produced by SCOPE for the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM) and screened at the event on 25 November 2020.
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- The Ujamaa Centre is hosting the annual Eudy Simelane Memorial lecture online this year, which includes a short film and keynote speech by South African Queer poet Koleka Putama| | 7 Dec 2020 (link live on Dec 7, can be viewed on demand) | #RememberEudy
- UKZN will host the Mzwandile R. Nunes Memorial Lecture, with keynote from Bongi Zengele: "Juxtaposing the impact of HIV and Covid-19 on the South African economy: Implications for unemployed youth" | 10 Dec 2020 17:00-18:30 | Zoom link https://ukzn.zoom.us/j/99852319709?pwd=MlRlZjg2VG9peUhsQU9UcTl6Rm9wdz09
- In case you missed it, you can catch a recording of IAM's 25th Anniversary celebration on our FB page | https://fb.watch/28uFe7v2lG/
- IAM's offices will be closing 11 December 2020, and officially opening again 11 Jan 2021.
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