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Warm greetings,
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, we are still processing and adjusting to the disruption. This continues to be a process of acknowledging and ultimately accepting our frustration, anxiety, uncertainty, and losses.
However, there is also much to celebrate and to acknowledge. We are grateful for the courage and compassion of frontline health workers, activists, and individuals who give of themselves, tirelessly, to offer relief to others. We celebrate all who have utilised the time to reconnect with their family and or loved ones during lockdown. We are grateful to all who have been able to use this time as a sabbatical or rest. We especially celebrate those who have recovered from COVID-19.
We also celebrate and acknowledge our partners. To our donors who have assisted us in redirecting some of our funding for COVID-19 relief and who are genuinely concerned about the sustainability of IAM and the LGBTIQ+ movement at large within the region – thank you for your trust in us and commitment towards our mission to realise full inclusion, acknowledgment, affirmation, and celebration of LGBTIQ+ people in Africa. To our regional partners and the LGBTIQ+ NGO sector in South Africa – thank you for your resilience and courage, and we encourage you to take care of yourselves and keep up the good work. To our academic partners – thank you for checking-in and being open to explore with us new ways of learning and engagement. To the faith communities – we celebrate your unique position to connect with communities to assist and offer hope to people as they grapple with their faith and reality. To our individual supporters – thank you for your continued support and prayers.
May our positive thoughts, actions, and prayers propel us into a sustainable future for all.
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Ecclesia de Lange
Director, IAM
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The power of rituals, symbols and practices to create meaning
As part of our #CommunityofCare work, the IAM team reflects upon a variety of things that might be of help to our community in these troubling times, from work to family to health to spirituality. In this post, IAM’s Michelle Boonzaaier reflects on the power of rituals, symbols and practices to get us through tough times and to create meaning within any situation.
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The changing nature of work in these COVID-19 times
As part of our #CommunityofCare work, the IAM team reflects upon a variety of things that might be of help to our community in these troubling times, from work to family to health to spirituality. In this post, IAM’s Hanzline Davids reflects on the changing nature of work, its power to impart meaning to our days, and how we seek help should we lose our work.
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A Reflection on the International Transgender Day of Visibility
IAM’s Greyson V. Thela reflects on International Transgender Day of Visibility with thoughts around the legal, personal, and interpersonal challenges that still face many trans bodies, particularly in these times of crisis.
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I Pray that Hope is Around the Corner for All
IAM’s Michelle Boonzaaier reflects on Resurrection Sunday in a time of the global pandemic, trying to see the celebration through the eyes of transgender and gender non-conforming people for whom the promise that hope is around the corner is not forthcoming.
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Reflections on family, in all its varied forms
As part of our #CommunityofCare work, the IAM team reflects upon a variety of things that might be of help to our community in these troubling times, from work to family to health to spirituality. In this post, IAM’s team reflects on what family means to us, and in particular what it means this Family Day, celebrated while we are in lockdown in South Africa.
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Sustaining our creative communities through connection
As part of IAM’s #CommunitiesofCare reflection, we asked ourselves “how do we reformulate who we are as a creative community, holding onto the best parts of who we are as we work remotely?” Two IAM staff tackled this question, reflecting on how they are continuing to work collaboratively without in-person connection, and how they are keeping that creativity alive. Issues around connection, disconnection and reconnection are important not just to our work lives at this time of crisis, but are also questions we should ask ourselves as we move to reconstruct our “normal”.
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Status check: IAM team reflection
As part of IAM’s #CommunityofCare series, IAM’s team reflects on where they are at five weeks into working remotely and struggling together through the COVID-19 crisis. The team shares personal reflections, public celebrations, and thoughts in progress.
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A Liturgy of Radical Love
This liturgy was developed by a group of master’s students in the Gender, Religion and Health Programme at the School of Religion, Classics and Philosophy at the University of KwaZulu-Natal during an IAM workshop.
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Celebrate International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB) | May 17 | Learn more at https://may17.org/, includes ideas for action under lockdown
Registration is now open for the virtual AIDS 2020 conference being held 6-10 July 2020 | www.aids2020.org | scholarships are available
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At IAM we are continually striving to create a sense of belonging in a country that has great love and potential but is often characterised by harsh divisions. We are creating safe spaces for dialogue where the marginalised can finally have a voice. But, we can't do it alone.
We ask that you, our IAM friends, consider supporting us financially in our ongoing transformative work throughout Africa. With your help, we can build on the accomplishments of the past 25 years and continue on for many years to come.
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