About Caribbean Equality Project
Founded in 2015 by Mohamed Q. Amin in response to anti-LGBTQ+ hate in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY, the Caribbean Equality Project (CEP) is a community-based organization that empowers, advocates for, and represents Black and Brown, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming, and queer Caribbean immigrants in New York City. Through public education, community organizing, civic engagement, storytelling, and cultural and social programming, the organization's work focuses on advocacy for LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights, gender equity, racial justice, immigration and mental health services, and ending hate violence in the Caribbean diaspora. To date, CEP is the only educational-based agency serving the Caribbean-American LGBTQ+ community in New York City, with a dedicated aim to cultivating supportive and progressive Caribbean neighborhoods free of violence, oppression, and discrimination. CEP's organizing fosters solidarity, community partnerships, and greater family acceptance.
As a Black and Brown immigrant-led social justice and human rights organization, inclusivity and intersectionality are the foundation of the Caribbean Equality Project's work. The organization's liberation movement educates, inspires, uplifts, and celebrates the Black and Brown, queer and trans non-religious, Muslim, Hindu and Christian, documented and undocumented members of the Caribbean diaspora of all generations, all categories of ability, and all HIV statuses.
Additionally, the organization acts as a liaison to government agencies and elected officials with the collective vision of an equitable society based on justice, inclusivity, and equal opportunity, regardless of an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity within the Caribbean diaspora.
In the face of anti-immigrant sentiment, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, gender and racial discrimination, lack of access to health services, and hate violence at the hands of their families, friends, employers, medical professionals, and law enforcement officers (even in New York City), Caribbean Equality Project is creating sustainable and progressive Caribbean diaspora communities, free of violence and all forms of discrimination.
Year-round, Caribbean Equality Project conducts street outreach, hosts educational workshops and programming that provides an authentic, intergenerational safe space for shared experiences by building support networks through various pioneering programs and services.
