Massimadi Foundation: A Story of fight and Celebration

 

Arc-en-ciel d’Afrique : The Beginnings (2002-2019)

Rainbow of Africa was founded by two members of the Afro-Caribbean LGBT community and an ally to create a space for support and celebration for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals of African and Caribbean descent, as well as their families and friends. Officially registered on November 25, 2004, the organization began its activities in 2002, addressing urgent health and social support needs within this community.

From the outset, Rainbow of Africa launched key initiatives, developing a logo, a website, and defining different categories of membership. In 2006, a partnership with the first World Outgames in Montreal allowed the organization to host 32 African LGBT activists and six Caribbean activists, fostering vital exchanges with support from the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC).

Rainbow of Africa played a crucial role in raising awareness about the realities of Afro-Caribbean LGBT communities in Quebec, participating in conferences and organizing monthly social events to break isolation. In 2007, a reflection committee was established to introduce individual peer support services. Information booths were set up at major events such as the International Day Against Homophobia and Montreal Pride.

Although Rainbow of Africa ceased its activities in 2019, its legacy endures through the Massimadi festival, now organized by the Massimadi Foundation. The foundation continues to build on this legacy by using art and culture to combat discrimination while encouraging and highlighting the cultural contributions of Afro LGBTQ+ artists.

Massimadi Foundation: A New Era (2019 to Today)

The Massimadi Foundation has been promoting the culture and arts of LGBTQ+ Afro communities since 2009. It provides a platform for showcasing artistic creations from these communities, addressing their under-representation in the mainstream cultural sphere. Through cultural mediation, the foundation fights discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals from Afro communities while supporting their arts and creative expressions.

Through art, Massimadi combats homophobia, transphobia, and racism, while fostering healing and social progress. As Laurent Lafontant, President of the Foundation, states: "Our suffering transforms into beauty in creation, allowing the community to transcend and overcome its traumas." We invite our partners to join us in promoting equality and diversity through art and culture.

Hoping to give back to the community, Massimadi continues to turn to the arts as a means of rediscovering joy, the wonder of life, and as a vehicle to combat homophobia, transphobia, and racism. Art, which also has a healing power, encourages us to constantly question the society around us, driving it forward.

Massimadi reflects us, 
Massimadi unites us, Massimadi, 
it’s you, it’s us, 
Massimadi is family, 
Massimadi changes lives.