TITLE: The unbroken resilient voice
(A-Me A-Black A-Him A-Her A-Them A-Trans)
Adebayo Chris Katiiti Kalibbala
Pronouns: He/Him/They/Them
My Name is Adebayo Chris am a black transgender man athlete and Refugee who have recently just got his gender affirming chest reconstruction Surgery living on Amiskwaciwaskahikan Treaty6/Metis Territory, where Cree, Blackfoot, Saulteaux,Nakota sioux , Dene and the Metis people have Inhabited and lived for time immemorial.
I came to Edmonton from Uganda for the ILGA swimming competition that took place in August 2016. Following the traumatizing events in 2016 after the uganda police raided the gay pride and i was among the activists who were arrested, highly beaten and undressed by police to check if I was a man or a woman. In Uganda it’s illegal to be gay and worse for transgender persons the penalty is life imprisonments or death sentence.
I was not able to go back home because of fear of being persecuted by the police and after my family disowned me because of my sexuality and gender identity. A Journey of pain and A Journey of laughter , A Journey of resilience, Harmony and Hope I applied for refugee status in Canada as the only option l had to save my own life and Currently a permanent Residence.
Following the challenges I encountered why applying for refugees status as a black Transgender refugee which included but not limited to white saviorism and the rampant racism within the 2SLGBTQ+ community as they are outside of the reality and the transphobia with in the black communities. I Founder RARICAnow,(Rights for all LGBTIQ+ Refugees in Canada now society, a registered not for profit organisation with the aim of Promoting Human Rights for all LGBTIQ+ refugees and newcomers in Canada while aiming to center the needs of transgender refugees. The organization leverages service provision to address the refugee needs and continue promoting conversations in the same area of focus, sharing triumphs and focusing on being part of institutions rectifying their struggles through political, social, economic, and cultural means. The work contributes to those who are often ignored or neglected by mainstream services and provide culturally relevant support and advocacy space for those ‘on the margins’.
We created a documentary A LONG ROAD TO PEACE where we interviewed half a dozen of transgender and queer refugees who shared their stories and experiences in search of safety to canada.Trans and Queer Refugees and Newcomers from the camps and other countries see Canada as a eutopia; they believe that they will be free and safe here. So they desperately seek ways to come here to escape persecution and possible death. While Canada is safer than many other places, these asylum seekers are often not prepared for the complexity of the processes they must maneuver or for the discrimination they still face here and the racial injustice they face on a systematic level.
As a result of the Edmonton Pride Festival Society locking out and deploying police against 2 SLGBTQ+ community members and harassed other stakeholders at a meeting on Saturday, April 6th, 2019 organized by the Edmonton Pride Festival Society . The event was held at McKernan Community Hall to vote on demands made by us the racialized 2SLGBTQ+ community members following the halting of the Pride Parade in 2018 to protest the presence of Police and Military participation in the festival.The commemoration anniversary of the stonewall was bone on the 28th Day of June 2019 in the so called “Edmonton”Centring often ignored voices in our community was the main goal. As racism, racial injustice, police brutality and racial discrimination are all significantly coming into a collective conversation more seriously than many of us have ever seen.
Adebayo continued to organise Stonewall 2020 focusing on Black Trans live Matter Stonewall Rallies hosted in both Edmonton and Calgary to raise our community members and ensure that their voices and stories are being heard.
This has continue to lay the foundation for the continued reclaiming of pride and the centring of QT- BIPOC voices in restoring the radical and anti-oppressive roots of the Queer liberation movement.I am proud to be one of theRadical leaders that continue to lead and do this work, organize amidst the backlash and threats and being targeted by not only the hate groups, white supremacist but also in my own the Lgbtiq Community blaming me for the cancellation of Edmonton Pride Festival Society which nolonger exist, Having to deal with ongoing racism and microaggression on a systematic, professional and personal level from those who are supposed to protect us and help us stay safe instead they stay silent especially those in positions of power and in white Queer dominate space as an outspoken person I managed to speak up for myself but instead I was terminated from work with in the white LGBTIQ+ NGO’s, I have tasted the racial injustice and transphobic by my own people and it hurts so much because it lives me with no where to go, no where is safe as there are no anti-racist and anti- discrimination laws to protect black trans people from these people and systems of oppression
As a frontline activist and a leader in the LGBTIQ Community, I have also been a frontier victim of police brutality in Edmonton Ca. April 2020 I was unlawfully arrested and handcuffed by the police in my friends home and to be alive today I can never take any breath I take in and out for granted, I am Radically Commited and determined to continue the fight as l dedicated al my time, energy and invested passions into showing up and speaking up for my people my black Queer trans communities especially refugees as I continue to invest in free labour to ensure that they have access to mental health Supports, Legal protection and safety in health care, Housing and in Public Spaces and advocating for emergency settlement for the Trans refugees in Kakuma Camp” as my motto in activism is “No one is free until all of us are free”
The work that I commit to is not a specified target with achievements but its an ongoing radical work and continuous fighting to ensure safety for black transgender live across the globe. This is not an easy fight especially when some of our communities are being murdered daily. With my team in the little capacity we have, we have manageable to raise awareness on behalf of our members faced by deportation from the unfair ruling and internalized bias of black trans persons, Transphobic and Homophobic immigration interpreters for several deportation cases for black trans and Queer refugee in Canada.these are not achievements because I do not believe that my work is measurable
I facilitate and do presentation including providing Anti-racism and inclusivity workshops and pieces of training to teach inclusive and language around trans Queer and non-binary folks. These workshops need to exist especially leaving in the world where white-hetero-normative is the norm and there’s less or lack of knowledge when it comes to black, indigenous, trans Queer People of Colour. Its important to all communities as some pieces of training have been down in universities, Cultural heritage centers like Africa Center, United churches, Inclusive health Conference, AISSA immigration summits, Black history month events, Health care Providers, GSA, facilitating diversity and inclusion workshop in the USA and Canada tourism industry with Canada,s LGBT Chambers of Commerce and through doing a presentation to these institutions that are bonded with the systems of racism to helps create a better tomorrow as my reason for hope.
The fear and the risks involved in doing this work of dismantling, defunding, abetting deportation and protesting for what is right and standing up for black trans lives have left me exposed to police brutality with no legal supports,hate and surveillance by Boarder service agencies.It is absurd that even with the hate we as black trans queer people face and the daily discrimination from our own communities and every where, we still have to pay for our hormones even tho the Hetero-Cis people don’t pay for their hormones, limited access to birth control, we still have to struggle to figure out which bathroom to use that’s it safer amidst misgendering us and being addressed by our DEAD NAMES especially from our black communities who continue to harass and isolate us as the hetero- cis- people continue to take up queer spaces and access the little support we have making our lives a living hell... IT IS NOT FAIR. IT IS A LIFE THREATENING Internal Struggle for racialised transgender and non-binary communities.
I was honoured to receive the Change Maker Pride Award from the Edmonton Pride Festival Society June 2018, in recognition of his inspirational contribution to Edmonton’s LGBTQ community. Adebayo holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Science from Makerere University, Uganda, I am a council member of Government of Alberta Anti-Racism Council , Diversity and Inclusion Facilitator with Canada’s LGBT Chambers of Commerce, Peer Support Worker /Educator ,Personal trainer and Dance instructor, Community Activists and National Lifeguard, Aswimmer and a former Uganda National Soccer Team player (Crested Crane), Event Speaker and organizer and an Artist.
