Category Archives: Caribbean

Caribbean organizations

In The Know is proud to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month. During this month, our team will highlight a wide range of Caribbean and Caribbean American-owned brands. We encourage you to support today and beyond.

Although the world is still drastically impacted by the pandemic, certain countries and islands were hit harder than others. The Caribbean and various islands of the North Atlantic Ocean were some of the first places to reopen to U.S. travelers once it was safe. However, many agree that Caribbean islands and various countries are financially dependent on tourism and the need to open was based on economic survival.

As of June 2021, the Latin America and Caribbean islands had over 36 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, attributing to 20% of the cases worldwide. However, many organizations have stepped up to support Caribbean countries in their pandemic responses. From the rollout of vaccines to preparation for access to vaccines, food and water, many organizations are working to minimize the economic and environmental impact of COVID-19 on Caribbean countries.

Get to know some organizations that are leading the charge.

Committed to ensuring all people have access to the health care they need, PAHO is an international health agency for the Americas. The organization focuses on equity, excellence, solidarity, respect and integrity for all people. PAHO closely monitors the countries of the Americas receiving vaccines with up-to-date information on its site.

Credit: ECLAC

Established in 1948, the ECLAC (or CEPAL) contributes to the economic development of Latin America and Caribbean islands. It also reinforces economic ties among the various countries and with other nations of the world.

Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) has long-standing relationships with food distribution partners in Haiti and growing collaborations with the Dominican Republic. The MannaPack meals are distributed by the organizations and feed 13 countries in the Caribbean. The organizations international marketplace also supports 583 artisans in the Caribbean.

Story continues

Children of the Caribbean Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization based in Beverly Hills, California. The organization provides relief and assistance to disadvantaged children across the Caribbean in three different categories: education, health care and social development.

Credit: Cahfsa.org

Established to institute effective sanitary measures for Caribbean countries, the CAHFSA focuses on animal health, such as the absence of disease in animals, and general food safety to promote agricultural trade competitiveness and a stronger market for agricultural communities. Currently, there are 15 Caribbean islands and territories that are members of the organization.

Community Coalition for Haiti has been working alongside the people of Haiti for over 25 years, incorporating community-driven solutions in health care, education and community development.

Established to end hunger and ensure access to food for all people, the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean collaborates with agencies and organizations in both the public and private sectors to raise awareness and drive change.

With a focus on agriculture, the Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (also known as CARDI) prioritizes the rights and needs of workers. The organization also helps introduce new food suppliers to the region to reduce hunger and poverty.

Credit: Caribbean Community

Caribbean Community is one of the oldest organizations still in existence seeking to unify and empower a collection of Caribbean countries, including the Bahamas, Suriname and Guyana. Caribbean Community works to improve living and work conditions for people in the Caribbean. It also works to advance economic development and increase international competitiveness.

IDB offers both financial and technical support to Caribbean countries in an effort to reduce poverty. It focuses on promoting health and education while also creating more advanced infrastructure that is sustainable and environmentally conscious.

According to IFAD, 80% of the women, children and men living in extreme poverty live in rural areas, not cities. Given this staggering statistic, the organization invests resources specifically in rural people and communities, helping to develop strong economies and sustainable workforces.

The World Food Program is a game-changing humanitarian organization that uses food assistance to create stability and prosperity in places recovering from conflict and/or natural disasters. The WFP has 20,000 staff worldwide and works in over 80 countries, including Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

If you liked this post, check out 6 Caribbean-founded LGBTQIA+ organizations you need to follow and support.

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12 organizations helping Caribbean countries during the pandemic - Yahoo Sports

Pay-TV broadcaster agrees deal for Asian club and national team soccer rights until 2024.

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The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed pay-TV broadcaster Caribbean Satellite Television Network (CSTN) as its new broadcast partner in the Caribbean until 2024.

Under the terms of the deal, CSTN will have the rights to all major AFC national team and club competitions starting immediately. The deal was brokered by the Football Marketing Asia agency, which is signed on as the AFCs commercial rights partner until 2028.

The broadcast rights picked up CSTN include the AFC Asian qualifiers for the 2022 Fifa World Cup, the 2022 AFC Womens Asian Cup, the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, as well as the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup.

CSTNs current portfolio of rights includes the Concacaf Nations League and the regional Fifa World Cup Qualifiers.

Selby Browne, CSTN president, said: The vision for the development of a closer relationship between the 31 Caribbean countries and the 47 member associations of the AFC will prove successful for all nations. We look forward to bringing the AFC competitions ever closer to the football fans in the Caribbean.

Originally posted here:

CSTN acquires AFC media rights in the Caribbean - SportsPro Media

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As of today, HBO Max is rolling out in 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, marking the streaming platforms first launch outside of the U.S. and kicking off its global expansion. HBO Max has made a commitment to produce 100 local originals in Latin American over the next two years, in addition to offering subscribers access to its catalog of fan-favorite brands and programming. Later this year, soccer fans in Brazil and Mexico will be able to enjoy matches of the UEFA Champions League, one of the most prestigious and followed soccer competitions in the world.

With this launch, subscribers of the HBO Max ad-free plan in the U.S. will be able to access the platform while traveling throughout any of these 39 newly supported territories, and Latin American subscribers will also be able to access the platform while traveling in the U.S.

Over our first year since launch, fans in the U.S. have chosen HBO Max as one of their favorite streaming platforms. With todays launch, we are introducing our global platform and providing a brand new user experience to millions of fans across Latin America and the Caribbean. There couldnt be a better place to begin our global journey, as WarnerMedia has been a favorite and trusted source for compelling and entertaining content for the whole family, said Johannes Larcher, Head of HBO Max International.

To celebrate the launch, HBO Max brings with it a new and exclusive one-of-a-kind launch offer: by subscribing on hbomax.com by July 31, Latin American fans will benefit from a 50% discount off the regular monthly plan for as long as they maintain their subscription without interruption.

"The big day has finally arrived, and we couldnt be more thrilled. HBO Max launches in our region with an unprecedented offer rewarding our first wave of subscribers and sure to delight our fans by making our collection of movies and TV series more accessible and more affordable than ever before. This past year with its unprecedented health and economic crises has been challenging for our fans from Tijuana to Tierra del Fuego, and so we are thrilled to bring some joy and inspiration to the entire community through this exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime launch offer, stated Luis Durn, General Manager of HBO Max for Latin America.

HBO Max offers high quality entertainment with content for everyone in the family, including a wide variety of movies, series, documentaries, reality shows and productions for the little ones, from WarnerMedia's favorite brands such as HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Network and the DC Universe. HBO Max has the most iconic productions loved by all fans such as FRIENDS, the HARRY POTTER saga, GAME OF THRONES and LOONEY TUNES, plus new exclusive original productions for the platform that include ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, RAISED BY WOLVES and the GOSSIP GIRL reboot, along with so much more. The platform also includes original productions from Latin America featuring local creators and talents, as well as renowned titles from countries around the world.

HBO Max is available for subscription at HBOMax.com, via participating digital stores and through various distribution partners in the region. Its accessible from supported smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and compatible streaming devices.

The platform includes two plans:

- The Standard Plan offers families access to 3 simultaneous users, 5 personalized profiles, content downloads (up to 30 titles), video in high-definition and some titles in HD and 4K, on all compatible devices.

- The Mobile Plan offers access to the same content catalog, but is designed for an individual experience with content downloads (up to 5 titles) enjoyable in standard-definition on compatible smartphones and tablets.

Users can access HBO Max directly through HBOMax.com using any of the following internet browsers: Firefox, Chrome, Safari (for Mac users) and Edge (for Windows users). The platform is also accessible at launch across a range of supported devices, including: Android TV, Android phones and tablets (OS 5+ or later), Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices; iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD; LG Smart TVs (web OS 3.5 or later); Roku devices and Roku TV models (OS 10+); Samsung Smart TVs (2016 models and later); and Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

The launch of HBO Max in Latin America and the Caribbean follows the introduction of a lower-priced ad-supported subscription tier in the United States. earlier this month. Next up, the platforms international rollout will extend to Europe later this year.

Join the conversation and follow us on: @hbomaxla

About HBO Max

HBO Max is WarnerMedias direct-to-consumer platform, offering best in class quality entertainment. HBO Max features the greatest array of storytelling for all audiences from the iconic brands of HBO, Warner Bros., DC, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and much more. The streaming platform launched in the United States in May 2020 and introduced an advertising-supported subscription tier in June 2021. The platforms global roll out begins this month when HBO Max launches in 39 markets across Latin America and the Caribbean, followed by the replacement of HBO-branded streaming services in Europe later this year.

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HBO Max Rolls out in 39 Territories in Latin America and the Caribbean Starting Today - Business Wire

Kirl Grant-Hoschtialek, Acting CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA), said that "the Culinary Capitals destination accreditation by the World Food Travel Association is a huge achievement for Grenada. We are known around the world as the Spice of the Caribbean, so it is fitting that we are the first Caribbean island to earn this designation. This will undoubtedly attract discerning travelers who want to explore the link between food and culture, and who want to ensure that every dish they have on their vacation tastes amazing!"

The integration of spices into Grenada's cuisine has resulted in an overall robust and flavourful national food profile. From fine dining to casual beachside restaurants and even street food, it is undeniable that Grenadians have a taste and flair for delicious food. The islands are perfectly positioned as a Culinary Capital, with their many distinctive culinary assets to showcase. Examples include the tradition of saraka, the national dish 'oil down', chocolate, nutmeg ice cream, handcrafted rums, and of course, the many uses of the spices on the island both in food and for medicinal and wellness purposes.

Now that Grenada's unique culinary culture is officially recognized, the GTA is set to market the destination to "foodie travelers" and further develop the island's food tourism offerings and put Grenada on the map for consumers who travel for unique and memorable food and beverage experiences.

Erik Wolf, Executive Director of the World Food Travel Association, the world's leading authority on food and beverage tourism, said that "Smaller destinations like Grenada need every competitive advantage, and that is what Culinary Capitals provides. Savvy food-loving travelers are adding destinations like Grenada to their bucket lists right now, eagerly waiting for when they can travel again."

The Culinary Capitals program accredits eligible destinations through a rigorous application process. The program is about much more than just earning recognition. Successful destinations also receive marketing and strategy support for the coming year, as they put their new moniker to good use in their destination marketing efforts. And for food- and beverage-loving travelers, Culinary Capitals designation gives them new choices with under-visited destinations, which is exactly what travelers now seek post-pandemic.

Interested destinations can contact the WFTA about becoming an accredited Culinary Capital.

ABOUT GRENADAGrenada comprises three islands in one unique destination located in the Caribbean's southernmost region. With 50 world-class white sand beaches, 15 breathtaking waterfalls, countless hiking trails, and 60 unforgettable dive sites including the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean and the world's first Underwater Sculpture Park as well as offering unmatched charm, warm and friendly hospitality, each visitor enjoys a seamlessly tailored beyond-the-ordinary Pure Grenada experience.

ABOUT THE WORLD FOOD TRAVEL ASSOCIATION(WFTA)

The WFTA is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2001 by Erik Wolf, its current Executive Director. It is recognized as the world's leading authority on food and beverage tourism (a.k.a. culinary tourism and gastronomy tourism). The WFTA's mission is to preserve and promote culinary cultures through hospitality and tourism. Every year, the organization provides professional programs and services to 200,000 professionals in 150+ countries.

Media Contact: Erik Wolf (+44) 7827 582 554 [emailprotected]

SOURCE World Food Travel Association

Link:

Grenada, The Spice of the Caribbean, Named World's First "Culinary Capital" - PRNewswire

KEY FIGURES

1.04M NEW COVID-19 CASES IN LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN FROM 21-27 JUNE 2021

242.1M COVID-19 VACCINE DOSES ADMINISTERED IN LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN

MEXICO

The sustained decrease from record single-day highs of 22,000 cases and 1,400 deaths in January 2021 are experiencing a moderate reversal, with cases picking back up from under 3,000 a day at the beginning of May to more than 4,000 a day. Official data shows a daily average of 3,086 new cases during the first 21 days of June, a 38.7 per cent increase from the daily average in May, while daily COVID-19 deaths have increased 70 per cent in June compared to May.

Analysts say Mexico is dealing with third wave of infections that is less pronounced and more localized, due to rising cases in 10 of Mexicos 32 states, as well as the capital of Mexico City.

Mexicos 40.7 million administered COVID-19 vaccine dose have reached about 17.5 million with both doses (14 per cent of the population) and 11.1 million with an initial dose (8.6 per cent of the population.)

CHILE

The Ministry of Health reported 2,700 new COVID-19 cases on 23 June, the first time a single-day count has come in below 3,000 since early March 2021.

The development follows Government orders for a massive lockdown of the Greater Santiago area in recent days to tackle rising infections and hospital occupancies despite managing one of the worlds most far-reaching vaccination campaigns. About 6 out of every 10 people in Chile have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, with 9.75 million people being fully vaccinated and 2.46 million awaiting a second dose, or 51 and 13 per cent of the population, respectively.

The Ministry of Health adds they have reached just over 80 per cent of the target population (12.2 million people) with their first dose since beginning vaccinations more than five months ago, an achievement the Ministry qualifies as a major milestone in national immunization efforts.

CUBA

The BioCubaFarma pharmaceutical organization reports that their Soberana 2 COVID-19 vaccine candidate has shown a 62 per cent efficacy with just two of its three doses, offering the country an encouraging outlook as trials continue. Countries such as Argentina, Jamaica, Mexico and Venezuela have expressed interest in purchasing vaccines from Cuba, who continue to develop five separate vaccine candidates currently in clinical trials.

The development comes as Cuba deals with the worst period of their pandemic; health officials reported 2,055 new cases on 23 June, shattering the previous single-day high of 1,537 reported less than two weeks prior.

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Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (21-27 June 2021), as of 28 June 2021 - Mexico - ReliefWeb

A game at the Caribbean Baseball Cup between the United States Virgin Islands and Cuba has been suspended due to potential COVID-19 cases between the teams.

Six possible cases were detected through anti-gen tests requested by the Curaao Government upon entering the nation.

A negative polymerase chain reaction test and anti-gen tests must be given on entry to Curaao, followed by another set of tests on the third day in the country.

Those suspected to be infected with COVID-19 are three players, one coach and two more staff members from Cuba.

Both nations are due to play a double-header on Friday (July 2).

Organisers will continue to test players and staff, but the Caribbean Baseball Confederation has confirmed all those who tested positive are not showing any symptoms.

Hosts Curaao did get to play in Willemstad, defeating Peru 17-2 to move onto two wins from three.

The win meant the hosts had scored 32 runs in their past two games.

They started with six runs in the second inning, followed by five in the third, two in fourth and four in the fifth, to seal the victory.

Aldair Daal batted a home run and a triple to score three, while Riordan Windster scored a three-run homer and a two-run homer - playing a huge part in the nation's convincing win.

Roberto Ayarza scored his second home run for Peru, to help get his side on the board.

Initially, the Caribbean Baseball Cup was set to be held in April, but this was moved to May due to a surge of COVID-19 cases before being pushed back again to now.

This year's tournament is dedicated to the memory of the late President of the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) Higinio Vlez Carrin, who died in mid-May at the age of 74 after complications related to COVID-19.

He had been in head of the FCB since 2008 until his death.

Continued here:

US Virgin Islands and Cuba Caribbean Baseball Cup tie suspended due to COVID-19 - Insidethegames.biz

Home News Legislation seeks to increase funding for Caribbean Basin Security Initiative

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U.S. Reps. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) and Mark Green (R-TN) introduced last week legislation seeking to increase funding to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI).

The measure garnered advancement in the U.S. House of Representatives last year as efforts with the executive branch continue to balance prevention and enforcement region-wide.

CBSI has been crucial in helping our partners in the Caribbean improve their capacity to combat transnational crime, violence, and regional instability while enhancing our own security and strengthening partnerships, Espaillat, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said. Our legislation would significantly disrupt the illegal narcotics trade, combat corruption in government, and increase security and justice standards throughout the region.

Espaillat said promoting good governance, enhancing programs for at-risk youth and vulnerable populations, and supporting strategic border and maritime security cooperation empowers the Caribbean while enhancing national security.

Under the legislation, nearly $75 million would be allocated annually from 2022 through 2026 to improve security cooperation with Caribbean nations while combating illicit drug trafficking and providing justice sector reform support.

Americans overdose every day on illicit narcotics that were trafficked through the Caribbean to our shores, Green, ranking member on the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, said. Its past time to take a stand against these drug smugglers and the corruption that allows them to thrive. Our bill helps do that by providing the resources necessary to improve security cooperation and combat the criminal organizations that victimize their own countries, as well as ours.

See original here:

Legislation seeks to increase funding for Caribbean Basin Security Initiative - Homeland Preparedness News

In The Know is proud to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month. During this month, our team will highlight a wide range of Caribbean and Caribbean American-owned brands. We encourage you to support today and beyond.

In The Know is proud to celebrate Pride Month. During this month, our team will highlight a wide range of LGBTQIA+ owned brands. We encourage you to support today and always.

The month of June marks two celebratory occasions for two largely underrepresented groups: theres Caribbean American Heritage Month and Pride Month. While both initiatives are often celebrated separately, many fail to acknowledge that they actually intersect, with many people sharing both the queer and Caribbean experience.

Its no secret that the Caribbeans queer population is often ignored and overlooked. In fact, the Caribbean is historically known for touting anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric.

Several musicians and political leaders have boldly declared that same-gender love is illegal in their respective islands. From Barbados to Jamaica, at least nine Caribbean nations have been recorded to have criminalized homosexuality, specifically, for example.

Some progress is slowly being made, however, with Trinidad & Tobago decriminalizing consensual gay sex in 2018. Prior to this decision, this was punishable with up to 25 years in prison, according to New Now Next. Since then, several Caribbean public figures have publicly voiced their support for the Caribbeans underappreciated LGBTQIA+ community and, hence, more organizations have pushed forward to provide more support and resources to these communities that many of them consider home.

With this in mind, weve compiled a list of six LGBTQIA+ organizations that you should follow to both support and uplift the queer population across the Caribbean now and beyond:

Mohamed Q. Amin, a Guyanese pioneering Indo-Caribbean queer and Muslim human rights activist, founded The Caribbean Equality Project (CEP) in 2015 in response to anti-LGBTQIA+ hate in Richmond Hill, Queens, New York.

Story continues

CEP is a community-based organization that, according to the non-profit, empowers, advocates for, and represents Black and Brown, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming and queer Caribbean immigrants in New York City. The organization [fulfills] its mission through public education, community organizing, civic engagement, storytelling and cultural and social programming.

Learn more at CaribbeanEqualityProject.org

While Pride Month has been a widespread celebration of love and freedom in the United States and Europe for decades, its only recently become a widely celebrated event in a few Caribbean countries in recent years.

Twin islands Trinidad & Tobago, for example, celebrated its first Pride in 2018 after years of independent Pride events, thanks to the hard work of one determined committee called Pride Trinidad & Tobago. The then-newly-formed organization hosted its very first Pride parade in July 2018 and, that following year officially became a non-profit organization dedicated to the mission of bringing communities together to celebrate the lives of LGBT Trinbagonians.

Follow @Pride.TT on Instagram

Contrary to popular belief, Pride celebrations in Jamaica have been taking place as far back as 2006. However, in 2015, the first visible and public Jamaica Pride celebrations were held during the countrys Emancipendence week. Since then, the Jamaican LGBTQIA+ movement has heavily centered around the citizenship and humanity of queer people in the Caribbean country.

Today, J-FLAG, Jamaicas human rights and social justice organization, holds even more weight than it did when it initially launched in 1998. The organization advocates for the rights, livelihood and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Jamaica and aims to build a society that respects and protects the rights of everyone.

Learn more at EqualityJamaica.org

St. Lucias small LGBTQIA+ advocacy group, 758Pride, was created in 2018 and hosted a series of public advocacy and community-building events that aim to end the stigmatization of queer people on the small Caribbean island.

Through this work and movement, St. Lucias LGBTQIA+ community is led to feeling more empowered and appreciated for its diversity and not in spite of it. In 2019, the 758Pride committee launched its first-ever official LGBTQIA+ Pride celebration.

Follow @758Pride on Instagram

SASOD Guyana was founded in June 2003 and has made quite a mark since its inception. The local organization has won awards for leading change as well as education and serving communities to end discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity in Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

This vocal non-profit challenges injustices and engages the State to change laws and policies that discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people and further holds the state accountable for its human rights obligations to queer people. According to Caribbean Prides, SASOD Guyana functions on three programs, which it calls the 3H agenda: human rights, homophobia(s) education and human services programs.

Follow @SASODGuyana on Instagram

Pride Barbados is a largely celebrated collaborative initiative that consists of a committee made up of LGBTQIA+ civil society leaders and event coordinators. The organization also made an acronym for Pride: People Respecting Individuality, Diversity & Equality.

Pride Barbados focuses on providing diverse spaces and events throughout June so that the multidimensional LGBTQIA+ persons in Barbados could participate. According to the organization, intersectionality lies at its core, further propelling its aim to continue creating space for the most vulnerable members of our community.

Follow Pride Barbados on Instagram

If you enjoyed this story, check out these 10 Caribbean-founded Instagram food accounts you need to follow.

More from In The Know:

Soca queen Destra talks keeping the genre alive, embracing younger talent and uplifting her LGBTQ fans

6 Caribbean designers with face masks you can shop

9 Caribbean-related films and documentaries to watch this month and beyond

Meet Sacha Cosmetics: The Caribbean-founded makeup brand leading the charge in diversity since 1979

The post 6 Caribbean-founded LGBTQIA+ organizations you need to follow and support appeared first on In The Know.

Read the original:

6 Caribbean-founded LGBTQIA+ organizations you need to follow and support - Yahoo Lifestyle

The Emmer & Rye team under the expertise of executive chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph is opening a new Caribbean restaurant. Canje will debut this fall in the East Austin neighborhood at 1914 East Sixth Street, which also means that the addresss previous tenant, Last Straw, is now permanently closed.

Bristol-Joseph, who was born and raised in Guyana, will create Canjes menu based on his home country as well as other Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico and Jamaica. The name comes from the Guyanese national bird, the canje pheasant.

To me, Caribbean food represents a combination of different cultures, Bristol-Joseph shared in a press release, Indian, Portuguese, African, English. He added, Since moving to Austin, I have been craving this food, and it is exciting for me to have the opportunity to share my version of it. My grandmother is going to be so proud.

As for Canjes beverages, cocktails will follow the same Caribbean roots, which means many fruit-based options. There will be natural wine as well.

Last Straw, the colorful bar that opened in August 2018, had been temporarily closed since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, while undergoing a short stint of selling to-go cocktails and housing Asian cocktail pop-up Daijoubus month-long market. The bar won Eater Austins bar of the year award in 2018.

With this sixth restaurant, Emmer & Rye formed its own hospitality company. Under the Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group umbrella are the New American grain-focused restaurant Emmer & Rye, fast-casual food hall stall Henbit, Israeli restaurant TLV, live-fire-focused Hestia, and Basque tapas bar Kalimotxo.

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The Emmer & Rye Team Is Opening a Caribbean Restaurant in East Austin - Eater Austin

In The Know is proud to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month. During this month, our team will highlight a wide range of Caribbean and Caribbean American-owned brands. We encourage you to support today and beyond.

In The Know is proud to celebrate Pride Month. During this month, our team will highlight a wide range of LGBTQIA+ owned brands. We encourage you to support today and always.

The month of June marks two celebratory occasions for two largely underrepresented groups: theres Caribbean American Heritage Month and Pride Month. While both initiatives are often celebrated separately, many fail to acknowledge that they actually intersect, with many people sharing both the queer and Caribbean experience.

Its no secret that the Caribbeans queer population is often ignored and overlooked. In fact, the Caribbean is historically known for touting anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric.

Several musicians and political leaders have boldly declared that same-gender love is illegal in their respective islands. From Barbados to Jamaica, at least nine Caribbean nations have been recorded to have criminalized homosexuality, specifically, for example.

Some progress is slowly being made, however, with Trinidad & Tobago decriminalizing consensual gay sex in 2018. Prior to this decision, this was punishable with up to 25 years in prison, according to New Now Next. Since then, several Caribbean public figures have publicly voiced their support for the Caribbeans underappreciated LGBTQIA+ community and, hence, more organizations have pushed forward to provide more support and resources to these communities that many of them consider home.

With this in mind, weve compiled a list of six LGBTQIA+ organizations that you should follow to both support and uplift the queer population across the Caribbean now and beyond:

Mohamed Q. Amin, a Guyanese pioneering Indo-Caribbean queer and Muslim human rights activist, founded The Caribbean Equality Project (CEP) in 2015 in response to anti-LGBTQIA+ hate in Richmond Hill, Queens, New York.

Story continues

CEP is a community-based organization that, according to the non-profit, empowers, advocates for, and represents Black and Brown, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming and queer Caribbean immigrants in New York City. The organization [fulfills] its mission through public education, community organizing, civic engagement, storytelling and cultural and social programming.

Learn more at CaribbeanEqualityProject.org

While Pride Month has been a widespread celebration of love and freedom in the United States and Europe for decades, its only recently become a widely celebrated event in a few Caribbean countries in recent years.

Twin islands Trinidad & Tobago, for example, celebrated its first Pride in 2018 after years of independent Pride events, thanks to the hard work of one determined committee called Pride Trinidad & Tobago. The then-newly-formed organization hosted its very first Pride parade in July 2018 and, that following year officially became a non-profit organization dedicated to the mission of bringing communities together to celebrate the lives of LGBT Trinbagonians.

Follow @Pride.TT on Instagram

Contrary to popular belief, Pride celebrations in Jamaica have been taking place as far back as 2006. However, in 2015, the first visible and public Jamaica Pride celebrations were held during the countrys Emancipendence week. Since then, the Jamaican LGBTQIA+ movement has heavily centered around the citizenship and humanity of queer people in the Caribbean country.

Today, J-FLAG, Jamaicas human rights and social justice organization, holds even more weight than it did when it initially launched in 1998. The organization advocates for the rights, livelihood and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Jamaica and aims to build a society that respects and protects the rights of everyone.

Learn more at EqualityJamaica.org

St. Lucias small LGBTQIA+ advocacy group, 758Pride, was created in 2018 and hosted a series of public advocacy and community-building events that aim to end the stigmatization of queer people on the small Caribbean island.

Through this work and movement, St. Lucias LGBTQIA+ community is led to feeling more empowered and appreciated for its diversity and not in spite of it. In 2019, the 758Pride committee launched its first-ever official LGBTQIA+ Pride celebration.

Follow @758Pride on Instagram

SASOD Guyana was founded in June 2003 and has made quite a mark since its inception. The local organization has won awards for leading change as well as education and serving communities to end discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity in Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

This vocal non-profit challenges injustices and engages the State to change laws and policies that discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people and further holds the state accountable for its human rights obligations to queer people. According to Caribbean Prides, SASOD Guyana functions on three programs, which it calls the 3H agenda: human rights, homophobia(s) education and human services programs.

Follow @SASODGuyana on Instagram

Pride Barbados is a largely celebrated collaborative initiative that consists of a committee made up of LGBTQIA+ civil society leaders and event coordinators. The organization also made an acronym for Pride: People Respecting Individuality, Diversity & Equality.

Pride Barbados focuses on providing diverse spaces and events throughout June so that the multidimensional LGBTQIA+ persons in Barbados could participate. According to the organization, intersectionality lies at its core, further propelling its aim to continue creating space for the most vulnerable members of our community.

Follow Pride Barbados on Instagram

If you enjoyed this story, check out these 10 Caribbean-founded Instagram food accounts you need to follow.

More from In The Know:

Soca queen Destra talks keeping the genre alive, embracing younger talent and uplifting her LGBTQ fans

6 Caribbean designers with face masks you can shop

9 Caribbean-related films and documentaries to watch this month and beyond

Meet Sacha Cosmetics: The Caribbean-founded makeup brand leading the charge in diversity since 1979

The post 6 Caribbean-founded LGBTQIA+ organizations you need to follow and support appeared first on In The Know.

Read more here:

6 Caribbean-founded LGBTQIA+ organizations you need to follow and support - Yahoo Sports