Safe Space Center para mga miyembro ng LGBTQ+ community, alamin!
Safe Space Center para mga miyembro ng LGBTQ+ community, alamin!
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Now, for a special occasion, let's talk about the huge achievement of a non-profit organization
00:06called Queer Safe Spaces for the LGBTQIA plus community here in the Philippines.
00:13One of them is Queer Prom 2024.
00:16And to share with us the details about this, we will interview the president of Queer Safe Spaces,
00:24Roan Carion, and also its co-founder, Tina Bojado.
00:30Good morning and welcome to Rise and Shine Philippines.
00:34Good morning, everyone.
00:36Maybe it's better if we give a brief overview about what this organization is.
00:42Tell us more. Go ahead, Roan.
00:44First of all, I want to greet everyone with happy pride.
00:48Happy pride!
00:50Queer Safe Spaces is a non-profit organization that aims to empower, educate, and support the Filipino queer community.
01:00Tina and I have been life partners for more than seven years.
01:04When we started as content creators in 2019, we wanted to form a support group
01:14since our goal here is to form a group that provides the support that we needed when we were closeted.
01:25When we couldn't say anything about our sexuality, when we were just being ourselves,
01:33we wanted to provide that to the younger generation.
01:38Maybe it's better if we give information to our RSP about what is queer.
01:43What is the name of your organization?
01:48When you say queer, what does it mean?
01:50Queer is an umbrella term for members of the LGBTQIA plus community.
01:58If you are part of the LGBTQIA plus community, you are a queer.
02:04Do you want to add anything?
02:06Queer is an umbrella term for members of the LGBTQIA plus community.
02:10It includes lesbians, bisexuals, gays, transgenders, and those who do not identify as straight.
02:18This year, you have a fundraising event called Queer Prom.
02:24What is the mission of this event?
02:28Prom holds a significant importance for each of us.
02:35Usually, this is done during high school.
02:37It's a night for self-expression.
02:39Sometimes, this is the first time you put on makeup and outfit to show your personality
02:47through your outfit and how you present yourself that night.
02:51Unfortunately, for a lot of queer individuals,
02:55we are not given the opportunity to express who we really are
03:01We are not given the opportunity to express who we really are
03:07That is the importance of Queer Prom.
03:09It's a second chance.
03:11It's a chance to reclaim your prom experience.
03:13There is no restriction on how you want to express yourself.
03:17You can include whoever you want as your date.
03:21That's really great.
03:23That's a great concept.
03:25You are right.
03:27It's very conventional.
03:30But this time, it's a second chance for them to express who they really are.
03:36From conventional to unconventional.
03:40We understand that you have this goal of having a safe space center in 2030.
03:46How will this fundraising event help your goal?
03:50Aside from being a chance to reclaim their prom experience,
03:56one of the goals of Queer Prom is to be a fundraising event for a safe space center.
04:02A safe space center is a physical safe space.
04:06We envision it to be a sanctuary for LGBTQIA plus individuals.
04:12Unfortunately, one of the experiences of queer people up to this day
04:16is that they are stuck in unsafe domestic spaces.
04:21It's an experience for straight individuals who are not accepted because of their sexuality.
04:27That's why we decided to create a space where they won't be able to experience it.
04:33We will create our own community,
04:35we will provide all of their needs.
04:37And of course, they will be able to express themselves fully,
04:41if you want to add something.
04:43This space will provide and address the urgent needs of the community, right?
04:51Since we want it to be a one-stop shop,
04:54so that they can avail or get the services they need in terms of mental health, legal,
05:02there are also community building efforts.
05:05So everything we envision for that space is already there.
05:10So what do you expect its impact on the LGBTQIA plus community in the Philippines?
05:17For me, on a personal level, it's like a dream.
05:25I just got back from the US,
05:29I just came back from my exchange program,
05:33and I partnered with the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
05:36So they really have a physical space.
05:39And I saw first-hand the impact it has on queer youth, queer individuals.
05:44And you can see that the queers there are so empowered,
05:48that they can express who they are, their authentic self.
05:53And that's our dream here in the Philippines,
05:56to have a space that won't restrict the person based on their suggestions,
06:02because of the discrimination of the society.
06:05There's really a community to support the group.
06:09The advocacy itself, right?
06:11Currently, how many members are there in the Queer Safe Space?
06:13Right now, we have more than 17,000 community members.
06:16That's a lot!
06:17It's been a long time!
06:18Will that be enough for your event?
06:21So the event?
06:23Yes.
06:24The Queer Prom?
06:25So for the Queer Prom, since we started as a virtual community,
06:30that's where our online safe space started.
06:33And the Queer Prom, they can go there.
06:36We can accommodate up to 700 attendees.
06:40Is there a registration? How can they do that?
06:43They can follow the Queer Safe Space on Facebook,
06:47and they can see the link on how to purchase a ticket to the event.
06:51So fundraising.queersafespacesph.org
06:55And when is this again?
06:57June 29.
06:58June 29.
06:59June 24.
07:006pm.
07:016pm.
07:02Maybe a message to our RSPs who want to support your organization
07:07and other initiatives that you will do for the next years to come.
07:12Maybe the first thing I want to say is happy pride,
07:15and thank you so much for having us.
07:17It's very important that our LGBTQIA plus individuals are given a platform
07:22because we are also part of this society.
07:24So our message is, if you want to ask for help,
07:27if you want to go, everyone is welcome here.
07:30Even if you are straight allies, you are very welcome at Queer Prom.
07:33It's going to be on June 29.
07:36Doors open at 6pm.
07:37And this is at 1 Ayala.
07:41And if you want to extend your help,
07:44you can visit our Facebook page, Queer Safe Spaces,
07:47and there is all the information that you need.
07:51If you want to educate yourself about the cause,
07:54and also you can reach out to us individually.
07:56So Tina Boado and Rohan Carreon online.
07:59Alright, on that note, thank you so much for giving us details
08:03about your non-profit organization, Queer Safe Spaces,
08:07and your fundraising event, Queer Prom.
08:10Rohan Carreon and Tina Boado.
08:12Again, thank you so much.
08:13Thank you.