OUR PRIDE Shorts & Arts Fest partner organization, the international Charter for Compassion, featured an interview with author Willie Edward Taylor Carter, Jr. in their Global Reads series hosted by Felipe Zurita Quintana.

Months after being named 2022 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr. made a heartbreaking choice—he walked away from the classroom.

I can’t stop thinking about his story. Willie spent more than a decade teaching high school English, giving everything he had to his students. But the same courage that made him a great teacher also made him a target.

Early in his career, an administrator told him flat-out: “Don’t talk about being gay. No one will protect you—including me.” For a while, a new administration gave him some breathing room. But eventually, that first warning came true. School officials looked the other way as LGBTQ+ students were harassed. They looked the other way when Willie himself was harassed.

He testified before Congress to shine a light on what’s happening in our schools, but by then the damage was done. He loved teaching—but no one should have to teach under threat just for being who they are.

Willie’s response? He didn’t go silent. Instead, he wrote Gay Poems for Red States—a book that’s part memoir, part love letter to Appalachia, and entirely full of hope. It’s not just poetry. It’s a reminder that even in hostile places, beauty and pride can take root.

Reading his story, I feel a mix of anger and admiration. Anger that we’re still here, fighting the same old battles. Admiration because Willie refuses to let hate define him—or his students. His words are a lifeline to every LGBTQ+ kid who’s searching for a home in a place that doesn’t always welcome them.

This isn’t just his story. It’s all of ours.

Check it out on Amazon

Los Angeles-based Rainbow Advocacy, producer of the 2025 OUR PRIDE Short Film Festival, has announced the winner of Best Short Film Series: "We're Not Criminals," a trilogy of poetry short films that boldly call for dignity, visibility and equal rights for those pushed to the margins. It is a creation of "Unmute," a spoken word project created by Omary Baajun and filmmaker Brother Zaheed. The project challenges prejudice and celebrates the power of poetry to reclaim identity and belonging.

An Official WorldPride 2025 Partner Event, the 2025 OUR PRIDE Short Film Festival was hosted by and in partnership with the Charter for Compassion.

Omary Baajun is an award-winning poet, writer, editor, publisher, and ambassador of peace and human rights. The trilogy is rooted in Baajun's work as the founder and executive director of GenDAR Initiative, a grassroots organization based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

GenDAR utilizes arts, education, and research to amplify human rights, particularly for the LGBTIA+ community. The poems in “We’re Not Criminals” directly address the experiences and struggles of the queer community in Tanzania and Africa at large

UKIWA / The TragedyA reflection on love, loss and the quiet struggles faced in a society that resists difference -- and justifies hate, selfishness, violence, and silence.

HOPEThe poem gives voice to the quiet pain of hiding, the weight of fear, and the grief of love denied. But within that darkness, it also honors strength, love and resistance that continue to grow.

A tribute to queer lives across Africa, where being queer often means facing criminalization, violence, and deep social rejection. The poem gives voice to the quiet pain of hiding, the weight of fear, and the grief of love denied. But within that darkness, it also honors the strength, love, and resistance that continue to grow. “HOPE” is a reminder that even where freedom is denied, the human spirit endures—and that hope, however fragile, still exists.

ALIVE

The poem reclaims voice and identity. It speaks for those buried in silence, erased by family, and judged by society, and executed by the law -- but still standing strong. ALIVE is resistance, truth, and the demand to be seen as fully human. It reminds the world that being a human must not be a crime.

A defiant declaration of queer existence in a world that often denies it. Rooted in the harsh realities of rejection, misrepresentation, and spiritual violence, especially within traditional African communities, the poem reclaims voice and identity. It speaks for those buried in silence, erased by family, and judged by society, and executed by the law—but still standing. “ALIVE” is not just survival; it is resistance, truth, and the demand to be seen as fully human. It reminds the world that being a human must not be a crime.

Omary Baajun is a multi-award-winning poet, writer, editor, storyteller, researcher, curator, environmentalist, and certified ambassador for peace and human rights. He proudly identifies as non-binary and queer.

His involvement in diplomacy includes serving as a Young African Diplomat and a member of the U.S. Department of State’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), as well as participating in other notable programs such as Tanzania International Model United Nations (TIMUN), Business Scouts for Development, and The Dream Academy.

These efforts earned him the WLFPH International Ambassador of Peace Award, conferred by the World Literary Forum for Peace and Human Rights in 2022 (South Asia), and the WAOW Global Humanitarian Award in 2023 (India).

In the artistic realm, Baajun is known for his dynamic poetry performances, theatre work, and his band. He also curates youth art programs and has been involved in projects such as Kwetu ni Kwetu, City Pride, Unmute, The Pitching Lab, among others.

A significant aspect of his work is advocacy and activism — he uses his platform to champion human rights, peace, and justice.

Baajun is the founder of GenDar Hub Tanzania, a creative space in Dar es Salaam that utilizes arts, education, and research to promote gender equality, inclusion, and human rights.

He is also the CEO of Kwetu Publishers, a small publishing firm dedicated to empowering marginalized voices.

Additionally, he serves as the Deputy Secretary-General of the Tanzania Writers Association, Chairman of the Queer Creatives Tanzania Network, and Country Ambassador for both the World Association of Women Warriors and Our Pride Tanzania.

Selected Awards and Honors:

• Honorary Award for Swahili Literature

• AWT Creative Luminary of the Year 2025 (Nigeria)

• TAMEYA Special Ability Award 2024 (Tanzania)

• UNI Awards: Best Performance Poet & Author 2023 (Tanzania)

• AfriCAN Honoree Authors’ Award 2023 (South Africa)

• Kwanzaa Award 2022 (USA)

• Mulher Forte African Literature Award 2022 (Botswana)

“For decades, our stories, creativity, innovations, music, literature, and art have been denied the chance to be showcased and celebrated in art spaces, cultural centers, and innovation hubs across Tanzania. This is why we are raising funds to create our own space — a place where we belong. A place where LGBTQ people can thrive as artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs. A space where our ideas are welcomed, our talents are celebrated, and our community can build a future on our own terms. With your support, through this hub, we will create opportunities to generate income, create jobs, and empower each other through our work.”- Omary Baajun

Greetings comrades from where you are watching this from.

Well, today we all know globally that the LGBTQ plus rights are being debated about in many different countries. And this has also led to many different countries to stop their pride events.

But well today, I'm just here to put out a stark reminder to all of you who are out there.

Human rights are non-negotiable.

The LGBTQ plus human rights are rights and they are human rights and they will go nowhere. We are here and we are to be here.

I want to talk about human rights.

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that everyone deserves, no matter who they are. These include the right to live freely, to live from violence, to speak your mind, to get an education, and to be treated fairly.

But in Uganda once an LGBTQI + child is discovered in school, he or she is strictly forbidden in that school and the school administrators will say that this child will recruit others into homosexuality.

We still have cases of LGBTQI +individuals being evicted by their landlords from their houses simply because they’re only males or females that are more than one living under the same roof. All these actions that affect LGBTQI + individuals in Uganda are circled with an excuse of culture, religion and how will the society see that you’re dating man and you’re a man.

And forgetting that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, says that all people are born free and equal. However, people like me who were born gay in Uganda, don’t enjoy these rights and keep on hiding what we’re in order to be safe from violence and being discriminated.

But in reality, our job as people globally is to make sure that these rights become a reality for everyone. This means that everyone needs to stand up for people like me who are treated unfairly and work together to create a world where everyone's rights are respected no matter who I love or who I am. When we protect the rights of others, we make our own communities stronger and more just.

Human rights are connected, and an injustice anywhere affects us all. By respecting and fighting for the LGBTQI + rights, we help build a better, more compassionate world. let's commit to upholding human rights for all people.

Let's work hard to ensure everyone is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect. Together, we can make a difference and create a world where justice and Equality thrive.

Voices of Solidarity / OUR PRIDE Shorts & Arts Fest is a WorldPride 2025 Partner Event

Matt Beard, the Executive Director of All Out, discusses the organization's mission to promote LGBTQ+ rights globally and their approach to supporting frontline organizations and activists. He highlighted current challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community, including significant funding cuts and their impact on HIV/AIDS services and activism.

Matt emphasizes the importance of resilience, inclusive activism, and innovative funding strategies in the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ equality and liberation. Felipe Zurita Quintana of the Charter for Compassion interviews Matt about his international organization working for love and equality.

Matt explains All Out's mission to create a world where everyone can enjoy their rights to family, freedom, safety, and dignity, regardless of who they are or who they love. He described their approach of linking supporters with frontline organizations, conducting campaigns, and providing crowdfunding and training for young queer activists in Africa and Latin America.

LGBTQ+ Activism and Community Resilience

Matt discusses the current challenges facing the global LGBTQ+ community, emphasizing the need for resilience and the importance of calling people in rather than just out. He highlighs the necessity of renewing a more inclusive approach to activism, avoiding puritanical attitudes that may alienate potential allies. Matt also touches on the importance of funding and the impact of recent cuts to HIV/AIDS funding, while expressing optimism about the community's ability to overcome adversity.

LGBTQ+ Activism Funding Crisis Impact

Matt discusses the significant impact of funding cuts on global LGBTQ+ activism, highlighting that 45% of staff in partner organizations had already been dismissed or left, and 75% reported having to reduce or end life-saving services.

He estimates that between $100-150 million had been removed from the LGBT activism system, with a recent study in South Africa projecting an additional 500,000 excess deaths from HIV/AIDS over the next decade due to these cuts. Matt emphasizes the need for innovative and strategic approaches to address the underfunding, acknowledging that there is no simple solution.

LGBTQ+ Equality and Community Resilience

Felipe and Matt discuss the importance of power, resilience, and funding in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality. Matt emphasizes that achieving true liberation and equality will require continued community effort despite differences, and expresses confidence in the eventual success of the movement.

For our WorldPride 2025 Global Gatherings, Aggie Dennett Harmon, Uganda's first open trangender pastor joins host Wyatt O'Brien Evans in this intimate conversation as they explore the intersections of faith, trans visibility, storytelling, and liberation.

They talk about how queer and trans people especially in places like Uganda are reclaiming spirituality as a tool of resistance and healing.

Aggie also discusses her new book “Echos of Grace” and the many challenges faced under the Homosexuality Act of 2023 and the end of USAID in Uganda and throughout Africa, directly affecting the survival of untold numbers of people.

DETAILS about Echos of Grace

LIVE SCREENING + Q&A with filmmaker Kat SchmitzTuesday, June 31pm CET (Central European Time / 7am USA EST) Can't join live? Catch it on the REPLAY! http://ourpride.org

Official WorldPride Partner Event FREE REGISTRATIONOUR PRIDE Shorts & Arts Fest 2025“Translucent” tells the perspective of gender-diverse athletes inspired by the real life example of tennis player Renée Richards.

Produced within 48 hours, this film looks back on Renées vibrant career in competitive sport and her search for belonging through the eyes of her older self.

It raises the most pressing question in the sports world right now onto the tennis court: Where do trans athletes belong in the sports principles of fairness?WATCH FREE at online at ourpride.org* Screenings in the Voices of Solidarity Global Gatherings

Felipe Zurita of the Charter for Compassion is joined by InterPride Co-President Rahul Upadhyay to launch Voices of Solidarity and the OUR PRIDE Shorts & Arts Fest, a WorldPride 2025 Official Partner Event.

FREE REGISTRATION: Register Here

DETAILS: OurPride.org

FEATURE DOCUMENTARY (1 hr 40 min)

ARE YOU PROUD? covers the history of the LGBTQ+ movement in the 50 years since the Stonewall Riots. Reflecting upon prominent issues within the LGBTQ+ community like AIDs and hate crimes, the film also shows how the movement has supported people from all walks of life.

WATCH FREE at ourpride.orgScreenings in the Voices of Solidarity Global Gatherings

15 years ago I had lost a vision for my life.

After a life-altering cancer journey, in 2010 I thought I likely didn’t have more than a few more years to live.

I set out on a new path to develop a nonprofit, first called getavision.org, now Rainbow Advocacy. Six years later, we created the Troy Perry Legacy Awards program and a short film program which is now the OUR PRIDE Shorts & Arts Fest.

Please join me in the launch of Voices of Solidarity with our WorldPride 2025 Partner Event: Voices of Solidarity Global Gatherings, along with the OUR PRIDE 2025 Shorts & Arts Fest. http://ourpride.org

As a WorldPride 2025 Partner Event, we are introducing Voices of Solidarity: “A global arts experience sharing stories of resilience & weaving our community together as threads in an expanding tapestry.”

Throughout the month of June, beginning with WorldPride, June 1-9, we are bringing together artists and advocates around the world in our first “Global Gatherings” events, with interactive networking features for community building.

The 2025 Global Gatherings is a FREE virtual event with the OUR PRIDE Shorts & Arts Festival. Participants will engage in an assortment of more than 50 online sessions, presentations, performances, panel discussions, exhibitions and community networking to inspire, educate, and galvanize meaningful impact for the global LGBTQIA+ community.

In partnership with the Charter for Compassion, the Gatherings serve as a platform for sharing missions, insights, and actionable ideas to foster a more compassionate and equitable world.

Our 8th annual OUR PRIDE Shorts & Arts Fest includes 170+ films from 25+ countries available throughout Pride Month on AppleTV, Roku, the web and eoFlix. All Access Pass is $15.

And we will be announcing our 2025 Troy Perry Legacy Awards + Community Impact Award honorees.

I’m grateful for having survived these 15 years and having the opportunity to connect with hundreds of artists and advocates around the world to develop and launch Voices of Solidarity.

Please join us in this FREE event and let me know your ideas on how to expand and improve on this new undertaking during these most stressful times for our global LGBTQIA+ community and world.

With love and gratitude, John Boz

This episode highlights WorldPride 2025 from May 17 to June 8, 2025, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations in the city of Washington, DC.

The official theme, "The Fabric of Freedom," emphasizes the strength and unity derived from the LGBTQIA+ community's diverse cultures, identities, and backgrounds in the ongoing fight for equality.

Several key initiatives are associated with WorldPride 2025, most notably the OUR PRIDE 2025 Shorts Fest and the Voices of Solidarity global arts and advocacy program.

The OUR PRIDE Shorts Fest will showcase a diverse range of LGBTQIA+ films and content, including youth and teen productions, while Voices of Solidarity, spearheaded by Namibian artist Shishani, uses art and media to raise awareness of LGBTQIA+ human rights and support related nonprofits.

The Youth Media Challenge further engages young people in expressing their perspectives through digital media. These interconnected programs aim to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, foster global solidarity, and advocate for continued progress towards equality.

Main Themes and Important Ideas/Facts:

1. WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C.:

* Dates: May 17 – June 8, 2025

* Significance: Marks the 50th Anniversary of Pride celebrations in Washington, D.C. The Capital Pride Alliance is hosting the event, expecting to welcome international visitors.

* Theme: "The Fabric of Freedom."

* The use of rich cultures, diverse identities, and backgrounds as a source of strength for the LGBTQ+ community.

* The importance of shared humanity and unshakeable unity in defining the community's strength.

* The community being bound by love and acceptance, struggle and resilience.

* The concept of an ever-evolving community working towards freedom.

* "Every one of us, new threads woven together, strengthen the fabric of our community and of this global movement."

* The idea that "it's the fabric of our community... that will guide us forward towards a better future."

2. OUR PRIDE 2025 Shorts Fest:

* Creatives: A "global LGBTQIA+ festival for filmmakers, content creators, artists, young adults, and teen students" and an Official Event of WorldPride 2025.

* Dates: May 22 - June 30, 2025

* Content: Features "Short & Feature Films," "150+ Short Films and Videos from 25+ countries," including productions by "young adult and teen student" creators.

* Categories: Includes "Drama . Comedy . Romance . Documentary . Animation . Experimental . Poetry & more!"

* Additional Features: "BEHIND THE SCENES: Panels / Q&A / Special Programs."

* Beneficiary: The festival will benefit "Uganda's Coloured Voices Media Foundation & their Liberation DesignsYouth Economic Empowerment Project."

* Access: Hosted by eoFlix Entertainment Oxygen and available for free on various platforms.

* Call for Entries: "2025 ENTRIES NOW OPEN. GET A FREE 2025 ALL ACCESS PASS WITH ENTRY."

3. Voices of Solidarity:

* 5 Year Program Plan: A "global music and arts social justice, educational and fundraising program" launching with WorldPride 2025.

* Creator: Amsterdam-based, Namibia-born musical artist and activist Shishani.

* Mission: To "raise awareness of LGBTQIA+ human rights issues and raise funds for nonprofit organizations, using arts and media as a platform for social action and advocacy."

* Methodology: "weaves together a tapestry of stories of resilience through the arts, from poetry and short stories to music, short films & videos, paintings, photography, digital creations and more."

* Africa Pride: One of the key focuses is on the African LGBTQIA+ community, which remains one of the most challenging continents for LGBTQIA+ rights, with over 30 countries criminalizing same-sex relationships.

* Program Features: Includes Art, Video, Music, Social Media, Short Films, Feature Films, Youth Media Challenge, History & Educational Resources, Story Maps & Global Maps, WeVideo Collaborative Video Editing Network, Crowdfunding Campaign & Auction.

* Podcast: Voices of Solidarity Podcast will take a "'deep dive' into the Voices of Solidarity program and its mission to raise awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues through art, media, and social action."

* Theme Song: The lyrics of the theme song by Shishani, “Forget to Remember,,” highlights global injustices and discrimination against marginalized communities, including the LGBTQIA+ community: "And my queer and trans community / It's a war zone chronically."

4. Youth Media Challenge:

* Youth 13-29: Invites youth from ages 13 to 29 years to explore how they see themselves, their world, and their future by creating and publishing original audio, video and images in LGBTQIA+ solidarity.

* Collaboration: A collaboration between "OUR PRIDE / KQED Youth Media Challenge."

* Age Groups:Teen Challenge (Ages 13-18): Submissions published on the "KQED Challenge Showcase" and in "OUR PRIDE's World Pride 2025 Shorts & Arts Fest."

* 18+ Challenge (Ages 18-29): Participate independently or through educational programs using platforms like StoryMaps.com.

* Categories for Teen Challenge: "Commentary, Informational, Personal Narrative."

* Goal: Uplifting and amplifying the voices of youth around the world through the Youth Media Challenge.

5. Historical Milestones and Commemorations:

* 50th Anniversary of DC Pride (2025)

* 40th Anniversary of the AIDS Quilt (2025): Aims to "share our stories of the lives taken by AIDS."

* 80th Anniversary of WWII Pink Triangle Liberation (2025): Aims to "share our stories of the cloth Pink Triangles placed on homosexuals in the Nazi holocaust, and the liberation of the survivors of concentration camps."

* 50th Anniversary of the Rainbow Flag (2028): Year 3 of the program includes WorldPride 2028 in Cape Town and the 50th Anniversary of the flag’s creation in San Francisco with Lynn Segerblom (aka Faerie Argyle Rainbow), the “Mother of the Rainbow Flag” who is highlighted as one of the main artist who brought the rainbow flag to life.

* Gilbert Baker, the Rainbow Flag co-creator, is quoted: "The thread that runs through every gay / LGBT person's life is that we all have a moment in our lives that we come out to ourselves. All of a sudden, you're true to yourself. And that's the thread of the flag. That single moment that a person claims their own truth and power."

* 30th Anniversary: Trans Pride Flag (2029)

* 10th Anniversary: People of Color Pride (Philly Pride) Flag (2027)

* 10th Anniversary: Progress Pride Flag (2028)

* 60th Anniversary: Spiritual Activism (2028): Commemorating Rev. Troy D. Perry and the founding of Metropolitan Community Churches. Rev. Perry is quoted: "There are times when you have to fight for what is right, and you have to fight in their face. I say that over and over again. We can't back away from being who we are. Spirituality is so important to all of us, not religion always, but spirituality."

6. Global Collaboration and Reach:

* WorldPride 2025 is positioned as a global event, with Washington, D.C., being a significant location due to its international presence and diplomatic missions.

* Voices of Solidarity is a "worldwide collaborative, interactive arts & advocacy project" accessible in "40+ languages."

* The Youth Media Challenge encourages "Global Student Submissions."

* WorldPride 2025 is collaborating with EuroPride Lisboa 2025.

7. Rainbow Advocacy:

* The umbrella organization behind many of these initiatives, is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit.

* Its mission includes "Advancing the Global Pride Movement."

Conclusion:

WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C., under the theme "The Fabric of Freedom," promises to be a significant global event. It will not only celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pride in the US capital but also serve as a crucial platform for advocating for LGBTQIA+ human rights through the diverse and interconnected initiatives of the OUR PRIDE 2025 Shorts Fest, Voices of Solidarity, and the Youth Media Challenge.

The emphasis on resilience, unity, and the power of artistic expression underscores the enduring spirit of the LGBTQIA+ community and the ongoing commitment to achieving full equality worldwide.