Our mission
Promoting the culture and arts of Black LGBTQ+ communities, providing a platform for dissemination that advances the artistic creation of Black and queer communities, while also addressing the underrepresentation of these communities in the dominant cultural sphere. preventing and combating discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals from Black communities through cultural mediation, Highlighting and supporting the production of LGBTQ+ artists from Black communities.
History
Since its inception in 2009, the Massimadi Foundation has been showcasing artistic works from Afro-descendant black LGBTQ+ communities. Art and culture are used as vehicles for social change in the fight against the multiple forms of discrimination experienced by black and queer individuals, such as homophobia, transphobia, and racism.
The Massimadi Foundation provides a space for lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) individuals of Afro-descendant origins to come together through various community initiatives centered around the arts. We have witnessed this mission evolve over time with the changing circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of hatred, and a commitment to diversity, among other factors. In the hope of giving back to the community, Massimadi continues to turn to the arts as a means to rediscover joy, the wonder of life, and art as a vehicle to combat homophobia and transphobia. Art, which also holds a healing power, compels us to continually question the society around us, driving it forward.
"In creation, our struggles have the potential to transform into beauty. Sharing these experiences with our community and others encourages transcendence. Finally, the arts enable us to move beyond traumas by giving life to worlds that liberate us from our social conditions and the political spheres that confine our identities," expresses Laurent Lafontant, President of the Massimadi Foundation.
The Massimadi Foundation provides a space for lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) individuals of Afro-descendant origins to come together through various community initiatives centered around the arts. We have witnessed this mission evolve over time with the changing circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of hatred, and a commitment to diversity, among other factors. In the hope of giving back to the community, Massimadi continues to turn to the arts as a means to rediscover joy, the wonder of life, and art as a vehicle to combat homophobia and transphobia. Art, which also holds a healing power, compels us to continually question the society around us, driving it forward.
"In creation, our struggles have the potential to transform into beauty. Sharing these experiences with our community and others encourages transcendence. Finally, the arts enable us to move beyond traumas by giving life to worlds that liberate us from our social conditions and the political spheres that confine our identities," expresses Laurent Lafontant, President of the Massimadi Foundation.
Our Partners
