A new fundraiser has been launched to raise money for Black trans lives. MQBMBQ – which is short for My Queer Blackness, My Black Queerness – is an ongoing digital project that explores multiple different facets of the Black queer experience. As part of the project, a new series of artworks have gone on sale to raise money that will be donated specifically to charities centred around supporting and protecting Black trans men and women.
Twelve photographers have contributed work to the project including huge names like Tim Walker, Campbell Addy, Michael Bailey Gates and more. You can see the collection of prints available to buy below, with 100% of the proceeds to be donated to charity. “The rate at which Black Trans women are killed around the world is alarming,” TransWave JA and ForTheGworls said in a joint statement. “This is not something that began in 2020 but follows the trace of a long line of history of overbearing oppression that comes from all sides, with little attention paid by the media.
“Last year, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) called the rise in violence against the transgender community a “national epidemic”, and this by only referring to known cases – activists believe the actual numbers are much higher since not all abuses are reported and victims are often misgendered. More than 80% of those killed are women of colour. This is why we’ve chosen to create a print sale specifically geared to support organisations with Black Trans Women at their core.”
The complete liste of photographers are as follows: Campbell Addy, David Uzochuku, Daniel Obasi, Sackitey Tesa, Michael Bailey Gates, Myles Loftin, Florian Joahn, Kennedi Carter, Justin French, Emmanuel Sanchez Monsalve, Hao Zeng and guest photographer Tim Walker. Each of the pieces tell stories of the queer Black experience and there are a limited run of prints for each one.
What’s more, on the journal tab of the MBQMQB virtual space, Damien Frost will be remotely photographing trans and non-binary people of colour from all over the world, with weekly updates of new stories. Visit mqbmbq.com for more information on the project, how you can purchase these incredible pieces of photography, and support Black trans lives.
