Follow-Up: Walk for Tolerance, Jamaica, 7 April 2010
22nd April, 2010 - Posted by admin - 2 Comments
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Walk for Tolerance on April 7, 2010,
Marked a Historic First for Montego Bay, Jamaica
MCC Delegation Participated In First-Ever Public March
Rev. Nancy Wilson Arrived In Jamaica Directly From
White House Easter Prayer Breakfast With U.S. President Obama
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MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA — The Rev. Elder Nancy L. Wilson, moderator of the international movement of Metropolitan Community Churches, participated in the first-ever public HIV/AIDS march in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Wednesday, April 7, 2010, along with a delegation of MCC leaders.
The public event, known as the Walk for Tolerance, was sponsored by Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, the largest and oldest Jamaican non-profit organization providing support services to persons with HIV and AIDS. The goal of the public walk in Montego Bay was to engender goodwill, support and tolerance for persons living with HIV and AIDS. The march, which drew 150 participants was a historic first for the Montego Bay community.
Joining Rev. Wilson were Rev. Pat. Bumgardner, chair of MCC’s Global Justice Team, Rev. Robert Griffin, MCC Liaison to Jamaica and Staff Pastor for Sunshine Cathedral Jamaica (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), Rev. Michael Diaz, volunteer coordinator for Sunshine Cathedral MCC (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), and Rev. Jim Birkitt, communications specialist and writer.
Prior to arriving in Jamaica, Rev. Wilson was a guest of U.S. President Barack Obama at a White House Easter Prayer Breakfast at which she spoke with the U.S. President, members of the current U.S. administration, and religious leaders from numerous faith communities.
“The members and adherents of Metropolitan Community Churches stand in solidarity with all persons with HIV and AIDS,” said Wilson. News articles published in the Jamaican press in the days leading up to the Walk for Tolerance addressed the discrimination that is often experienced by Jamaicans living with HIV/AIDS.
“Jesus stood with those who were marginalized and rejected by their societies. Jesus loved those who had been made to feel like outcasts; Jesus welcomed such, embraced them, loved them and cared for them. Those who would be Jesus’ followers today must show God’s same extravagant love,” added Wilson.
Following the march, Rev. Wilson preached at a worship service of Sunshine Cathedral Jamaica.
Other participating groups included Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition, Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network, International Association of Pride Coordinators, Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays (JFLAG), Women for Women, and the Jamaica Red Cross.
Since 1997, Amnesty International has documented the murders of 35 gay Jamaicans and since 2008 has catalogued more than 30 incidents of anti-gay mob violence.
MCC’s participation was made possible in part by a grant of $30,000 (USD) from the Arcus Foundation’s Religion and Values Program to organize and train indigenous Jamaican leadership and create a strategic plan for ending religiously-sanctioned violence against LGBT people in Jamaica. Leaders from Sunshine Cathedral MCC Jamaica and Sunshine Cathedral MCC Fort Lauderdale are directing the planning project in conjunction with MCC’s Global Justice Team, the MCC Office of Formation and Leadership Development, MCC Moderator Rev. Nancy Wilson, and other international allies. The Arcus Foundation funds efforts to achieve social justice inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity and race. Grants provided thorough its Religion & Values Program are targeted to build a faith-based progressive social justice movement that is inclusive of GLBT human rights and refute beliefs that portray gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people as sinful and immoral..
Metropolitan Community Churches, founded in 1968, is a human-rights movement and ministry operating as a Christian denomination in 25 countries around the world. MCC is an international advocate for vulnerable people in places where religious orthodoxy, sexism, and homophobia can result in violence and death. MCC’s promise is stated in its tagline “Tearing Down Walls. Building Up Hope.” For more information about MCC visit http://www.MCCchurch.org <http://www.mccchurch.org/> .
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Press and Media Coverage
Members of MCC’s delegation to the Walk for Tolerance were quoted in Jamaica’s national newspapers, appeared on Jamaican television and radio, and participated on talk radio.
Among the media in which Metropolitan Community Churches’ delegation was quoted or cited were:
BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY RADIO SHOW – KPWR FM RADIO
Michael Anthony Cuffe, host
Interview with MCC’s Rev. Robert Griffin
CHANGE.ORG
Title: A Bold Move for Equality in Jamaica | Gay Rights | Change.org <http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/a_bold_move_for_equality_in_jamaica&ct=ga&cad=7:2:0&cd=6StqFdP16E4&usg=AFQjCNH1R5lzzINX1Qtq5o5YFJLJQc4udg>
Excerpt: “The Walk for Tolerance was organized by Rev. Nancy Wilson, a presiding bishop in the International Movement of Metropolitan Community Churches. It was focused on building support for sexual minorities in Jamaica, as well as drawing attention to the scourge of HIV/AIDS. For Rev. Wilson, spreading tolerance when it comes to LGBT issues and HIV issues shouldn’t be a foreign concept inside the island nation. “We have ministries all over the world that are open and accepting of all people including persons with HIV and AIDS and we know it is important to teach the love of God and Jesus; and acceptance of God for all people,” said Rev. Wilson. “We believe that love and grace and mercy and tolerance are so important in today’s world.”
http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/a_bold_move_for_equality_in_jamaica
THE COLORFUL TIMES
Title: A Bold Move for Equality in Jamaica
Excerpt: “Around 100 people took part in the walk, which was headed by Reverend Elder Nancy L. Wilson, the openly lesbian presiding bishop of the International Movement of Metropolitan Community Churches.”
http://www.colorfultimes.com/2010/04/lifestyle/sexuality/bold-move-for-equality-in-jamaica/?ec3_listing=posts
EDGE of Boston
Article Title: A First for Jamaica: 100 March for Gay, HIV+ Tolerance
Excerpt: “This is an amazing event,” said Wilson, going on to call the march “a day of standing up with people with HIV and AIDS, their families and friends and saying all people deserve justice and health care and dignity and to be free from stigma or hatred just because of who they are or who they love and because of their HIV and AIDS status.”
http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=104399
GAY JAMAICA WATCH
Article Title: The Walk for Tolerance
Excerpt: “The Walk for Tolerance (April 7, 2010) as launched by Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) and The Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) group from Florida and the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN) went on unimpeded… the [TV news] footage clearly highlighted the LGBT elements of the event pointing out the openly lesbian MCC leader Nancy L. Wilson and Reverend Robert Griffin.”
http://networkedblogs.com/2ILKD
JAMAICA OBSERVER NEWSPAPER
Article Title: Over 100 Support Historic Tolerance March in Mobay
Excerpt: “Nancy Wilson, the openly gay leader of the Metropolitan Community Churches, also used the opportunity to send a message: “We have ministries all over the world that are open and accepting of all people including persons with HIV and AIDS and we know it is important to teach the love of God and Jesus; and acceptance of God for all people. We believe that love and grace and mercy and tolerance are so important in today’s world,” Wilson declared.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/westernnews/Jas-march_7523951
JAMAICA OBSERVER NEWSPAPER
Editorial Title: On Tolerating Homosexuals And Such…
Note: This editorial does not quote MCC, but is a relatively positive voice, noting “…A change is gonna come. Maybe the change won’t take the drastic and sensational format of a complete overhaul of the buggery laws just yet, but over time the dialogue will become more informed and the stigmas which have undermined our progress will continue to fall away. Wednesday’s walk was but another stage in the process. In time there will be other such events. It is our hope that they will meet with the same amount of tolerance, not because we carry any brief for them, but for the sake of our development as a nation. Because whether we like it or not, the fact is that even as we continue to hang on to the past, the world is moving on… without us.”
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/Editorial-for-April-9–2010_7524315
JTV – JAMAICA TV
The march was carried on Jamaica TV and news reporters quoted Rev. Nancy Wilson.
OVER THE LIMIT ENTERTAINMENT BLOG (Jamaica)
Note: Negative feedback to the Walk for Tolerance
http://www.overthelimitentertainment.com/profiles/blogs/report-014-gay-rights-groups
POWER 106 FM RADIO (Jamaica)
News Story Title: March for Tolerance in MoBay
Excerpt: “American lesbian bishop Nancy Wilson is leading a public march now underway in Montego Bay, St James dubbed ‘walk for tolerance’… According to Miss Wilson, the aim of the activity is to highlight the need for tolerance of marginalised groups like homosexuals. Miss Wilson agrees with the AIDS support groups that discrimination and stigmatisation of marginalised people hinders the fight against HIV/AIDS.”
http://go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=18249
RADIO JAMAICA (RJR Group)
News Story Title: Lesbian US Bishop Leads Tolerance March in MoBay
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/26397/26/
UK GAY NEWS
Title: Jamaica Stages First Gay Pride
Excerpt: “Around 100 took part in the walk, which was headed by Reverend Elder Nancy L. Wilson, the openly lesbian presiding bishop of the International Movement of Metropolitan Community Churches.”
http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/10/Apr/0801.htm
Posted on: April 22, 2010
Filed under: News
2 Comments
Marc Jerod
April 23rd, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Rev.Wilson, i would love for you to speak to some ministers the next time you come to Jamaica, especially mine. I think they need to see where you are coming from and so you can see where they are coming from so that everyone can appreciate each other.
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Bob Norfolk-Thompson
May 20th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
As a member of MCC South London, we are all delighted that Nancy will be visiting us next month. By some fluke (or is it, knowing Nancy!!) the Sunday she is coming to preach to us, is the day of annual HIV/AIDS Charity Walk for Life.
As usual several of will be doing the walk and should anyone wish to support us either in person (best of all) or by following the link below.
http://www.walkforlife.co.uk//public_individual_sponsorship.php?ID=2085
Many thanks and God bless.
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