Toronto organizers raise $10K to support queer Jamaicans after Hurricane Melissa

A group of Toronto organizers raised thousands of dollars and collected tons of supplies to support one of the most vulnerable groups of people in Jamaica coping with the impact of a deadly hurricane that hit the island in October. 

Following Category-5 Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica has been making huge efforts to rebuild and restore the island to its former glory. However, a group of people who were already facing unimaginable hardship on the island now have another hurdle to face.

Jamaica is widely considered one of the most homophobic places in the world. The Equality for All Foundation, which advocates for queer people on the island, conducted a 2024 survey which found that violence remains a major concern for 2SLGBTQ+ Jamaicans, with 52 per cent of respondents experiencing violence in the last year, while 83 per cent experienced violence in their lifetime.

Following the hurricane, discrimination, housing insecurity, and safety concerns can make it harder for 2SLGBTQ+ communities in Jamaica to benefit from mainstream disaster relief efforts. Polly Perry, a Toronto event organizer and business owner, explained that this knowledge is what drove a group of activists and community members to come together and organize a party to support queer people in Jamaica. 

WHEN DANCEHALL DID SWEET

Perry explained that the impact this storm would have on queer Jamaicans was already top of mind before Melissa touched down. She called a friend in Toronto to share her concerns, and learned that other people in Toronto’s events industry were thinking the same thing.

“I hate to call Jamaica a homophobic country, because it’s so much more complicated than that. But you know what I mean when I say that, with everything that goes on, they’re (2SLGBTQ+ folks) excluded and ostracized. It’s dangerous,” Perry told Queer & Now.

We knew that the world answered the call, a lot of people came in [to Jamaica] to help, but this would be a community that would be forgotten, as they’re not even thought of as people there,” she continued. “It’s not like if there was a lineup to get donations, that they could stand in line and get something, so we knew that they would be left out.”

This concern led to Perry and other organizations collaborating to create the event called When Dancehall Did Sweet – a night of Caribbean music, dancing and joy that took over The 519 on Nov. 8. Other groups that helped organize the party include: Taslan Protective Services, Pride Toronto, Black-CAP, DJ BlackCat, Open Mind Events, Craig Dominic, Blackness Yes, Bubbles Entertainment and The 519 Black Collective, and When Dancehall Did Sweet was born. The night of Caribbean music, dancing and joy took over The 519 on Nov. 8. 

And let me tell you, Queer & Now was there, and people were on their worst behaviour, all for a good cause.

With hundreds of attendees and some of the city’s best DJs on deck, including Craig Palmer, Blackcat and Prestige, the party raised over $10,000. Plus, a two-day donation drive saw so many items collected that the team was able to pack five barrels of items to ship down to the island, and carried another eight suitcases with them while they travelled directly to a shelter for queer people, located an hour outside of Kingston, Jamaica. 

THE LARRY CHANG CENTRE

Perry was one of the volunteers who travelled to Jamaica following the party to personally deliver donations and coordinate with local partners on the ground. They made the trip with some help from Air Canada, which provided tickets for six organizers to head down to Jamaica for a few days and bring the donated items to the Larry Chang Centre. 

Named for one of the founders of Jamaica’s queer liberation movement, the centre is a shelter for unhoused 2SLGBTQ+ Jamaicans, operating about an hour outside of Kingston. The centre’s managing director, Dane Lewis, brought the team to the shelter, allowing Perry and other organizers to meet the folks living in the centre and bring the donations directly to them.

“Over the four days, we sat and chatted with them, and spent time with them to find out what it was like, how it started, and to see if we can help on an ongoing basis,” she explained, adding that about 18 people were living at the centre, which has a capacity of 25. 

“These folks were just amazing people, and everyone had a skill, everyone had hope and dreams, and we were so well received,” Perry shared. “They were happy to see us. They were happy to know that there are people out there who care.”

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“I showed them some videos of the event, and they were shocked. They were like, ‘Wow, so many people came out to help us,’ so they were taken aback. They were very touched by it.”

Meanwhile, Lewis directed some of the items, including pads and sanitary items, to WE-Change, an organization supporting and advocating for 2SLGBTQ+ women on the island.

Perry explained that it’s important to pull up and support our communities during times of need, sharing our resources and time. 

“Going to Jamaica and being hands-on, and going directly to these organizations and seeing what they need, and asking them what they need, I think that for me, that’s when it feels like we’re making a big difference.”

The work doesn’t stop there. The roof at the Larry Chang Centre sustained significant damage during the hurricane. While she’s back in Toronto now, Perry explained that a few committee members are currently working with contractors in Jamaica to ensure the roof is repaired, while they continue plans to raise support for organizations like WE-Change.