Let The Outreach Begin!

Earlier this Summer, my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers and I (in partnership with two NGOs) applied for a Peace Corps SPA Grant for LGBT Community Outreach throughout Albania. The idea started from a former volunteer (more formally called "Returned Peace Corps Volunteer" or RPCV) who served in Albania from 2012-2014. He had completed his project right before I arrived. It just so happened that our service years overlapped a bit, and I was able to learn about his project early on in my service. I liked the project design and thought it would be great to replicate and even expand if possible during my service (2014-2016). I am happy to say that we were awarded the grant funds last week!

Overview

The idea is to educate Albanians about LGBT issues and build awareness of the LGBT Community. Our work is primarily outside of the capital city of Tirana, as these areas are less exposed to such subject matter. Our target audience is younger individuals, as this population tends to be more receptive, and can be more easily engaged in a classroom or group setting. Me and my fellow group mates will work with a group of amazing activists from two NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) to facilitate each engagement - Aleanca Kunder Diskriminimit LGBT (Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination) and ProLGBT. 

What's New?

This year we are looking to expand the network of the NGOs by engaging members of the community and working with them as a local contact point. It is our hope to create a network that will serve to provide more safety and support for the LGBT people across the country (more about this concern below). We also hope that this will allow for sustainability after Peace Corps has finished its mission here in Albania. 

Timeline

We already started! We are looking to do outreach until all 13 sites are visited. This will happen between now and April 2016. Check out the next post for info on our first outreach engagement!

A Growing Concern

As it stands, many LGBT people seek community in Tirana. For some, the situation in their home town is so hostile that they move away. Of course, without local support from family or friends, the only place one has to go is Tirana. This is a country where family means a house, food, and community. When a family rejects a son or daughter for their sexual orientation, the child loses their ability to care for themselves. Once the community finds out that one of their own is a 'deviant,' it is no longer possible to remain in the closet. Word travels fast, especially in small towns. Thus Tirana becomes a sort-of mecca for LGBT in Albania. Hardly the bastion of gay life as in San Francisco, New York, Berlin or even Tel Aviv, it is better than facing derision from their family and community day after day. So they go. They seek a better life - yet possibly with no job prospects, no job training, limited English skills, little/no money, and nothing in their possession but the clothes on their backs. Luckily there is a shelter that caters to LGBT youth that will house them, cloth them, and give them food, psycho-social support, and even vocational training. When did this start, you may ask? Just last year, around December 2014. :-) If you would like more information about the shelter visit STREHA SHELTER (And yes, of course they always need support and donations!)

LGBT: What It's Like: Part II

(Continued from earlier blog post - LGBT: What It's Like - Part I)

 

On our journey, my so-called 'Pink Posse' and I will see the reality of the situation here in Albania. There have not been any riots or protests against LGBT people, there are no major political hardliners using religion to gain favor at the expense of LGBT people, and I personally have not experienced any hate directly regarding LGBT people. Things seem calm. But are they? What will happen when one starts churning the waters? Will the Albanians that we encounter suddenly realize that LGBT people are not just in America but all around them? Teaching their children? Hanging out together in school? Sitting next door? Across the bar? Working at the café? Even looking across the room from them every day as a brother, sister, aunt, uncle, or even parent?! What will happen then? Maybe nothing.

Maybe the abolishment of religion in Albania in 1967 laid the foundation for a society that has no reason to really hate gay people. In America, some fanatics use religion as a means to deny the rights of their fellow citizens. This vocal minority are not just expressing their religion, they are voting bigots into power, further promoting a system of hate that in turn makes the lives of many LGBT people a living hell. I commend those who use religion to find peace and love in the world. I like to believe that this is the majority of people, but... it is hard to tell sometimes. I’d hate to think that the abolishment of religion altogether is the solution to creating a more accepting society! That would be a sad day for humanity indeed. I’d like to think that people are capable of having disagreement and yet still showing love for each other. It’s almost a metaphor for a family gathering during the holidays. Isn’t there room for all opinions at the dinner table?