We Can No Longer Ignore the Murders of LGBTQ+ People in Jamaica

Jasmyne Cannick, the journalist who brought national attention to the killings committed by Ed Buck in West Hollywood, is releasing a new podcast series exploring the many human rights abuses taking place in Jamaica.

Ring the Alarm, an original podcast hosted by Cannick in partnership with The Advocate, will explore what it's like to be LGBTQ+ in Jamaica, America's top Caribbean vacation destination and one of the most dangerous places in the world for queer people.

With interviews recorded in Jamaica, Cannick has brought her award-winning reporting skills to the country's network of secret safe houses that help to keep queer and transgender Jamaicans safe.

"I have always used my platform to elevate Black stories and issues I felt were being ignored, and Ring the Alarm is no different," Cannick says. "When I was asked to come to Jamaica to speak to the LGBTQ+ community and share their stories, I immediately said yes. I said yes because American's have had so much to say about the plight of queer people in places like Iran and Afghanistan but for decades have ignored the murders of lesbian women, gay men, and trans men and women in Jamaica ... well, not anymore."

In addition to the podcast series, Cannick is helping to raise money for the safe houses she visited in Jamaica. One of the people featured on the podcast is the Jamaican-American gay pastor who started the first safe house in his home in Jamaica and through donations and his own money has been able to slowly build a network of other houses. Cannick describes it as a modern-day underground railroad that's working to get queer Jamaicans out of the country before they are murdered.

"Americans love vacationing in Jamaica, but just beyond the carefully curated tourism corridor, people are being murdered for being queer. We can't be OK with that. We can't keep ignoring that," Cannick says.

"We're so excited to again partner with acclaimed journalist and activist Jasmyne Cannick," says Neal Broverman, editorial director, print for Pride Media. "We've had a long relationship with Jasmyne at The Advocate and Out, where we featured several of her commentary pieces and named her to the esteemed Out100 list in 2019. Jasmyne's insight on issues of race, policing, and politics are invaluable. For Ring the Alarm, Jasmyne presents exclusive, on-the-ground reporting on LGBTQ+ life in Jamaica. As part of the LGBTQ+ community herself, Cannick risked her own safety to broadcast the real stories of queer Jamaicans fighting for dignity amid an environment of intolerance and violence. Don't miss this series."

The first of eight episodes is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whatever podcast platform you prefer.