Also see: Larry Chang ........ a Reintroduction a post I had put together from 2008
Brian with cutie Tessa back in the day
Uncle Brian was known for personally housing and looking after gay people in Jamaica, his networking skills became legendary especially with displaced gay and bisexual men at his business property where he often used the drapery/awning factory section adjacent the club danceloor as an overnight shelter for short stays. A pleasant smile was what one would get upon entering his complex but a serious disciplinarian up until his death and he sought to it that homeless persons were assisted in what ever way he could, beneficiaries had to tow the line and abide by the guidelines for stay, which may explain my push in this regard as my early exposure to that side of on the ground advocacy and his own struggle to convince others to include that part of crisis interventions far more into the mix.
He was murdered with a machete, suffering multiple stab wounds to neck and face. Williamson's confessed murderer, Dwight Hayden,was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after fifteen years. The case raised several concerns regarding non homophobic killings, credibility in crisis communication, non-romantic same gender sexual liaisons gone bad, community based assistance with trust challenges and Jamaica's entrenched homophobia (the cheering by the public outside the murder scene as the body was taken away).
Other posts and articles on Brian:
Remembering Brian Williamson
Gleaner on Remembering Brian Williamson June 20, 2004
More related posts that named Brian: HERE
More from Gay Jamaica Watch: HERE
More from GLOBALGAYZ: HERE
Sadly missed
One of the founding members of JFLAG, Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals & Gays (worth repeating)
Owner of one of the most successful gay entertainment spots in Jamaica, The Entourage and a dedicated activist. One of the memorable moments in our GLBTQ history is an appearance on Jamaican television then known as (JBC) Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation coming out to the nation and by extension the world and putting a face to the gay community. He gave me my big break on the LGBT party scene at the time when I made my transition from the mainstream sound system sector, my nights were Fridays. Also we should remember Brian's business sidekick Michael Melbourne who also was murdered brutally in his New Kingston apartment, long time friend, ally to the community, philanthropist, art dealer, club owner/manager and an activist in his own right, was taken from us in October 14 2001 to be precise brutally by assailants in his home. He was known as the bubbly manager of the then Entourage LGBT nightclub in Kingston as owned and operated by late activist Brian Williamson who was also murdered in 2004, a fate that seems to follow open hearted persons in the community and it begs the question were they duped into scenarios and towards persons with ulterior motives that lead to their own demise?
Michael was also known for his contributions financially and otherwise to non governmental organizations and was very active during the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Jamaica as the photo below shows he was making a donation to a popular NGO at the time.
He was murdered with a machete, suffering multiple stab wounds to neck and face. Williamson's confessed murderer, Dwight Hayden,was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after fifteen years. The case raised several concerns regarding non homophobic killings, credibility in crisis communication, non-romantic same gender sexual liaisons gone bad, community based assistance with trust challenges and Jamaica's entrenched homophobia (the cheering by the public outside the murder scene as the body was taken away).
Other posts and articles on Brian:
Remembering Brian Williamson
Gleaner on Remembering Brian Williamson June 20, 2004
More related posts that named Brian: HERE
More from Gay Jamaica Watch: HERE
More from GLOBALGAYZ: HERE
Sadly missed
One of the founding members of JFLAG, Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals & Gays (worth repeating)
Brian outside his home/club in New Kingston where he was taken from us sadly.
former dancehall queen and wife of Beenieman popularly known as Carlene was the one who interviewed Brian on her talkshow back in the 90s
Owner of one of the most successful gay entertainment spots in Jamaica, The Entourage and a dedicated activist. One of the memorable moments in our GLBTQ history is an appearance on Jamaican television then known as (JBC) Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation coming out to the nation and by extension the world and putting a face to the gay community. He gave me my big break on the LGBT party scene at the time when I made my transition from the mainstream sound system sector, my nights were Fridays. Also we should remember Brian's business sidekick Michael Melbourne who also was murdered brutally in his New Kingston apartment, long time friend, ally to the community, philanthropist, art dealer, club owner/manager and an activist in his own right, was taken from us in October 14 2001 to be precise brutally by assailants in his home. He was known as the bubbly manager of the then Entourage LGBT nightclub in Kingston as owned and operated by late activist Brian Williamson who was also murdered in 2004, a fate that seems to follow open hearted persons in the community and it begs the question were they duped into scenarios and towards persons with ulterior motives that lead to their own demise?
Michael was also known for his contributions financially and otherwise to non governmental organizations and was very active during the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Jamaica as the photo below shows he was making a donation to a popular NGO at the time.
the legendary Michael Melbourne also see more here:
LGBT HISTORY MONTH: ALLIES – POSTHUMOUS RECOGNITION ’11 PART 1
GAY & BISEXUAL INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, HOMOPHOBIC INCIDENTS & CRISIS COMMUNICATION
Here are some setmixes I had done on some of the dancefloor anthems from the day.
The VHS tapes of the JBC interview should be available at JFLAG's archives in Kingston, we hope they have been stored properly and not left to go the route of the Gay Freedom Movement (GFM) archives that subsequently what was left of those were retrieved by it's founder Larry Chang and archived overseas were not in good condition due to poor handling and storage, sad as Jamaica should have been the repository for such important materials. We must preserve our past a people who do not know or respect their past cannot plan for the future.
A pity as he must be turning in his grave now to see how we still are at odds over what is to be done for the movement in totality of the LGBTQI communities instead we are left with a joke of an advocacy though very slowly changing; with criticisms of dissenting voices described as "bickering" as if the establishment are infallible when the engagement of everyone for or against should be the thrust forward in dealing with not just the repulsion of the buggery law while affixing HIV/AIDS issues which seems to be the main focus while the urgently required social interventions for certain sections of the community to uplift and rebuild their lives.
Sadly it seems more about self-aggrandizement coupled with what appears as an elitist agenda with a general intolerance for views outside the system. The ordinary LGBTQI body politic seems relegated to just followers with selected individuals given a platform. The loss of a former volunteer and contracted individual in 2011 via a gruesome murder with not so much as some formal recognition for however small his contribution was glaring to say the least.
Read more here from the Wordpress edition of GLBTQJA
All this was not the original plan when The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays when first formed and launched albeit that from the get go if I am to go from memory the signs of the aforementioned opposition to certain types of intervention ideas were knocking at the door but were not as pronounced as today.
Let us however move towards working together for the greater good of those down trodden and or displaced with a sense of hopelessness, rest assured the criticisms will not and cannot be stopped as it is by picking the meat from same and having real forumatic activities that the solutions will come.
Love always
Peace and tolerance
H
Here are some setmixes I had done on some of the dancefloor anthems from the day.
The VHS tapes of the JBC interview should be available at JFLAG's archives in Kingston, we hope they have been stored properly and not left to go the route of the Gay Freedom Movement (GFM) archives that subsequently what was left of those were retrieved by it's founder Larry Chang and archived overseas were not in good condition due to poor handling and storage, sad as Jamaica should have been the repository for such important materials. We must preserve our past a people who do not know or respect their past cannot plan for the future.
A pity as he must be turning in his grave now to see how we still are at odds over what is to be done for the movement in totality of the LGBTQI communities instead we are left with a joke of an advocacy though very slowly changing; with criticisms of dissenting voices described as "bickering" as if the establishment are infallible when the engagement of everyone for or against should be the thrust forward in dealing with not just the repulsion of the buggery law while affixing HIV/AIDS issues which seems to be the main focus while the urgently required social interventions for certain sections of the community to uplift and rebuild their lives.
Sadly it seems more about self-aggrandizement coupled with what appears as an elitist agenda with a general intolerance for views outside the system. The ordinary LGBTQI body politic seems relegated to just followers with selected individuals given a platform. The loss of a former volunteer and contracted individual in 2011 via a gruesome murder with not so much as some formal recognition for however small his contribution was glaring to say the least.
Read more here from the Wordpress edition of GLBTQJA
All this was not the original plan when The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays when first formed and launched albeit that from the get go if I am to go from memory the signs of the aforementioned opposition to certain types of intervention ideas were knocking at the door but were not as pronounced as today.
Let us however move towards working together for the greater good of those down trodden and or displaced with a sense of hopelessness, rest assured the criticisms will not and cannot be stopped as it is by picking the meat from same and having real forumatic activities that the solutions will come.
Love always
Peace and tolerance
H
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