CBH Talk: One Man’s Story of Gay Rights and Asylum
In May and June the Center for Brooklyn History opens its doors for limited, live public programs! Before renovations to our ground floor begin, join us in the building for one or more of these live programs and whet your appetite for CBH’s grand reopening later this year.
On the eve of Edafe Okporo’s twenty-sixth birthday, he awoke to a violent mob outside his window in Abuja, Nigeria. The mob threatened his life after discovering the secret Edafe had been hiding for years—that he is a gay man. Left with no other choice, he purchased a one-way plane ticket to New York City and fled for his life. These experiences growing up gay in Nigeria, fleeing to America, navigating the labrynthine immigration system, and making a life for himself as a Black, gay immigrant are the subject of his new book Asylum: A Memoir and Manifesto. Join him as he shares his powerful personal story and imagines what a different future can be, one that replaces draconian and brutal systems with fairness and transparency. MSNBC contributor and award-winning journalist, editor and producer Zach Stafford moderates.
Participants
Edafe Okporo was born in Warri, Nigeria. He migrated to the United States in 2016 as an asylum seeker and is now a refugee of the United States. Edafe is a global gay rights activist, the founder of Refuge America Inc., and one of the country’s most visible voices on the issue of displacement, leading an organization with a vision to “strengthen as a place of welcome for LGBTQ displaced people.” A graduate of Enugu State University and New York University School of Business, he currently lives in New York City. Edafe is among the inaugural winners of the David Prize, which honors individuals with bold visions for creating a better and brighter New York City. He is also a Logo 30 Honoree.
Photo by Christopher Tomas
Zach Stafford is an award-winning journalist, editor and producer. Currently, he serves as a contributor to MSNBC, host of the iHeart Radio show In The Deep: Stories That Shape Us, and co-producer of the Pulitzer Prize-Winning musical A Strange Loop. Prior to these roles, he was the first Black editor-in-chief of The Advocate, served as the chief content officer of Grindr and was a journalist at The Guardian. He is the author of two books --- Boys and When Dogs Heal -- and serves on the board of directors of the American LGBTQ+ Museum. In 2019, he was included in the Forbes' 30 Under 30 list and also named as one of the 100 most influential Black people living today by The Root.
Please Note:
For all indoor Center for Brooklyn History and BPL Presents programs, guests must provide proof of vaccination and wear masks while onsite at all times. In-person capacity is limited and will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.
We are not able to accept negative Covid test results (PCR or rapid antigen tests). In addition, we ask that you conduct a self-assessment before arriving and again onsite to ensure that you are not feeling unwell and have not experienced any symptoms attributable to COVID-19, nor had contact with a person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 within the last 10 days. Please also keep a physical distance of six feet from those who are not within your own household whenever possible and remember to wash your hands/use hand sanitizer frequently.
