News & Events
Latest Events and Updates
Today, as every year, we celebrate the birth of Anna Ivankova.
This is the third summer without Anna in our lives. Every July 10th, grief finds its way back to us, waiting until her birthday to somehow turn into gratitude — gratitude for the luck of having known Anna, even for a short time.
And this year, on July 9th, another loss came close to ours. Paola Revenioti died. This is, of course, not a comparison between two lives, histories, or struggles. But there is something painful in the way one grief came to meet another, so close in time.
Anna and Paola came from different countries, cultures, generations, and historical moments. Yet both became important to their communities, in their own ways, and both experienced immense violence for living as who they were.
There is a genealogy to the violence trans people experience — a history connecting generations, places, and lives. It is a genealogy we have to break.
Anna’s life was stolen from us, but her story is not only about loss. It is also about resistance, joy, and the right to live openly.
Her laughter, her courage, and everything she gave to the people around her remain part of our collective memory and of the struggle of trans people, migrants, asylum seekers, and everyone fighting for justice.
We refuse to let violence be the final word about Anna.
We choose to remember her life, what she gave to our communities, the people she brought together, and the joy she created.
We honor you, Anna — today and always.
Anna taking a selfie, almost 10 years ago, at a meeting of the Lgbtqia+ Refugees Welcome collective.
Today, as every year, we celebrate the birth of Anna Ivankova.
This is the third summer without Anna in our lives. Every July 10th, grief finds its way back to us, waiting until her birthday to somehow turn into gratitude — gratitude for the luck of having known Anna, even for a short time.
And this year, on July 9th, another loss came close to ours. Paola Revenioti died. This is, of course, not a comparison between two lives, histories, or struggles. But there is something painful in the way one grief came to meet another, so close in time.
Anna and Paola came from different countries, cultures, generations, and historical moments. Yet both became important to their communities, in their own ways, and both experienced immense violence for living as who they were.
There is a genealogy to the violence trans people experience — a history connecting generations, places, and lives. It is a genealogy we have to break.
Anna’s life was stolen from us, but her story is not only about loss. It is also about resistance, joy, and the right to live openly.
Her laughter, her courage, and everything she gave to the people around her remain part of our collective memory and of the struggle of trans people, migrants, asylum seekers, and everyone fighting for justice.
We refuse to let violence be the final word about Anna.
We choose to remember her life, what she gave to our communities, the people she brought together, and the joy she created.
We honor you, Anna — today and always.
Anna taking a selfie, almost 10 years ago, at a meeting of the Lgbtqia+ Refugees Welcome collective.
This Pride month, we share and honour the stories told by LGBT+ refugees we supported at the beginning of Emantes. Through creative writing, collage, and photo projects, the community's editorial team, along with the Emantes team and creative experts/seminar instructors, brought Majalediko to life.
Special thanks to the funder, RosaLuxgr and the team:
Coordinators: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou (project), Lia Zachariadi (editorial team), Sophia Zachariadi (editorial team)
Editorial Team: Mehrdad Shahbazi, Huguette Tabassom, Adan EPEE (guest), Milad SHAFIEI (guest), Robert KALUNGI (guest)
Seminar Instructors: Andromache Kokkinou (Zine creation), Maria Tripolitou (Creative Writing), Sophia Zachariadi (Photography)
You can read and download the complete publication on Emantes' website: emantes.com/3d-flip-book/majalediko-march-25/
Talking about refugee camp facilities
Full Ep.3 of “Our Story” – Emantes Podcast Series | Out Now
What does it mean to seek safety when persecution follows you across borders — and to still hold on to hope?
In Episode 3 of Our Story Emantes, co-hosts Effie Doussi and Nestor Menguele Etoundi discuss the realities faced by Gay asylum seekers from Cameroon and the challenges encountered along their asylum journey in Greece.
Through lived experience and reflection, this episode explores persecution, life in refugee camps, and the role of solidarity networks such as Emantes in supporting LGBTQI+ asylum seekers navigating complex systems in a holistic way.
🎧 Watch the full episode:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P93Cpv5JpmE
🔍 Featured moments from the episode
🌍 Hope despite adversity – reflecting on the possibility of change to anti-LGBT laws in Cameroon
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6L1d1ylpW0
🤝 Discussing Emantes’ role in supporting LGBTQI+ asylum seekers
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUlsdsSr6-4
💬 In this episode we also discuss:
* Criminalisation and persecution of homosexuality in Cameroon
* Living conditions and lack of facilities in refugee camps in Greece
* Protection gaps and risks faced by gay asylum seekers of colour in Greece
* The importance of community, advocacy, and resilience
Parts of this conversation are difficult, but they are essential. They remind us that debates about asylum, migration, and human rights are ultimately about the dignity, safety, and future of real people.
Beyond the importance of documenting OUR STORY, these conversations are held to empower the community members, to inform decision makers, and to raise awareness among @followers and the wider public.
Contributors
Co-Hosts: Effie Doussi & Nestor Menguele Etoundi
Project Management & Scientific Communication: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Project Coordination: Sophia Zachariadi
Videography: Katerina Markoulaki & Konstanza Kapsali
Interpretation: Eleni Fratzola
Transcription & Translation: Haris Cazlaris
Funder: European Commission through the Erasmus+ Our Story Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
#emantes #ourstory #RefugeeRights #lgbtq #asylum #migration #humanrights #ErasmusPlus
Nestor talking about Emantes
Full Ep.3 of “Our Story” – Emantes Podcast Series | Out Now
What does it mean to seek safety when persecution follows you across borders — and to still hold on to hope?
In Episode 3 of Our Story Emantes, co-hosts Effie Doussi and Nestor Menguele Etoundi discuss the realities faced by Gay asylum seekers from Cameroon and the challenges encountered along their asylum journey in Greece.
Through lived experience and reflection, this episode explores persecution, life in refugee camps, and the role of solidarity networks such as Emantes in supporting LGBTQI+ asylum seekers navigating complex systems in a holistic way.
🎧 Watch the full episode:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P93Cpv5JpmE
🔍 Featured moments from the episode
🌍 Hope despite adversity – reflecting on the possibility of change to anti-LGBT laws in Cameroon
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6L1d1ylpW0
🤝 Discussing Emantes’ role in supporting LGBTQI+ asylum seekers
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUlsdsSr6-4
💬 In this episode we also discuss:
* Criminalisation and persecution of homosexuality in Cameroon
* Living conditions and lack of facilities in refugee camps in Greece
* Protection gaps and risks faced by gay asylum seekers of colour in Greece
* The importance of community, advocacy, and resilience
Parts of this conversation are difficult, but they are essential. They remind us that debates about asylum, migration, and human rights are ultimately about the dignity, safety, and future of real people.
Beyond the importance of documenting OUR STORY, these conversations are held to empower the community members, to inform decision makers, and to raise awareness among @followers and the wider public.
Contributors
Co-Hosts: Effie Doussi & Nestor Menguele Etoundi
Project Management & Scientific Communication: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Project Coordination: Sophia Zachariadi
Videography: Katerina Markoulaki & Konstanza Kapsali
Interpretation: Eleni Fratzola
Transcription & Translation: Haris Cazlaris
Funder: European Commission through the Erasmus+ Our Story Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
#emantes #ourstory #RefugeeRights #lgbtq #asylum #migration #humanrights #ErasmusPlus
🎙️ Full Ep.3 of “Our Story” – Emantes Podcast Series | Out Now
What does it mean to seek safety when persecution follows you across borders — and to still hold on to hope?
In Episode 3 of Our Story Emantes, co-hosts Effie Doussi and Nestor Menguele Etoundi discuss the realities faced by Gay asylum seekers from Cameroon and the challenges encountered along their asylum journey in Greece.
Through lived experience and reflection, this episode explores persecution, life in refugee camps, and the role of solidarity networks such as Emantes in supporting LGBTQI+ asylum seekers navigating complex systems in a holistic way.
🎧 Watch the full episode:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P93Cpv5JpmE
🔍 Featured moments from the episode
🌍 Hope despite adversity – reflecting on the possibility of change to anti-LGBT laws in Cameroon
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6L1d1ylpW0
🤝 Discussing Emantes’ role in supporting LGBTQI+ asylum seekers
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUlsdsSr6-4
💬 In this episode we also discuss:
* Criminalisation and persecution of homosexuality in Cameroon
* Living conditions and lack of facilities in refugee camps in Greece
* Protection gaps and risks faced by gay asylum seekers of colour in Greece
* The importance of community, advocacy, and resilience
Parts of this conversation are difficult, but they are essential. They remind us that debates about asylum, migration, and human rights are ultimately about the dignity, safety, and future of real people.
Beyond the importance of documenting OUR STORY, these conversations are held to empower the community members, to inform decision makers, and to raise awareness among @followers and the wider public.
Contributors
Co-Hosts: Effie Doussi & Nestor Menguele Etoundi
Project Management & Scientific Communication: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Project Coordination: Sophia Zachariadi
Videography: Katerina Markoulaki & Konstanza Kapsali
Interpretation: Eleni Fratzola
Transcription & Translation: Haris Cazlaris
Funder: European Commission Commission through the Erasmus+ Our Story Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
#emantes #ourstory #RefugeeRights #lgbtq #asylum #migration #humanrights #ErasmusPlus
🎥 Discussing trans dead name change and asylum legal cases
🎙️ Full Ep 2. of “Our Story” – Emantes Podcast Series | Out Now
🎧 Watch the full episode: youtu.be/7XctejeS_Qs?si=4b3SnczWzJesXm11
What happens after someone is officially recognised as a refugee?
From persistent travel barriers to complex legal battles around name and gender recognition, this episode highlights the gap that can exist between rights on paper and lived experience.
💬 This episode speaks to LGBT+ refugee and asylum seeker community members as well as practitioners, policymakers, researchers, advocates working across migration, asylum, and LGBTQI+ rights, and anyone interested in how systems shape real lives and Emantes' @followers
Contributors
Co-Hosts: Yuli Fernandez & Effie Doussi
Project Management & Scientific Communication: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Project Coordination: Sophia Zachariadi
Videography: Katerina Markoulaki & Konstanza Kapsali
Interpretation: Eleni Fratzola
Transcription & Translation: Haris Cazlaris
Funder: European Commission through the Erasmus+ Our Story Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
#Emantes #TransRights #RefugeeRights #Asylum #Migration #HumanRights #LGBTQI
🎥 Discussing persistent travel challenges for a recognised refugee trans person of colour
🎙️ Full Ep 2. of “Our Story” – Emantes Podcast Series | Out Now
What happens after someone is officially recognised as a refugee?
From persistent travel barriers to complex legal battles around name and gender recognition, this episode highlights the gap that can exist between rights on paper and lived experience.
🎧 Watch the full episode: youtu.be/7XctejeS_Qs?si=4b3SnczWzJesXm11
💬 This episode speaks to LGBT+ refugee and asylum seeker community members as well as practitioners, policymakers, researchers, advocates working across migration, asylum, and LGBTQI+ rights, and anyone interested in how systems shape real lives and to raise awareness among Emantes' @followers and the wider public.
Yuli 💬 "Aegean Airlines is my favourite airline [...] the Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" is the most beautiful in the world [..] because I feel inside peace [...] I feel safe!"
Contributors
Co-Hosts: Yuli Fernandez & Effie Doussi
Project Management & Scientific Communication: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Project Coordination: Sophia Zachariadi
Videography: Katerina Markoulaki & Konstanza Kapsali
Interpretation: Eleni Fratzola
Transcription & Translation: Haris Cazlaris
Funder: European Commission through the Erasmus+ Our Story Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
#Emantes #TransRights #RefugeeRights #Asylum #Migration #HumanRights #LGBTQI
🎙️ Full Ep 2. of “Our Story” – Emantes Podcast Series | Out Now
What happens after someone is officially recognised as a refugee?
Episode 2 of Our Story Emantes brings a grounded and deeply human conversation between co-hosts Yuli Fernandez and Effie Doussi, exploring the realities a trans refugee woman of colour continues to face — even after legal protection is granted.
From persistent travel barriers to complex legal battles around name and gender recognition, this episode highlights the gap that can exist between rights on paper and lived experience.
🎧 Watch the full episode: youtu.be/7XctejeS_Qs?si=4b3SnczWzJesXm11
🔍 Key moments
✈️ 🏳️⚧️Persistent travel challenges for a recognised refugee trans person of colour: youtu.be/8X_DSA-i-NU?si=RkEsWP5bZb0KVb3g
⚖️ Trans dead name change and asylum legal cases🏳️⚧️: youtu.be/ojvpV_rLWL0?si=Xya7DBpueaaeggmQ
💬 This episode speaks to LGBT+ refugee and asylum seeker community members as well as practitioners, policymakers, researchers, advocates working across migration, asylum, and LGBTQI+ rights, and anyone interested in how systems shape real lives and Emantes' @followers
Contributors
Co-Hosts: Yuli Fernandez & Effie Doussi
Project Management & Scientific Communication: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Project Coordination: Sophia Zachariadi
Videography: Katerina Markoulaki & Konstanza Kapsali
Interpretation: Eleni Fratzola
Transcription & Translation: Haris Cazlaris
Funder: European Commission through the Erasmus+ Our Story Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
#Emantes #TransRights #RefugeeRights #Asylum #Migration #HumanRights #LGBTQI
🎥 Discussing food coupon distribution in Emantes and food familiarity in Greece for LGBT refugees in Greece
“Our Story” – Emantes Podcast Series | Episode 1 Out Now
👉 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=elFiFjFP0Jw
The first episode of the Emantes “Our Story” Podcast Series centres trans and lesbian people of colour within LGBT+ refugee and asylum-seeking communities in Greece — communities disproportionately affected by food poverty, displacement, and systemic exclusion.
This episode gives particular attention to the intersectional realities of being a mother and/or living with ill health while navigating life as a trans or lesbian refugee of colour in Greece. It explores food availability, access, utilisation, stability, and food familiarisation, highlighting how these factors shape everyday survival.
These conversations are held to empower the community members, inform decision makers and raise awareness among the wider public and @followers.
Additional issues discussed and their focused video shorts include:
* Sex work 👉 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua0M3OpPrA8
* Housing insecurity 👉 Watch here: youtu.be/EA1WzAq6w0w?si=Zde5qYHtKRqEVvrA
* Food coupon distribution 👉 Watch here: youtu.be/YVCQnhSGAnU?si=LDK1uIJP63Q-F7ow
Credits
Host: YULI FERNANDEZ
Guest: Mamy Rose
Project Management & Scientific Communication: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Project Coordination: Sophia Zachariadi
Videography: Katerina Markoulaki & Konstanza Kapsali
Interpretation: Eleni Fratzola
Transcription & Translation: Haris Cazlaris
Funder: European Commission – Erasmus+ Our Story Project via Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
Special Thanks go to Choose Love, for funding the Emantes' food distribution services for the 3rd consecutive year 💗
#TransOfColour #LesbiansOfColour #FoodJustice #LGBTQRefugees #Intersectionality #HumanRights #FIES #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth
🎥 Sex work as a survival income source among LGBT refugees facing limited employment alternatives
“Our Story” – Emantes Podcast Series | Episode 1 Out Now
👉 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=elFiFjFP0Jw
The first episode of the Emantes “Our Story” Podcast Series centres trans and lesbian people of colour within LGBT+ refugee and asylum-seeking communities in Greece — communities disproportionately affected by food poverty, displacement, and systemic exclusion.
This episode gives particular attention to the intersectional realities of being a mother and/or living with ill health while navigating life as a trans or lesbian refugee of colour in Greece. It explores food availability, access, utilisation, stability, and food familiarisation, highlighting how these factors shape everyday survival.
Additional issues discussed and their focused video shorts include:
* Sex work 👉 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua0M3OpPrA8
* Housing insecurity 👉 Watch here: youtu.be/EA1WzAq6w0w?si=Zde5qYHtKRqEVvrA
* Food coupon distribution 👉 Watch here: youtu.be/YVCQnhSGAnU?si=LDK1uIJP63Q-F7ow
Credits
Host: YULI FERNANDEZ
Guest: Mamy Rose
Project Management & Scientific Communication: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Project Coordination: Sophia Zachariadi
Videography: Katerina Markoulaki & Konstanza Kapsali
Interpretation: Eleni Fratzola
Transcription & Translation: Haris Cazlaris
Funder: European Commission – Erasmus+ Our Story Project via Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
Special Thanks go to Choose Love, for funding the Emantes' food distribution services for the 3rd consecutive year 💗
#TransOfColour #LesbiansOfColour #FoodJustice #LGBTQRefugees #Intersectionality #HumanRights #FIES #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth
🎥 Discussing Housing issues in the LGBT refugee community
“Our Story” – Emantes Podcast Series | Episode 1 Out Now
👉 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=elFiFjFP0Jw
The first episode of the Emantes “Our Story” Podcast Series centres trans and lesbian people of colour within LGBT+ refugee and asylum-seeking communities in Greece — communities disproportionately affected by food poverty, displacement, and systemic exclusion.
This episode gives particular attention to the intersectional realities of being a mother and/or living with ill health while navigating life as a trans or lesbian refugee of colour in Greece. It explores food availability, access, utilisation, stability, and food familiarisation, highlighting how these factors shape everyday survival.
Additional issues discussed and their focused video shorts include:
* Sex work 👉 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua0M3OpPrA8
* Housing insecurity 👉 Watch here: youtu.be/EA1WzAq6w0w?si=Zde5qYHtKRqEVvrA
* Food coupon distribution 👉 Watch here: youtu.be/YVCQnhSGAnU?si=LDK1uIJP63Q-F7ow
Credits
Host: YULI FERNANDEZ
Guest: Mamy Rose
Project Management & Scientific Communication: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Project Coordination: Sophia Zachariadi
Videography: Katerina Markoulaki & Konstanza Kapsali
Interpretation: Eleni Fratzola
Transcription & Translation: Haris Cazlaris
Funder: European Commission – Erasmus+ Our Story Project via Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
Special Thanks go to Choose Love, for funding the Emantes' food distribution services for the 3rd consecutive year 💗
#TransOfColour #LesbiansOfColour #FoodJustice #LGBTQRefugees #Intersectionality #HumanRights #FIES #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth
🎥 Full Ep 1. of “Our Story” – Emantes Podcast Series | Out Now
The first episode of the Emantes “Our Story” Podcast Series centres trans and lesbian people of colour within LGBT+ refugee and asylum-seeking communities in Greece — communities disproportionately affected by food poverty, displacement, and systemic exclusion.
This episode gives particular attention to the intersectional realities of being a mother and/or living with ill health while navigating life as a trans or lesbian refugee of colour in Greece. It explores food availability, access, utilisation, stability, and food familiarisation, highlighting how these factors shape everyday survival.
👉 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=elFiFjFP0Jw
Additional issues discussed and their focused video shorts include:
* Sex work 👉 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua0M3OpPrA8
* Housing insecurity 👉 Watch here: youtu.be/EA1WzAq6w0w?si=Zde5qYHtKRqEVvrA
* Food coupon distribution 👉 Watch here: youtu.be/YVCQnhSGAnU?si=LDK1uIJP63Q-F7ow
Credits
Host: YULI FERNANDEZ
Guest: Mamy Rose
Project Management & Scientific Communication: Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Project Coordination: Sophia Zachariadi
Videography: Katerina Markoulaki & Konstanza Kapsali
Interpretation: Eleni Fratzola
Transcription & Translation: Haris Cazlaris
Funder: European Commission – Erasmus+ Our Story Project via Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
Special Thanks go to Choose Love, for funding the Emantes' food distribution services for the 3rd consecutive year 💗
#TransOfColour #LesbiansOfColour #FoodJustice #LGBTQRefugees #Intersectionality #HumanRights #FIES #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth
🌈 Journey Mapping: Σήμερα στην Ελευσίνα στις 18:30 – Ένα ταξίδι κοινών εμπειριών και συλλογικής ενδυνάμωσης 🌍
Από τη Θεσσαλονίκη στις 20 Ιουνίου, στη ΛΟΑΤΚΙΑ+ Ελευσίνα σήμερα, 13 Σεπτεμβρίου — το διαδραστικό μας εργαστήριο "Journey Mapping" συνεχίζει το ταξίδι του!
📍Διαφορετικοί σταθμοί, κοινές εμπειρίες.
💬 Μέσα από χαρτογράφηση, βιωματικές ασκήσεις και συλλογικό προβληματισμό, αναδεικνύουμε τις προκλήσεις που αντιμετωπίζουν τα ΛΟΑΤΚΙΑ+ άτομα και συνεχίζουμε με συλλογικές λύσεις και τομείς συνηγορίας.
✨ Γιατί η γνώση γεννιέται μέσα από τις εμπειρίες μας.
💜 Σας περιμένουμε σήμερα από τις 18:30 στο Πολιτιστικό Κέντρο Ελευσίνας
🎤 Drag • Stand-up • DJ sets • Ομιλίες • Εικαστικά
🟣 Η Emantes θα είναι εκεί — ελάτε να συνδεθούμε.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
🌈 Journey Mapping: Today in Elefsina at 18:30 – A path of shared experiences and collective empowerment 🌍
From Thessaloniki on June 20th to LGBTQIA+ Elefsina today, September 13th — our interactive workshop "Journey Mapping" continues its journey!
📍Different stops, shared experiences.
💬 Through mapping, embodied exercises, and collective reflection, we explore the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ people and co-create solutions and spaces for advocacy.
✨ Because knowledge is born from lived experience.
💜 Join us today from 18:30 at the Elefsina Cultural Center
🎤 Drag • Stand-up • DJ sets • Talks • Visual art
🟣 Emantes will be there — come connect with us.
#journeymapping #emantes #lgbtqiarefugees #queercommunity #queerelefsina #ParticipatoryActionResearch #elefsinapride #CommunityPowerr #λοατκια
(Scroll down for English)
🌈✨ ΥΠΕΝΘΥΜΙΣΗ! Αυτή η εβδομάδα είναι γεμάτη εκδηλώσεις — και θα είμαστε σε όλες! ✨🌈
Το Σάββατο, η Emantes θα είναι παντού — κυριολεκτικά! Θα συμμετέχουμε σε δύο υπέροχες εκδηλώσεις, ενώ παράλληλα θα είμαστε όλο το τριήμερο σε έναν μοναδικό χώρο τέχνης και ορατότητας! 💜
🟣 12–14 Σεπτεμβρίου | Con @ Ελληνοαμερικανική Ένωση
🎨 3 μέρες με ΛΟΑΤΚΙΑ+ τέχνη, ποπ κουλτούρα, drag, σινεμά & πολλά άλλα
📍Μασσαλίας 22, Αθήνα | 🎟️ Είσοδος ελεύθερη
👉 Η Emantes θα είναι εκεί και τις 3 μέρες με τραπεζάκι
#queercon2025
💜 13 Σεπτεμβρίου | ΛΟΑΤΚΙΑ+ Ελευσίνα
Η ΛΟΑΤΚΙΑ+ κοινότητα του Θριασίου είναι ΕΔΩ και είναι ΥΠΕΡΗΦΑΝΗ!
🎤 Ομιλίες • 🎭 Drag • 😂 Stand-up • 🎧 DJ sets • 🎨 Εικαστικά
📍Πολιτιστικό Κέντρο Ελευσίνας | ⏰ Από 18:30
👉 Η Emantes θα συμμετέχει με το "Journey Mapping: A Participatory Action Workshop" – ένα διαδραστικό εργαστήριο 3 σταδίων που αναδεικνύει τις κοινές εμπειρίες της ΛΟΑΤΚΙΑ+ ζωής και μας ενδυναμώνει να διαμορφώσουμε συλλογικές λύσεις:
🔹 Μέσα από βιωματικές ασκήσεις:
1️⃣ Χαρτογραφούμε τις εμπειρίες μας.
2️⃣ Δημιουργούμε συλλογικά εργαλεία για να εντοπίσουμε τις βασικές προκλήσεις.
3️⃣ Προτείνουμε λύσεις, τομείς συνηγορίας και δράσης.
✨ Ένα εργαστήριο σύνδεσης, κατανόησης και ενδυνάμωσης — γιατί η γνώση γεννιέται μέσα από τις εμπειρίες μας.
🔥 Ελάτε να συναντηθούμε, να μοιραστούμε, να γιορτάσουμε.💥
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
🌈✨ REMINDER! This week is full of events and we’ll be there for all of it! ✨🌈
On Saturday, Emantes will be everywhere — literally!
We’ll be part of two amazing events, while also being present all three days at a vibrant space full of art and visibility! 💜
🟣 September 12–14 | Con @ Hellenic American Union
🎨 3 days of LGBTQIA+ art, pop culture, drag, cinema & more
📍Massalias 22, Athens | 🎟️ Free entrance
👉 Emantes will be there all 3 days with an info booth!
#queercon2025
💜 September 13 | LGBTQIA+ Elefsina
The LGBTQIA+ community of Thriasio is HERE and PROUD!
🎤 Talks • 🎭 Drag • 😂 Stand-up • 🎧 DJ sets • 🎨 Visual Arts
📍Cultural Center of Elefsina | ⏰ From 18:30
👉 Emantes will be there too, presenting "Journey Mapping: A Participatory Action Workshop" — an interactive 3-stage workshop that highlights shared LGBTQIA+ experiences and empowers us to co-create collective solutions:
🔹 Through experiential exercises:
1️⃣ We map our lived experiences.
2️⃣ We collaboratively create tools to identify key challenges.
3️⃣ We propose solutions, areas for advocacy, and action points.
✨ A workshop for connection, understanding, and empowerment.
🔥 Come join us — to connect, share, and celebrate.💥
#queerelefsina #queerevents #cultterra #lgbtqia #SafeSpaces #QueerVisibility #queercommunity #thriasio #elefsina #queerart #dragshow #queerculture #loveislove #queeringreece #emantes #RefugeesWelcome
(scroll down for English)
Σήμερα, 05/09 – Get Busy στο Plex | Από τις 20:00
🏳️🌈 Με μεγάλη χαρά συμμετέχουμε στο Get Busy – μια γιορτή που αναγνωρίζει τις ρίζες της clubbing σκηνής και τιμά τις κοινότητες που της έδωσαν πνοή.
Το clubbing γεννήθηκε ως καταφύγιο. Στα υπόγεια του Harlem, μαύρα και Λατινοαμερικάνικα queer σώματα – πολλές φορές αποκλεισμένα από την κοινωνία – δημιούργησαν τον δικό τους χώρο: ασφαλή, ζωντανό, υπερήφανο. Εκεί γεννήθηκε το voguing, εκεί γεννήθηκε η club σκηνή όπως τη γνωρίζουμε σήμερα.
Το Get Busy συνεχίζει αυτή την παράδοση, δημιουργώντας έναν χώρο όπου χωρούν όλοι: queer ταυτότητες, άνθρωποι από άλλες χώρες, γλώσσες, εμπειρίες. Ένας χώρος χωρίς σύνορα – με ρυθμό, σώμα και παρουσία.
💫 Ελάτε κι εσείς.
Με τον χορό, τη μουσική και την παρουσία μας, μπορούμε να χτίζουμε χώρους που μας εμπεριέχουν.
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Tonight, 05/09 – Get Busy at Plex | From 20:00
🏳️🌈 We're excited to be part of Get Busy – a celebration that honors the roots of the clubbing scene and the communities that gave it life.
Clubbing was born as a refuge. In the basements of Harlem, Black and Latinx queer bodies – often excluded from society – created their own space: safe, vibrant, proud.
This is where voguing was born. This is where the club scene as we know it began.
Get Busy continues that tradition, creating a space where everyone fits: queer identities, people from different countries, languages, and life experiences.
A space without borders – built through rhythm, movement, and presence.
💫 Come join us.
Through dance, music, and showing up, we can build spaces that truly hold us.
#emantes #getbusy #athensnightlife #septemberinathens #partiesathens #lgbtqia #RefugeesWelcome #queerevents #SafeSpaces
(scroll down for English)
🎉 Ο Σεπτέμβρης ξεκινά και οι Emantes…ΚΑΤΑΠΙΑΝΟΝΤΑΙ (x3)! 🎉
Ρυθμός, τέχνη και ορατότητα — αυτός ο μήνας μας βρίσκει σε τρεις ξεχωριστές δράσεις σε Αθήνα και Ελευσίνα.
🌍 5 Σεπτεμβρίου | GET BUSY PARTY @ PLEX Athens
Ένα queer-friendly πάρτι με παγκόσμιους club ρυθμούς από Αφρική, Καραϊβική & Λατινική Αμερική! 💃🏽🪩
🕗 Οι Emantes θα είναι εκεί με τραπεζάκι 20:00–00:00!
🎶 Afrobeats • Amapiano • Reggaeton • Baile Funk
💸 Είσοδος: €5 | 📍Κεραμεικού 28 | ⏰ 20:00–03:00
#GetBusyAthens
🌈 12–14 Σεπτεμβρίου | Queer Con @ Ελληνοαμερικανική Ένωση
3 μέρες με queer τέχνη, ποπ κουλτούρα, drag, προβολές & πολλά άλλα!
🎨 Οι Emantes θα είναι εκεί κάθε μέρα με τραπεζάκι και πολλή χαρά!
🎟️ Είσοδος ελεύθερη | 📍Μασσαλίας 22, Αθήνα
#queercon2025
💜 13 Σεπτεμβρίου | Queer Ελευσίνα
Η ΛΟΑΤΚΙΑ+ κοινότητα του Θριασίου είναι ΕΔΩ και ΠΕΡΗΦΑΝΗ!
🎤 Συζητήσεις • 🎭 Drag • 😂 Stand-up • 🎧 DJ sets • 🎨 Εικαστικά
📍Πολιτιστικό Κέντρο, Ελευσίνα | ⏰ Από 18:30
#queerelefsina
🔥 Ας κάνουμε αυτόν τον Σεπτέμβρη αξέχαστο. Έλα να χορέψουμε, να συνδεθούμε, και να γιορτάσουμε μαζί! Φωνές που ακούγονται, ταυτότητες που γιορτάζονται, κοινότητες που χτίζουν νέες δυνατότητες.
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🎉 September kicks off and Emantes are… GETTING BUSY x3! 🎉
Rhythm, art and visibility — this month finds us active in three unique events across Athens and Elefsina.
🌍 Sept 5 | GET BUSY PARTY @ PLEX Athens
A queer-friendly party with global club vibes from Africa, the Caribbean & Latin America! 💃🏽🪩
🕗 Emantes info booth 8–12, spreading love, inclusion & empowerment for LGBTQIA+ refugees.
🎶 Afrobeats • Amapiano • Reggaeton • Baile Funk
💸 €5 | 📍Kerameikou 28 | ⏰ 20:00–03:00
#GetBusyAthens
🌈 Sept 12–14 | Queer Con @ Ελληνοαμερικανική Ένωση
3 days of queer art, pop culture, drag, cinema & more!
🎨 Emantes will be there every day with a booth + all the queer joy
🎟️ Free entrance | 📍Massalias 22, Athens
#QueerCon2025
💜 Sept 13 | Queer Elefsina
The LGBTQIA+ community of Thriasio is HERE and PROUD!
🎤 Talks • 🎭 Drag • 😂 Stand-up • 🎧 DJ sets • 🎨 Visual Arts
📍Cultural Center, Elefsina | ⏰ From 18:30
#queerelefsina
🔥 Let’s make this September unforgettable. Come dance, connect, and celebrate with us! Voices that are heard, identities that are celebrated, communities creating new possibilities.
#emantes #getbusy #athensnightlife #septemberinathens #partiesathens #lgbtqia #RefugeesWelcome #queerevents #queercon2025 #SafeSpaces #queerelefsina #queerevent #cultterra #QueerVisibility #queercommunity #thriasio #elefsina #queerart #dragshow #queerculture #loveislove #queeringreece
🌈 From February to June: A Look at What We've Been Up To! 🎬🎨⚖📸
Here’s a glimpse of the work we've been doing over the past few months to support and uplift members of the LGBTQIA+ refugee community:
🧑🤝🧑 39 participants joined us across a range of community-centered activities designed to create safe, creative, and informative spaces.
🎥 5 Movie Nights
These evenings were more than just film screenings—they offered a space for LGBTQIA+ refugees to connect, unwind, and feel a sense of community in a relaxed, welcoming environment.
🎨 Art Therapy Workshop
Led by Κάκια Καλαντζίδου, this playful and reflective workshop used art and creativity to help participants express themselves and explore personal stories—no artistic experience required, just openness and curiosity.
⚖️ Legal Workshop with @Effie Doussi (Emantes' Lawyer)
For those waiting for their asylum interviews, this session provided essential legal guidance and clarity. It was a vital space for questions, learning, and support.
📷 Photography Workshop Series (5 sessions) with Anicet Chamberlain
This in-depth series introduced participants to photography as a powerful tool for storytelling. From technical skills to exploring LGBTQIA+ visual narratives, the workshops supported participants in developing their own photo-stories rooted in personal and collective experience.
✨ Every activity was designed with intention—to offer information, build community, and create opportunities for self-expression and solidarity.
Thank you for supporting our work. Your engagement helps us continue building safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQIA+ refugees.
Stay connected—more events and updates are coming soon! 💜
Funder: European Commission through the Erasmus+ Our Story Fundació Catalunya Voluntària
#lgbtqia #Refugees #communitysupport #arttherapy #photographyworkshop #LegalSupport #movies #SafeSpaces #Athens #emantes
🌈 Our Story is taking shape ✨
Since early 2024, we’ve dreamed of creating a space where LGBTQIA+ youth and youth workers can be seen, heard, and connected.
That dream came alive in November 2024 in Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona) and again in August 2025 in Prague, where 26 queer youth workers and activists from Greece, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Italy, and Spain met for training in storytelling.
In Barcelona, the EMANTES team shared:
🎤 Storytelling as a persuasive method
🗺 Journey mapping combined with autoethnography — using personal life paths and lived experience to reflect, understand, and document one’s own LGBTQIA+ story
📷 LGBTQIA+ International Photography as a visual storytelling medium
In Prague, EMANTES presented the methodology behind the Majalediko zine and brought the community together for live readings from Majalediko and The Drag Queen That Saved Christmas, a children’s book written by our own @Constantinos Maragos.
Through poetry, drawing, zine-making, and photography, participants shared stories they had never told before — of first love, coming out, rejection, and support. The response was powerful. Communities listened. People recognised themselves in those words and images. And they wanted to share their own.
💬 This is how Our Story — a two-year Erasmus+ project co-funded by the European Union — began.
Our partners bring unique strengths:
🇬🇷 EMANTES – supporting LGBTQIA+ refugees and asylum seekers
🇸🇰 SAPLINQ – community organising and storytelling
🇨🇿 PRAGUE PRIDE – empowering queer youth through education and peer support
🇮🇹 OSSERVATORIO DI GENERE – gender research and inclusive education
🇪🇸 FUNDACIÓ CATALUNYA VOLUNTÀRIA – coordinating the partnership and fostering learning through volunteering & storytelling
We’re not just creating a website.
We’re building a collective body of memory, resilience, and pride — a platform where stories take many forms: text, audio, images, video, zines, poems, letters.
Because queer lives deserve more than fleeting fragments.
📢 Your story matters. Our story matters.
#ourstoryproject #ErasmusPlus #lgbtqia #storytelling #QueerVoices #youthwork
Today we celebrate the birth of Anna Ivankova — and affirm the struggle, beauty, and power of trans lives everywhere.
Anna — known to many as Ebony Goddess — was a Cuban trans woman of color, an asylum seeker in Greece, and a fierce presence who refused to be invisible. She carried the music of samba in her body, the pride of her identity in every step, and the warmth of community in everything she did.
When she arrived in Greece in 2018, she didn’t just look for safety — she created it for others. She built bridges, stood in solidarity, and showed that our communities survive because of the care, creativity, and leadership of people like her. She was preparing to join Emantes’ Board as an honorary member, ready to keep shaping the world for the better.
Anna’s life was stolen from us, but her story is not only about loss — it is about resistance, joy, and the power of living openly in a world that tries to silence you. Her laughter, her courage, and her light are part of the collective memory and fight of trans people, asylum seekers/migrants, and all who dream of justice.
We refuse to let violence define her. We choose to honor her life, her contributions, and the unstoppable spirit she brought into our movement.
We honor you, Anna — today and always.
You are with us in every march, in every samba beat, in every act of solidarity.
Your rhythm is resistance. Your legacy is revolution.
Today we celebrate the birth of Anna Ivankova — and affirm the struggle, beauty, and power of trans lives everywhere.
Anna — known to many as Ebony Goddess — was a Cuban trans woman of color, an asylum seeker in Greece, and a fierce presence who refused to be invisible. She carried the music of samba in her body, the pride of her identity in every step, and the warmth of community in everything she did.
When she arrived in Greece in 2018, she didn’t just look for safety — she created it for others. She built bridges, stood in solidarity, and showed that our communities survive because of the care, creativity, and leadership of people like her. She was preparing to join Emantes’ Board as an honorary member, ready to keep shaping the world for the better.
Anna’s life was stolen from us, but her story is not only about loss — it is about resistance, joy, and the power of living openly in a world that tries to silence you. Her laughter, her courage, and her light are part of the collective memory and fight of trans people, asylum seekers/migrants, and all who dream of justice.
We refuse to let violence define her. We choose to honor her life, her contributions, and the unstoppable spirit she brought into our movement.
We honor you, Anna — today and always.
You are with us in every march, in every samba beat, in every act of solidarity.
Your rhythm is resistance. Your legacy is revolution.
“Access Means Survival – LGBTQIA+ Refugees Belong at Pride” 🏳️🌈
Hello Thessaloniki Pride!!
Pride is not just a celebration. It started as a protest—for justice, safety, and rights.
Today, not all LGBTQIA+ people are safe or free. Refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented people still face danger and fear.
At Emantes, we support LGBTQIA+ people who had to leave their countries. Many of us ran from violence, jail, hate and other dangers—just because of who we are or who we love.
But even in new countries, life is hard. We often have no home, no healthcare, and face racism and transphobia—even in LGBTQIA+ spaces.
That is why access is important. Refugees must be seen at Pride—not as guests, but as part of the community.
Pride should be for everyone, not just for those already free. When refugees join Pride as leaders and equals, we all grow stronger.
Let’s ask: Who is missing? And how can we make space?
LGBTQIA+ refugees belong here.
Our voices matter. Our lives matter.
And our presence here today makes this movement stronger, deeper, and more honest.
Thank you!
We're Emantes An international socia
cooperative supporting LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and refugees
Eleni Hadjigeorgiou
Manager
Eleni Hadjigeorgiou has been Emantes’ volunteer strategic planner, fundraiser, researcher, and nutrition consultant since 2020. In the role of manager, Eleni is responsible for the project’s communications, smooth operation of the services provision, design of participatory action community meetings, management of staff, trainees and their skill development, and reporting to funders.
Sophia Zachariadi
Support Line Manager
Sophia Zachariadi is the connecting link between potential beneficiaries and services, running the “Emantes' Support Line” since its beginning in 2018, offering first line psychosocial support, conducting face to face interviews, and creating documentation intakes with beneficiaries along the legal team to efficiently identify and record individual, subgroup and community needs.
Lia Zachariadi
Project Coordinator
Lia Zachariadi oversees volunteers’ and services coordination, designing interventions/projects and services tailored to the needs of subgroups of users, and coordinating collaborative initiatives with organisations and individuals inside and outside refugee community, helping to achieve the goals of Emantes. Lia also doubles in Emantes as a community facilitator, since 2018.
Yuli
Role: Organizer
Yuli organizes events and campaigns to support LGBTQIA+ solidarity. They enjoy motorbiking and art.
Ermis
Role: Coordinator
Ermis coordinates events and programs for LGBTQIA+ youth. He enjoys cycling and photography.
Nana
Role: Educator
Nana educates communities on LGBTQIA+ rights and equality. She enjoys playing chess and baking.
Anicet
Role: Activist
Anicet works passionately to promote inclusivity and equity within the LGBTQIA+ community. They enjoy reading and traveling.
Adrian
Role: Volunteer
Adrian is a dedicated volunteer contributing to international LGBTQIA+ solidarity. They enjoy painting and hiking in their free time.