Tokyo LGBTQ Party Raises Funds for Hurricane-Hit Jamaica

Gordon Higgins spent 17 years building a life in Japan, but his heart never left Jamaica. When Hurricane Melissa tore through his homeland last October with 295 kilometer per hour winds, killing 45 people and displacing over 1,000 families, he knew he had to act.

The storm barely made headlines in Japan. That silence frustrated Higgins, who worried about relatives and friends back home while recovery efforts struggled to gain momentum.

So he picked up the phone and called fellow Jamaican organizer Chloe Douglas with an idea: throw a party that celebrates Jamaican queer culture while raising money for hurricane relief. Douglas immediately understood the assignment.

"I felt it wasn't just important to share Jamaican culture with Japan, but to highlight the LGBTQIA+ communities affected by the hurricane," Douglas says. In a country where same-sex relationships remain illegal, queer Jamaicans face double jeopardy during disasters.

They named their event Wi Deh Yah, Jamaican Patois for "we are here." The phrase carries weight for queer Jamaicans, signaling both joy and resistance in a society shaped by colonial-era laws and conservative attitudes.

On March 1st, Contrast Tokyo near Yoyogi Park will transform into a slice of Caribbean paradise. Jamaican chefs from Patty Pan and Sweet Island Treats will serve traditional food, while drag performers and poets from the diaspora take the stage. A silent auction featuring local and international artists will raise funds for three charities supporting LGBTQ Jamaicans and rural women.

The Ripple Effect

The event does more than fill bellies and bank accounts. It challenges the invisibility that queer Jamaicans face both at home and abroad, proving that culture and identity can't be erased by laws or storms.

Every ticket sold supports Equality for All Foundation Jamaica, Connek JA, and United Way Jamaica. These groups work on the ground to rebuild lives in communities that often get overlooked during recovery efforts.

"We want to shed light on the fact that queer people are everywhere," Douglas says. While one fundraiser won't change Jamaica's laws overnight, it sends a message that queer Jamaicans aren't alone.

Higgins hopes attendees leave with full stomachs, new art, and sore feet from dancing. More importantly, he wants them to see how identity and heritage intersect in beautiful, complicated ways that deserve celebration and support.