CAŌBA VIDEO ARCHIVES IS our documentation of extraordinary same gender loving people of color. Entering our 4th successful year of the Video Archives, 10-14 individuals tell their stories each year, creating 5+minute stand-alone interviews - as well as an annual compilation documentary of all – creating a window into personalities, hopes, dreams, fears, health, love and more.

The CAŌBA VIDEO ARCHIVES Documentary is shown annually at various festivals and community programs, including the OUTshine Film Festival, World AIDS Museum, MyHollywood Pride, and more.

CAŌBA CONVERSATIONS, hosted by Kishi Chad.

CAŌBA CONVERSATIONS are one on one in depth conversations with queer POC, speaking their truths, and will be presented quarterly on various social media platforms as well as on our website.

CAŌBA ES Un programa de Empoderamiento, Liderazgo e Incubador Social, con oradores inspiradores, temas y espacio seguro para PERSONAs de color Y amantes del mismo sexo, y los que los aman, presentando variados y entretenidos programas y servicios para LA comunidad. CAŌBA se Esfuerza por generar camaradería, confianza, orgullo, lazos sociales, Amigos y líderes del mañana, hoy.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW the CAŌBA Archives - our Video Documentation of extraordinary same gender loving men of color.

This project is generously sponsored by

JOHN O BUCKLEY

CAŌBA MEN P rogram Director and UC|CU Vice President | he, him, his

A Native of Florida, John was born in Vero Beach to parents who came to the U.S. from Honduras in the 1970s.

An only child from a large extended family, he is currently a Client Advisor at RIMOVA in Miami's Design District and Bal Harbour Shops, and has been in retail over 15 years. Buckley also has over 8 years of Banking Experience.

John believes in giving his time and efforts to build a strong resource for our LGBTQI+ Community that will leave a lasting footprint in history.

KISHI CHAD MARTIN

CAŌBA MEN Program Manager
he, him, his

Kishi was born in Brooklyn, New York to immigrants from Jamaica and the United Kingdom. Growing up in Fort Lauderdale, he devoted his early years to dance, student council, cultural events, and sickle cell disease awareness.

During college, he began to volunteer with and support several LGBTQ+ organizations in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. These opportunities grew to nine years of community outreach for sexual health and mental wellness.

Some of his long term goals include counseling for substance use and trauma as well as more rights and visibility for queer individuals of Caribbean backgrounds.

MELBA DE LEON

CAŌBA WOMEN Program Director
and UC|CU Board Member
she, her, hers

Melba has been a Miami resident for over 15 years, either serving as a superstar volunteer, or on the planning committee for multiple pride festivals, community social events, agency galas, and fundraising events. Melba has been closely associated with organizations such as Unity Coalition|Coalicion Unida, Pridelines, Aqua Foundation, SAVE Dade, the LGBT Task Force, Equality FL, and more. Donating her time and helping others is what drives Melba to consistently be involved in such a major way. No matter what the event is, you can count on Melba to be there to help in any capacity. Even when Melba is in attendance as a guest, she is always ready to jump in and support those around her. Whether its supplying attendees with a cool drink of water, chauffering celebrity guests, directing traffic or serving food at a community dinner, Melba is always one of the first people to volunteer her time. Whenever you see her she's always on the go, and you know its always to help someone else. She has remained pleasantly humble over the years, and for that, we are truly honored to have her support in the community.

CAŌBA MEANS MAHOGANY IN SPANISH, AND MUCH LIKE THE MIGHTY TREE, CAŌBA PROVIDES THE STRENGTH, STABILITY AND PRESENCE TO EXIST, THRIVE AND
REACH FOR THE STARS

77.3% Of Black LGBTQ Southerners Have Been Attacked Because Of Their Sexual Orientations.

We have failed many of our young men of color by not teaching them the things they need to know in order to grow into proud men, leaders, partners and more. Furthermore, the alienation of same gender loving men of color due to religion, false perceptions and ideas of masculinity and virility, and the complete void of openly expressive and visible same gender loving men of color in our society, pushes this divide to a breaking point. What is left is Men of Color who love men – and feel there is no place for them.

CAŌBA Informs and Enlightens Same Gender Loving Men of Color on Issues of Health, Wellness and Prevention, across South Florida, and helps to unite and heal all communities of color from trauma, stigma and discrimination.

CAŌBA believes in the importance of sharing MOC’s stories with diverse audiences and knows Men of Color are capable of greatness beyond our wildest imaginations & will strive to reset stereotypes to achieve this.

CAŌBA inspires, celebrates, and empowers our Same Gender Loving Men of Color, andsupports them in becoming confident, intelligent, strong, capable.

Why do we need CAŌBA?

-        There are 42.8 HIV infections for every 100,000 residents in Miami-Dade and have continued to increase every year since 2012. New cases last year totaled 6,240, the highest since 2002.

-        Stigma and lack of awareness often stop young people, Latinx/Hispanic & POC from getting tested for sexually transmitted infections.

-        Access to accurate information and resources, language & cultural barriers, along with healthcare and prevention, is often confusing and embarrassing.

¿Por qué hace falta CAŌBA?

- Hay 42.8 infecciones por VIH por cada 100,000 residentes en Miami-Dade y han seguido aumentando cada año desde 2012. Los casos nuevos el año pasado sumaron 6.240, el más alto desde 2002.

- El estigma y la falta de conciencia a menudo impiden que los jóvenes latinx/hispanx y gente de color, se hagan la prueba de infecciones de transmisión sexual.

- El acceso a información y recursos precisos, barreras lingüísticas y culturales, junto con la atención médica y la prevención, a menudo es confuso e incomprendido para alguien que no está familiarizado con su nueva comunidad.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW the CAŌBA Archives - our Video Documentation of extraordinary same gender loving men of color.

This project is generously sponsored by

Hemos fallado a muchos de nuestros jóvenes al no enseñarles las cosas que necesitan saber para convertirse en hombreso rgullosos, líderes, socios y más.

Además, la alienación de los Hombres de Color LGBT debido a la religión, las percepciones falsas y las ideas de masculinidad y virilidad, y el vacío completo de los Hombres de Color LGBT abiertamente expresivos y visibles en nuestra sociedad, lleva a esta división a un punto de ruptura. Lo que queda son los Hombres de Color que aman a los hombres, y sienten que no hay lugar para ellos.

CLICK HERE for an interview with JOHN BUCKLEY
in shoutoutmiami.com

CAOBA’S BLACK, GAY & PROUD EVENT CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF LGBT & CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE & MLK, Jr. CONFIDANT, BAYARD RUSTIN

Miami, Florida… As Martin Luther King, Jr. travelled the country and the world in the name of Civil Rights & Equality, he relied heavily on his confidant, speech writer and gay friend, BAYARD RUSTIN.

On Saturday, January 22, 2022, Unity Coalition|Coalición Unida’s (UC|CU) CAŌBA Program honors the life and spirit of Mr Rustin, with a day long celebration of Arts, Culture, Social Activism & Film at Miami’s Sandrell Rivers Theater at 6103 NW 7th Avenue, Miami, FL, 33127.

“We are thrilled to present this amazing mans life, and continue his legacy thru our own experiences, community and pride” said CAŌBA director & UC|CU vice president John Buckley.

Registration is FREE, and runs 10am-4pm, with programming to include:

-       CAŌBA Archives VIDEO PRESENTATION
-       Virtual Q&A with WALTER NAEGLE | Bayard Rustin’s life partner & founder of the Rustin Center. Video presentation | Bayard & Me
  -       Social ACTIVISM 2022 | Panel Discussion on what Life, Politics & Visibility, mean today With Terry Dyer, Anthony Winn, Justin Jones, and Donald Gunder
  -       RealSEX Workshop | How Sex, social media & stigma play into our Love life & Healthcare -With LaMar McMullen, Rikk York, Elimination Onyx, Kishi Chad, and Ederick Johnson.
-       Music Performances by Terry Dyer, Joel Buckley, Torow, and Tae Henry.

ALL DAY | Community Village, including: Sponsor tables (Clear Health, Jenssen, CareResource), Artist A.D. the Creator, & light snacks |Cash Bar CAŌBA Archives video Pop-Up Studio – Record your history, in your own words!
Onsite confidential Health Screenings/Testing by Care Resource

A second screening of our 2021 CAŌBA Archives VIDEO PRESENTATION will be shown at the inaugural HOLLYWOOD PRIDE Festival, 7pm at Cinema Paradiso, by OUTshine Film Festival.

Proof of COVID Vaccination and/or a negative test (within the last 24 hrs) and temp check are required for entrance. A FACE MASK is required to be worn at all times within the building.                                                        www.unitycoalition.org

GALLERY

CLICK HERE VIDEO ARCHIVES

EVERY PENNY.

Our work is 100% funded by events, private donations, private,
corporate and government grants, and we are 100%
staffed and managed by professional volunteers.

Everything that comes in, goes right back out for Programming,
Community Building, Leading & Assisting our LGBTQ community.

GIVE WITH CONFIDENCE... UC|CU has been awarded the
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Our Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S Number is 078399525.