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Ian McKnight

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Ian McKnight is an HIV/AIDS activist from Jamaica.

Education

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McKnight attended the University of the West Indies where he attained a Bachelor in Theology and a master's in communication for social and behaviour. McKnight also holds a master's in human resource management from Nova Southeastern University.[1]

Career

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In 1991, Ian McKnight and several friends co-founded Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL), the first and largest AIDS service organization in Jamaica.[2][3][4][5] Over the next 20 years,[6] McKnight held several positions at JASL, including Executive Director. In 2010, he praised the US government for ending its travel ban on people living with HIV/AIDS.[7] In 2011, he called on the Jamaican government to increase funding for housing programs for gay men living with HIV.[8][9]

From 2006-2013, he also worked at the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC),[10] a coalition of community organizations that does HIV advocacy work for marginalized populations in the Caribbean.[11] In 2011, he spoke against David Cameron's threat to cut funding for HIV/AIDS services if Jamaica did not repeal its anti-gay laws.[12] While serving as Executive Director of CVC, he spoke at the closing session[13][14] of the 2012 International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC.[15] McKnight critiqued the conference for "tokenism" and "half-baked" attempts to include sex workers and drug users at the conference.[16] He also warned against potential HIV/AIDS funding cuts to the Caribbean and called for governments "to make the investment necessary [...] to end AIDS".[15]

For several years, he served as Chief of Party for USAID COMET II, a community development program. Under his leadership, COMET II invested in local projects such as a community journalism training program[17] and a business training for a group of young artists.[18]

As of 2024, he is the Director of Programs and Services at the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation (PWA).[19]

LGBTQ Activism

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McKnight has spoken about the dangers facing the LGBTQ community in Jamaica and the Caribbean.[9][20][21] He has stated: "Jamaican LGBT individuals have to be constantly careful of how they live and how they manifest their sexuality."[21] In 2003, he contributed to a report about discrimination against the LGBTQ community in Jamaica.[22] He has spoken about how homophobic laws and stigma hinder HIV/AIDS service provision in Jamaica.[23][24] In 2012, McKnight participated in a legal case against Jamaica for its laws prohibiting gay sex.[25]

Producer Work

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McKnight has also been the Producer and Executive Producer of a number of documentaries on issues of social justice and human rights for marginalised communities in the Caribbean. These include "The Cost of Hate: How Homophobia Fuels HIV" (2011),[26] "My Body My Business" (2010), "Complex Problems: Simple Solutions" (2007), "Take a Stand: Jamaican Civil Society organises for Health" (2009),[citation needed] and "A Right to be: Sex Worker access to health care in the Caribbean" (2009).[27]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ "Documents from Intimate Conviction". University of Florida Digital Collections. 12 October 2017. Archived from the original on 31 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Who We Are". JASL. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  3. ^ "The Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) Case Study – PANCAP". pancap.org. January 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Looking back, looking forward | JASL providing more than 25 years of 'love, action and support'". The Gleaner. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Resilient at 30: AIDS Support launches year-long celebration". The Gleaner. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  6. ^ Dawes, Kwame (26 April 2008). "Secrets, Taboos and Private Lives in Jamaica". Pulitzer Center. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  7. ^ "People living with HIV claim travel rights". The Gleaner. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Jamaica: help HIV homeless". Star Observer. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b "New Kingston gay and HIV homeless need help — HIV activists" (PDF). Jamaica Observer. 15 August 2011. Archived from the original on 21 August 2013.
  10. ^ "Directors". CVC Coalition. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Who We Are". CVC Coalition. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Britain warned of serious backlash over "anti-gay" threat". Caribbean 360. 31 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Closing Session" (PDF). Kaiser Family Foundation. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  14. ^ "2012_24 | Face of AIDS Film Archive". faceofaids.ki.se. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Caribbean Sees Progress on HIV/AIDS, Fears Funding Cuts - World | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 31 July 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Ian McKnight wants end to "half-baked" attempts to end HIV epidemic". Radio Jamaica News. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  17. ^ Lewis, Emma (24 October 2017). "Training Citizen Investigative Journalists in Jamaica". Global Investigative Journalism Network. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Mighty Gully now ready for the world". The Gleaner. 2 November 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  19. ^ Lawrence, Canute (8 February 2024). "Caribbean immigrants find refuge and solace at PWA Foundation". The Caribbean Camera. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Out of time". The Guardian. 24 August 2001. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  21. ^ a b "Gay Men and HIV/AIDS Around the World". TheBody. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  22. ^ Hron, Anthony (24 May 2003). "Report On Persecution of Sexual Minorities in Jamaica". Scribd. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  23. ^ Watson, Patricia (12 May 2002). "Groping in the dark - HIV intervention among the MSM community in Jamaica". The Gleaner. Archived from the original on 31 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  24. ^ Dayle, Philip (1 December 2010). "HIV fears put repeal of homophobic laws on the table for Caribbean nations". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  25. ^ Roberts, Scott (26 October 2012). "Jamaica faces legal action over anti-gay laws". PinkNews. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  26. ^ The cost of Hate...How Homophobia Fuels HIV. Retrieved 31 May 2024 – via vimeo.com.
  27. ^ CVC COIN (27 March 2014). A RIGHT TO BE: Sex Worker Access to Health Care in the Caribbean (Part 2/2). Retrieved 31 May 2024 – via YouTube.
  28. ^ "Gleaner Co. Annual Report '04" (PDF). 2 May 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 May 2024.
  29. ^ "Ian McKnight: Born to Serve". Kingston Gleaner. 3 January 2005.
  30. ^ "Human rights activist Flo O'Connor among recipients of UTech's 'Unsung Heroes' award - Jamaica Observer". Jamaica Observer. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
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