LGBTQ+ activist Xoe Sazzle has had another dream come to fruition after she found herself among those who make up the 5.4 per cent acceptance rate of Columbia University in New York. She said she is elated to soon attend the Columbia School of General Studies in the next academic year to do a bachelor of arts degree.
The former community liaison officer for the TT Transgender Coalition, activist and musical performer said she looks forward to empowering herself with more education to further contribute to TT.
"It feels so surreal. There are a few moments in life where one feels like their life will change from this point onward. This is one of those."
Sazzle, a transgender woman, said she sees this as a confirmation from God that she is on the right path, though this degree was not part of her plan for the next steps.
Someone who thought she would be a great candidate shared the call for applicants with her. This happened at a point when Sazzle said she felt great satisfaction and peace with her life – but went ahead to apply anyway.
"I thought I really had nothing to lose by applying."
Asked what she hopes to achieve after completing her further education, she said she looks forward to being equipped with additional knowledge as she contributes to spreading awareness and making a positive impact on contemporary queer Caribbean culture.
Sazzle defined that as the living expression of the people and intends to contribute to expanding a space where people who identify as LGBTQ+ across the region can be open about who they are without compromising their safety.
"What I'm referencing is a time where we will come to a place of living openly and outside the lens of being social anomalies. Right now we have a rich community of queer people across the Caribbean."
Sazzle recalled being inspired by openly queer people in the entertainment industry such as Jamaican actor and comedian Keith "Shebada" Ramsay, whose plays gained a large following in Jamaica and across the region in the early 2000s.
"When I was in high school, Shebada had plays that were celebrated."
She said while the characters Ramsay played may have seemed like caricatures of people from the community, there was a sense of belonging and respect from people in the space being portrayed through theatre.
"Since then I have seen so many queer people influencing contemporary Caribbean culture. I think it's just about queer people acknowledging our own culture here in the Caribbean and owning it."
Since leaving high school, Sazzle has witnessed growth in queer representation across the region, particularly in TT – an evolution she said is evident across digital media platforms.
"People are tapping more into their authenticity and many people use social media as an outlet for this."
She said social media as an outlet allows others to see beyond stereotypes and creates a space for a ripple effect of inspiration for people who may be afraid to live the life that feels most authentic for them.
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