Profiles

“The day I decided to leave Jamaica was one of the happiest of my life. Leaving my mother behind was incredibly difficult, but she supported me through thick and thin, and blessed my decision to go. I simply could no longer stay in Jamaica. It was not...

Rainbow Railroad is dedicated to providing safety and support to at-risk LGBTQI+ individuals globally through five programs, in addition to emergency travel assistance. One of these programs is Partnership Development, through which Rainbow Railroad...

In addition to providing emergency travel support to individuals fleeing persecution, Rainbow Railroad provides safety to LGBTQI+ people worldwide with five additional programs. Through Partnership Development, Rainbow Railroad offers direct capacity...

Thirty years ago, I escaped the war in Bosnia and started a new life, first in the US then in Canada. Now, I’m in a position to help.  Almost 30 years ago, a group of compassionate people came together to help me escape the war in...

Settling into life in Toronto, Umar reflects on the challenges he continues to face, while looking forward to the future he imagines for himself. “We, as Black queer people, we have to keep pushing for the world to know our stories.” Growing...

Longjones is a volunteer for Rainbow Railroad’s Communities of Care program. Based in Boston, he is part of a Private Sponsorship Group (PSG) with four other community members who are welcoming an LGBTQI+ newcomer through Welcome Corps. Below, he...

Born in Sudan, Khalid relocated to Malaysia in 2022 before reaching out to Rainbow Railroad and eventually resettling in Canada in September 2023. Below, he shares his reflections on his journey seeking safety over the past...

In addition to providing emergency travel support to individuals fleeing persecution, Rainbow Railroad operates five programs, including Partnership Development. Through this program, we work closely with human rights defenders and grassroots organizations...

On October 26, 1996, intersex activists from around the world gathered in Boston, Massachusetts, outside the annual American Academy of Pediatrics conference for the first public demonstration by intersex people in North America. Since then, this day...

Trans Awareness Week November 13-19 We observe Transgender Awareness Week at Rainbow Railroad to promote greater acceptance, visibility, inclusivity, and social change for the transgender community. In order to understand and address the challenges...

As an organization that’s committed to supporting at-risk LGBTQI+ people around the world, primarily through relocation and resettlement to safer countries, Rainbow Railroad also advocates with governments to do more to protect LGBTQI+ rights.  And...

March 8 is International Women’s Day – an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women and imagine a world free from gender-based discrimination and violence. This world can be difficult to imagine, particularly for women who are marginalized in...