Rotterdam Pride: Table of Belonging
Panel discussion and dinner
What does it mean to belong somewhere when your identity, family history or migration background does not fit neatly into a single box?
Panel discussion
The evening begins with a personal reading by writer, journalist and documentary maker Pete Wu. Afterwards, co-curator Alex Huang joins Jamel Buhari, Naomie Pieter and Alejandra Ortiz for a conversation moderated by writer and moderator Sharvin Ramjan. Together, they discuss migration, identity, family and community, and what it means to find a home or create one for yourself.
Dinner and conversations around the table
After the panel, sit down to a buffet dinner by The Migrant Kitchen, founded by chef Rita Baldé. The menu features Cafriela de Frango (chicken) or vegan Jamaican curry, served with basmati rice, green bean salad and cornbread.
During dinner, various queer and community organisations, including Asian Pride and Stichting Queer Museum, will also join the World Café tables. Talk in small groups, ask questions, share experiences or simply listen to others.
Queer stories at Fenix
Before Table of Belonging, discover artworks and photographs at Fenix that tell queer stories about migration.
In All Directions, you can see the red talisman Alex Huang received from his grandmother before moving from Taiwan to the Netherlands. Alex began making plans to leave Taiwan as a teenager. When he realised he was gay, his desire grew to live somewhere he could express himself more freely. His grandmother gave him the talisman to bring him good luck. It reminds Alex of her unconditional love.
The Binding Factor by Cuny Janssen, also on view in All Directions, portrays children from different families, including blended families and rainbow families. In the photography exhibition The Family of Migrants, you can see a portrait of Ashley by photographer Ada Trillo. Ashley is a trans woman from Honduras who plans to travel through Guatemala and Mexico to the United States because it is dangerous for her in her home country.
The Binding Factor (2018-2022), Cuny Janssen. Photo: Titia Hahne
Visit the exhibitions
Curious to see the artworks, photographs and personal objects at Fenix? Add an exhibition ticket when you buy your ticket for Table of Belonging.
About the participants
Alex Huang is a researcher at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Lead Researcher at Workplace Pride. His research focuses on migration, diversity and the position of queer migrants and queer people of colour. His collaboration with Fenix began when he loaned his personal talisman for All Directions. Together with Fenix, he co-curated Table of Belonging.
Pete Wu writes and makes documentaries about, among other things, his Chinese-Dutch identity, family, love and the right to be yourself. Jamel Buhari researches queer African migration. Writer and activist Alejandra Ortiz advocates for transgender and gender-diverse people. Naomie Pieter is a choreographer, activist and founder of, among others, Pon Di Pride and Black Pride NL. Sharvin Ramjan is a writer, presenter and moderator who leads the conversation during Table of Belonging.