MEET NOMINEE 4 OF 6 IN THE UPCOMING HRD OF THE YEAR CATEGORY – BILLY HANI

Billy Hani is a queer artist and activist based in Kenya. They use writing and photography to explore African queerness, sexuality, gender identity and expression, bodies and mental health. Billy co-curates HeART Out Kenya, an art therapy initiative for feminists, LGBTIQ+ folks and activists. Billy’s feminism and activism are grounded on Queer Joy and Rest.

Billy started activism in 2018 through education on LGBTIQ+ issues on Social Media. They first volunteered as a Sexual Reproductive Health Rights advocate at Q-Initiative Eldoret, where they championed the rights of Sexual and Gender Minorities. Over the past five years, they have advocated for LGBTIQ+ rights online and physically in different local and national spaces aiming to improve understanding, acceptance and the upholding of LGBTIQ+ people’s rights in Kenya.

They have written extensively on the issues that Sexual and Gender Minorities go through and continue to document similar stories through writing and photography. As an activist, Billy believes that education and accurate information are necessary to realize LGBTIQ+ human rights. Billy’s articles can be found in FemInStyle Magazine, Minority Africa, Adventures From the Bedrooms of African Women and The Continent, among others. Currently, they are working on using art to promote mental wellness, especially among activists and feminists, through HeART Out Kenya, which they co-founded in 2021.