To feel safe, and never alone. This is the primary mission of the Sofra organization that is dedicated to all Albanians who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
In an interview for Atlantiku, the founder of Sofra, and the well-known Albanian entrepreneur living in the United States of America, Rremida Shkoza, spoke about Sofra’s two-year successful journey since its establishment.
“As we approach our second anniversary, I am very pleased to share that Sofra has had an important impact in the LGBTQIA+ Albanian Diaspora. We have connected with members from all over Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, US and of course those in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and Greece.
Sofra has been able to bring the community together and be a safe space for members to finally feel seen and feel a sense of community. There’s a seat for everyone at the Table of inclusion, equality and acceptance.”
In addition to the monthly virtual meetings, which are not open to the public, Shkoza further adds that Sofra and its members over the past two years were involved in other very important activities.
“We have had the opportunity to be involved and collaborate in several events since Sofra was founded. Our first event was with The Albanian American Cultural Alliance @ DePaul University. The students were amazing and very eager to make space and inclusion for the group and how important Sofra was for the Diaspora.
I was a keynote speaker for the LGBTQIA Activism, Allyship and Action Discussion, the first in the US hosted by Albanian American Cohesion and sponsored and supported by Albanian American Women’s Organization Motra Qiriazi, Shoqni – Albanian American Women’s Club, OMSA, Albanian Student Leadership Association at CUNY, Harvard College Albanian Students Association, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, NYU Albanian Student Association.”
Participation in such events, but also the presence in some of the largest media in the country, has had a great help in increasing the number of new members in Sofra, adds Shkoza.
But what is one of the biggest challenges that the Albanian LGBTQIA + community still faces today?
“The biggest challenge that continues to surface is simply that LGBTQIA+ Albanian Diaspora members continue to feel the oppression of homophobia and transphobia. Simply, they do not feel coming out is safe even though they might have been born in western countries where LGBTQIA+ rights are protected by law. As an immigrant community we are not unique to these challenges, but we can be a shining example of inclusive human rights.
As Albanians we have grown immensely and continue to do so. However, we are still deficient in understanding the importance intersectionality between women’s rights, queer rights, education, racism, xenophobia and draconian patriarchy intoxicating and harming the community”- says Rremida Shkoza for Atlantiku.
Such difficulties motivate the founder to give Sofra the status of an NGO very soon. This status which would enable the establishment of strong links with various state agencies and beyond.
“My vision and my focus for Sofra in the very near future is to have a Non-Profit (NGO) status where we may start working closely with other Albanian Diaspora Organizations and government agencies to provide education and build a strong bridge with the community at large.
My biggest focus since day one is to grow the community organically and try to understand the community’s needs and wants. For the last 2 years I believe Sofra has also served as a symbol of visibility, acceptance and giving a voice to its members”-she says.
Mainly Sofra carries out its activity online. With its presence on online social networks such as Facebook and Instagram, this organization has close to 1 thousand members of the Albanian LGBTQIA + community.
Among Sofra’s biggest supporters are: Student Associations, Albanian Women’s organization and clubs in NY. Also partners from Albania and Kosovo: Open Mind Spectrum Albania (OMSA), LGBT Alliance, LGBTI United Tetovo, Center for Equality and Liberty (CEL) Kosovo.
“Sofra is a community that dares to dream and imagine a world where the true value of love transcends into a real, a more expansive and inclusive community for all. Our resilience is a symbol of hope, strength and of deep curiosity to build a bridge that all can walk on. The LGBTQIA+ community is the crossroads where gender equality, women’s health rights, domestic violence, poverty, racism and xenophobia meet. As a Diaspora we are building a strong foundation that will benefit other immigrant communities to grow as well” -ends Shkoza.
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