MX (pronounced Miks) Leo Williams (pronouns – they/them) is a non-binary communications practitioner, with a passion for human rights and arts & culture. Originally from East Kingston, Jamaica, MX Leo has been involved in communications advocacy for the past 5 years, with a foundation and background in print media journalism and arts management. They are a proud Wolmerian and also a recent graduate of the Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts with an Associate’s Degree in Arts Management & Humanities.
With a passion for human rights and centring the narratives of underrepresented groups (primarily LGBT folks) living in Jamaica, their work spans working with Jamaican LGBT organizations such as J-FLAG, Equality Youth Jamaica and TransWave Jamaica. MX committed 3 years and 10 months in varying roles at TransWave, starting as a Social Media Ambassador, then being promoted to Media and Communications Officer and subsequently as the Associate Director of Communications & Outreach from January 2019 to September 2021.
MX committed 3 years and 10 months in varying roles at TransWave, starting as a Social Media Ambassador, then being promoted to Media and Communications Officer and subsequently as the Associate Director of Communications & Outreach from January 2019 to September 2021.
After growth and a bid to streamline the work in the organization, MX accepted the role of Media & Communications Manager and worked in the role from October 2021 to August 2022. In their previous role as Media & Communications Manager at TransWave, their work was centred on developing content and stories centring the excellence of black trans folks living in Jamaica and honing the skills of the community to write and tell their own stories.
They are also involved with other growing and existing queer groups within the local space including Connek JA, where they serve as an ambassador and United Trans Creatives where they have filmed, modelled and more recently, began to support artivist-centered work through the collective. Regionally, they have worked with organizations such as the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) and United Caribbean Trans Network (UCTRANS), UNESCO Caribbean and UNDP’s Being LGBTI in the Caribbean.
As a writer, their words have been contributed to digital publications such as TransGriot & GayTimes. As an artist, and poet, their creative practice focuses mainly on gender, queerness and gender norms/ideals and how these various notions impact their identity. In 2019, MX released their debut performance art work, Identity, Othering & Belonging: #MyTransID at the Beyond Homophobia Conference, centred around their experiences of being a visible trans, queer Jamaican. They have been performing since 2018 at various queer events throughout Kingston. In 2019, they also travelled to Edinburgh, Scotland for 3 months for the Erasmus+ EVS Programme where they supported workshops and event production (photography & film) for the Edinburgh Festival Carnival 2019.
I am committed to creating a space where persons like me can thrive and not just survive with all their rights affirmed and dignified, along with their respect and humanity preserved at all costs.
MX Leo Williams 