Call Me Kuchu: LGBT Film Showing, Discussion in Detroit

quality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people is a global fight. In the film Call Me Kuchu, showing at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2014 at the Charles H. Wight Museum, this fight is acutely examined in East Africa's Uganda.

Call Me Kuchu follows the shared struggles of four openly gay Ugandan men and women, including David Kato-the first openly gay Ugandan man who was murdered a year into the filming of the documentary. The film depicts Kato's final year, the resulting impact of his death and the gathered efforts among other gay men against state-sanctioned homophobia.

The event is presented by the Detroit legal asylum shelter Freedom House with the Charles H. Wright Museum and features a panel discussion led by Ugandan LGBT activist Frank Mugisha. Other panelists include Jamiil M. Gaston from KICK – The Agency for LGBT African Americans, Donald Bierer, Amnesty International's LGBT human rights specialist, and Freedom House's senior attorney Kelly AuBuchon.

The panelists will examine the equality infrastructure and human rights conditions for LGBT people in countries around the world.

"While this event focuses specifically on the struggle of our LGBT brothers and sisters, make no mistake about the message-LGBT rights are human rights, and human rights are LGBT rights," Freedom House program assistant and case manager Thomas "TJ" Rogers says in a press release. "Having representatives at the table from local and international organizations can ultimately only help grow the international movement for freedom, justice and equality."

The event is free with limited VIP reception tickets for $25. Proceeds benefit the Freedom House.

For more information on the film screening of Call Me Kuchu at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, visit the BLAC Detroit event calendar.