African Queer Voices (AQV) was honored to participate in the 2026 Storytellers Summit in Washington, DC, convened by the Refugee Advocacy Lab and Refugees International.

The summit brought together refugee leaders, advocates, artists, and storytellers from across the country to explore how personal narratives can advance advocacy, strengthen communities, and influence change.

The event opened with a live reading of We’re Still Here, an original poem by AQV Executive Director Steven Muleme. The poem reflected on resilience, displacement, survival, and the enduring strength of LGBTQ+ people who have been forced to leave their homes in search of safety and dignity.

For AQV, storytelling remains at the heart of our mission. Stories help us challenge harmful narratives, preserve lived experiences, foster healing, and amplify the voices of forcibly displaced LGBTQ+ people navigating new lives across borders.

We are grateful to the Refugee Advocacy Lab and Refugees International for creating spaces where refugee voices are not only heard but celebrated.

Because our stories matter. Because we’re still here.