#04 I LOVE LOBI

I ❤️LOBI is an initiative of Jeangu Macrooy (singer-songwriter) and Winston van Niel (founder Parea Netherlands). Both share a vision of an inclusive Pride celebration that acknowledges the achievements and aspirations of the Surinamese queer diaspora in a more beautiful, inclusive, and free country.

The theme I ❤️LOBI celebrates the Surinamese queer subcultures and traditions, and as such, the diversity in gender and love expressions. Our participation reinforces the message that these subcultures and traditions are inherently linked to the Dutch Pride community, queer emancipation, and Pride celebration (#YouAreIncluded). While we spotlight Suriname due to our close cultural affinity, this does not preclude us from supporting the wider BIPOC community which we continuously seek to enrich, inspire and empower.
Pride 2023 coincides with the Dutch Slavery Memorial Year. Having the public hearts, eyes, and ears wide open on August 5th we, while acknowledging the sensitivity around this discussion without denying its depth, believe the Canal Parade allows us to shine a queer light on our shared past and collective future.

Jeangu Macrooy (Paramaribo, 1993) is a singer-songwriter who lives in the Netherlands since 2014. He released 3 albums and performed at festivals such as Lowlands and North Sea Jazz. In 2020 and 2021 he represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2024, he plays Jesus in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Since his breakthrough, he has used his name recognition to draw attention to the queer community in the Netherlands and Suriname. By putting the spotlight on this community during = Pride and making it more visible, Jeangu tries to inspire different generations from this community to recognize themselves: something he missed when he arrived in the Netherlands in 2014.
He seeks cooperation with Parea Nederland, a network of Queer Professionals of Colour based in the Netherlands. Parea Nederland stands for economic inclusion of queer BIPOC whilst all aspects of the identity are acknowledged. Some achievements include co-hosting the international “LGBTI People of Colour” webinar in collaboration with WorkPlace Pride, the first Dutch ‘Black Queer Political Townhall’ in the context of the 2021 National Elections , and contributing to various academic initiatives including the ‘LGBTIQ+ Workplace Inclusion Conference 2021’ of Leiden University.