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Launch of Carmen's traffic light

Audio from the launch of Carmen's traffic light, which can be seen on the corner of Ghuznee and Cuba Streets, Wellington. A special thank you to the Mayor, Wellington City Council and the participants for allowing us to record and share this event.

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Details

  • 0:00:06 - MC Amanduh la Whore
  • 0:03:00 - Kevin Haunui and Tiwhanawhana
  • 0:06:55 - Mayor of Wellington Celia Wade-Brown
  • 0:13:34 - Waiata
  • 0:16:37 - MP Grant Robertson
  • 0:22:34 - Trevor Morley
  • 0:28:25 - Dana de Milo
  • 0:32:37 - Waiata
  • 0:34:51 - Launch of Carmen's traffic light

Summary

This summary captures the essence of the event held on August 8th, 2016, for the launch of Carmen's traffic light in Wellington. The recording, which took place on Cuba Street, is a documentation of approximately 35 minutes featuring various speakers who celebrated the legacy of Carmen Rupe, an iconic figure in Wellington and admired across decades for their pioneering work as an advocate for the LGBTQI community.

The event commenced with Amanduh la Whore's opening remarks, underscoring the respect and admiration for Carmen Rupe's trailblazing efforts within the LGBTQI sphere. The opening also emphasized Carmen's impact on drag queens, the transgender community, and beyond. As a symbol of honor, a traffic light was launched on the corner of Ghuznee and Cuba Streets, bearing Carmen's likeness, to celebrate this local legend's influence and contributions.

Notably, the Mayor of Wellington and the Wellington City Council were thanked for their support in commemorating this occasion, indicating the collaborative community effort that went into making the tribute possible. Elected officials, such as Grant Robertson, acknowledged the significance of the occasion, expressing gratitude towards the Council and its dedication to inclusivity and diversity.

Subsequent speakers, including Kevin Haunui and Trevor Morley, further expressed acknowledgments to both the mana whenua and the impact Carmen had on advancing the rights and visibility of Māori and takatāpui individuals. Trevor Morley, in particular, recounts their unique relationship with Carmen from their perspective as a member of the vice squad, describing an unexpected camaraderie that developed as they both navigated societal norms around vice and law enforcement.

The event also featured a testimony about the intersection of sex work and community respect through the remembrance of Carmen's entrepreneurial spirit, which was laden with a stigma at the time. Dana de Milo echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of not forgoing Carmen's history as a sex worker, which underpinned their advocacy and leading role in societal change, campaigning for the decriminalization of prostitution among other social issues.

Finally, the speakers reminded attendees of the ongoing challenges faced by the transgender community, advocating for constant vigilance in support of rights and safety for all. The significance of Carmen's historic mayoral candidacy was also highlighted. Speakers such as Celia Wade-Brown, the Mayor of Wellington, discussed Carmen Rupe's extraordinary life and impact on HIV activism, the legalization of homosexuality, and sex education.

The recording concludes with the ceremonial lighting of Carmen's traffic light, a unique intersectional tribute to a transgender icon. This event not only commemorated the life and work of Carmen Rupe but also cemented a legacy of diversity and acceptance within the Wellington community.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Record date:8th August 2016
Location:Cuba Street, Wellington
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Archive:The master recording is archived at the Alexander Turnbull Library (OHDL-004464).
URL:https://www.pridenz.com/launch_of_carmens_traffic_light.html