Ian McKnight

McKnight attended the University of the West Indies where he attained a Bachelor in Theology and a master's in communication for social and behaviour. McKnight also holds a master's in human resource management from Nova Southeastern University.{{Cite web |date=12 Oct 2017 |title=Documents from Intimate Conviction |url=https://original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu/AA00061899/00001 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531002112/https://original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu/AA00061899/00001 |archive-date=31 May 2024 |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=University of Florida Digital Collections |language=en}}

In 1991, Ian McKnight and several friends co-founded Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL), the first and largest AIDS service organization in Jamaica.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-08 |title=Who We Are |url=https://jasforlife.org/who-we-are/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=JASL}}{{Cite web |date=Jan 2018 |title=The Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) Case Study – PANCAP |url=https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/the-jamaica-aids-support-for-life-jasl-case-study/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=pancap.org}}{{Cite web |date=2017-11-27 |title=Looking back, looking forward {{!}} JASL providing more than 25 years of 'love, action and support' |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20171127/looking-back-looking-forward-jasl-providing-more-25-years-love-action-and |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=The Gleaner |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2021-02-03 |title=Resilient at 30: AIDS Support launches year-long celebration |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20210203/resilient-30-aids-support-launches-year-long-celebration |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=The Gleaner |language=en}} Over the next 20 years,{{Cite web |last=Dawes |first=Kwame |date=26 April 2008 |title=Secrets, Taboos and Private Lives in Jamaica |url=https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/secrets-taboos-and-private-lives-jamaica |access-date=30 May 2024 |website=Pulitzer Center}} McKnight held several positions at JASL, including Executive Director. In 2010, he praised the US government for ending its travel ban on people living with HIV/AIDS.{{Cite web |date=2010-04-25 |title=People living with HIV claim travel rights |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100425/lead/lead6.html |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=The Gleaner |language=en}} In 2011, he called on the Jamaican government to increase funding for housing programs for gay men living with HIV.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2011-08-23 |title=Jamaica: help HIV homeless |url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/jamaica-help-hiv-homeless/59807 |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=Star Observer |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=15 Aug 2011 |title=New Kingston gay and HIV homeless need help — HIV activists |url=https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/New-Kingston-gay-and-HIV-homeless-need-help---HIV-activists_9450743/#ixzz1V7UcLAow |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/eoir/legacy/2013/08/21/LGBTI.pdf |archive-date=21 Aug 2013 |website=Jamaica Observer}}

From 2006-2013, he also worked at the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC),{{Cite web |title=Directors |url=https://cvccoalition.org/directors/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=CVC Coalition |language=en-US}} a coalition of community organizations that does HIV advocacy work for marginalized populations in the Caribbean.{{Cite web |title=Who We Are |url=https://cvccoalition.org/who-we-are/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=CVC Coalition |language=en-US}} In 2011, he spoke against David Cameron's threat to cut funding for HIV/AIDS services if Jamaica did not repeal its anti-gay laws.{{Cite news |date=31 Oct 2011 |title=Britain warned of serious backlash over "anti-gay" threat |url=http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/jamaica_news/513782.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102195843/http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/jamaica_news/513782.html#ixzz1cP4mHGEa |archive-date=2 Nov 2011 |access-date=30 May 2024 |work=Caribbean 360}} While serving as Executive Director of CVC, he spoke at the closing session{{Cite web |date=27 July 2012 |title=Closing Session |url=https://www.kff.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/18575_frpl03_transcript.pdf |access-date=30 May 2024 |website=Kaiser Family Foundation }}{{Cite web |title=2012_24 {{!}} Face of AIDS Film Archive |url=https://faceofaids.ki.se/index.php/archive/2012-24 |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=faceofaids.ki.se |language=en}} of the 2012 International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC.{{Cite web |date=2012-07-31 |title=Caribbean Sees Progress on HIV/AIDS, Fears Funding Cuts - World {{!}} ReliefWeb |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/world/caribbean-sees-progress-hivaids-fears-funding-cuts |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=reliefweb.int |language=en}} McKnight critiqued the conference for "tokenism" and "half-baked" attempts to include sex workers and drug users at the conference.{{Cite news |date=30 Jul 2012 |title=Ian McKnight wants end to "half-baked" attempts to end HIV epidemic |url=https://radiojamaicanewsonline.com/local/ian-mcknight-wants-end-to-halfbaked-attempts-to-end-hiv-epidemic |access-date=30 May 2024 |work=Radio Jamaica News}} He also warned against potential HIV/AIDS funding cuts to the Caribbean and called for governments "to make the investment necessary [...] to end AIDS".

For several years, he served as Chief of Party for USAID COMET II, a community development program. Under his leadership, COMET II invested in local projects such as a community journalism training program{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Emma |date=24 Oct 2017 |title=Training Citizen Investigative Journalists in Jamaica |url=https://gijn.org/stories/training-citizen-investigative-journalists-in-jamaica/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=Global Investigative Journalism Network |language=en-US}} and a business training for a group of young artists.{{Cite news |date=2 Nov 2016 |title=Mighty Gully now ready for the world |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20161103/mighty-gully-now-ready-world |access-date=30 May 2024 |work=The Gleaner}}

As of 2024, he is the Director of Programs and Services at the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation (PWA).{{Cite web |last=Lawrence |first=Canute |date=2024-02-08 |title=Caribbean immigrants find refuge and solace at PWA Foundation |url=https://thecaribbeancamera.com/caribbean-immigrants-refuge-solace-pwa-foundation-toronto-black-history-month/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=The Caribbean Camera |language=en-US}}

McKnight has spoken about the dangers facing the LGBTQ community in Jamaica and the Caribbean.{{Cite news |date=2001-08-24 |title=Out of time |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/aug/24/tvandradio.radio1 |access-date=2024-05-30 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} He has stated: "Jamaican LGBT individuals have to be constantly careful of how they live and how they manifest their sexuality."{{Cite web |date=2012-06-27 |title=Gay Men and HIV/AIDS Around the World |url=https://www.thebody.com/slideshow/gay_men_and_hiv_aids_around_the_world |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=TheBody}} In 2003, he contributed to a report about discrimination against the LGBTQ community in Jamaica.{{Cite web |last=Hron |first=Anthony |date=24 May 2003 |title=Report On Persecution of Sexual Minorities in Jamaica |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/412963132/Report-on-Persecution-20030524 |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=Scribd |language=en}} He has spoken about how homophobic laws and stigma hinder HIV/AIDS service provision in Jamaica.{{Cite news |last=Watson |first=Patricia |date=12 May 2002 |title=Groping in the dark - HIV intervention among the MSM community in Jamaica |url=https://old.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20020512/out/out3.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531012507/https://old.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20020512/out/out3.html |archive-date=31 May 2024 |access-date=30 May 2024 |work=The Gleaner}}{{Cite news |last=Dayle |first=Philip |date=2010-12-01 |title=HIV fears put repeal of homophobic laws on the table for Caribbean nations |url=https://www.theguardian.com/law/2010/dec/01/caribbean-gay-rights-laws |access-date=2024-05-31 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} In 2012, McKnight participated in a legal case against Jamaica for its laws prohibiting gay sex.{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Scott |date=2012-10-26 |title=Jamaica faces legal action over anti-gay laws |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2012/10/26/jamaica-faces-legal-action-over-anti-gay-laws/ |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=PinkNews |language=en-US}}

McKnight has also been the Producer and Executive Producer of a number of documentaries on issues of social justice and human rights for marginalised communities in the Caribbean. These include "The Cost of Hate: How Homophobia Fuels HIV" (2011),{{Cite AV media |url=https://vimeo.com/32624804 |title=The cost of Hate...How Homophobia Fuels HIV |language=en |access-date=2024-05-31 |via=vimeo.com}} "My Body My Business" (2010), "Complex Problems: Simple Solutions" (2007), "Take a Stand: Jamaican Civil Society organises for Health" (2009),{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} and "A Right to be: Sex Worker access to health care in the Caribbean" (2009).{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXUm6Qv9wAE |title=A RIGHT TO BE: Sex Worker Access to Health Care in the Caribbean (Part 2/2) |date=2014-03-27 |last=CVC COIN |access-date=2024-05-31 |via=YouTube}}

• Gleaner Honour Award for Health & Wellness (2004) for his work with Jamaica AIDS Support for Life{{Cite web |date=2 May 2005 |title=Gleaner Co. Annual Report '04 |url=http://66.132.217.137/gleaner/about/annualreport.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531013505/http://66.132.217.137/gleaner/about/annualreport.pdf |archive-date=31 May 2024 }}{{Cite news |date=3 Jan 2005 |title=Ian McKnight: Born to Serve |work=Kingston Gleaner}}
• University of Technology Ubuntu Award (2014){{Cite web |date=2014-07-03 |title=Human rights activist Flo O'Connor among recipients of UTech's 'Unsung Heroes' award - Jamaica Observer |url=https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2014/07/02/human-rights-activist-flo-oconnor-among-recipients-of-utechs-unsung-heroes-award/ |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=Jamaica Observer |language=en-US}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.cvccoalition.org/ Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition]

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Category:Jamaican activists

Category:Jamaican chief executives

Category:Corporate executives

Category:University of the West Indies alumni

Category:Nova Southeastern University alumni

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)