Livelihood support for queer artists
LAQOM first worked on boosting the livelihoods of queer and marginalized artists and creatives residing in Lebanon through capacity-building trainings and activities based on a conducted needs assessment.
Grassroots initiative · Beirut, Lebanon
Supporting queer artists and creatives in Lebanon
Queer art, community, and resilience in Lebanon. LAQOM stands with the LGBTQ+ community through capacity building, livelihood support, and a network built on care.
About
Who we are
LAQOM is an initiative started by an LGBTQ+ activist and artist in Beirut, made to cater to queer artists and creatives residing in Lebanon.
Since the start of the economic collapse in Lebanon, and especially following the multiple crises since, we have witnessed a drastic shift in the livelihoods of people in Lebanon — but especially the LGBTQ+ community at large.
LAQOM has found that the LGBTQ+ community, and especially queer artists, need more support than ever before. We work to address their needs through capacity building, livelihood-boosting activities, and networking with other relevant stakeholders.
Our Work
Background & achievements
LAQOM is a grassroots initiative started in 2022 under the Free 2 be Me Project (2022–2025).
Capacity-building trainings
We organized and delivered two capacity-building trainings in Social Media Literacy and Cybersecurity. These culminated in a Cybersecurity booklet giving LGBTQ+ artists accessible steps to ensure proper cybersecurity within the Lebanese context.
Building an artist network
We outreached and laid the foundations for a network of LGBTQ+ artists residing in Lebanon to connect and share resources and experiences.
Collaborative research
In 2024–2025, in collaboration with another initiative, LAQOM co-conducted a research activity into the lived experiences and testimonials of LGBTQ+ individuals in Lebanon during the 2023–2025 war(s), producing a 20-page paper summarizing the context and our findings.
Awareness campaign
We prepared and hosted a social media awareness campaign tackling Physical Safety & Security, Emergency Preparedness, Cybersecurity, and Organizing in Times of Crisis.
Impact
Impact in numbers
Data collected by the end of our 2024–2025 social media awareness campaign.
70,981
Total campaign views on Instagram
46,702
Total reach on Instagram
10,920
Average views per Reel
13
Reels analyzed
Top-performing Reels from the campaign (sample):
👨🎨 خصوصا للفنانين والمؤثرين- كيف بتحموا حالكن واجهزتكن؟ تابعو الفيديو للمزيد من الادوات. 🔧
15,793 views9,367 reach
📝 أوراقنا الرسمية من اهم الأشياء الي لازم تجهز بالشنطة عطول. تابعوا الفيديو لتعرفوا تفاصيل اكتر عن انواع الاوراق و اهميتها.
10,641 views5,901 reach
YouTube
4 videos analyzed · top video reached 91 views and 10 new subscribers · avg. watch time 0.61h.
| Video | Views | Hrs |
|---|---|---|
| 🎒 Emergency Preparedness: A Simple Guide for Times of Crisis | LAQOM × Haykal | 91 | 1.03 |
| 🔐 Cybersecurity Basics: How to Stay Safe Online Every Day | LAQOM × Haykal | 54 | 0.49 |
| 🛡️ Physical Safety & Security: How to Stay Safe on the Ground | LAQOM × Haykal | 42 | 0.38 |
| 🤝 Community Engagement in Crisis: How to Support Without Harm | LAQOM × Haykal | 29 | 0.56 |
Research
Our research paper
“No Shelter but Each Other: Queer Testimonies from Lebanon During the 2023–2025 Zionist Aggression”
Request the paper- Method
- Key Informant Interviews
- Page count
- 20 pages
- Availability
- Available upon request
Team
The people behind LAQOM
Zouheir M
Project Manager
Dana HA
Outreach & Logistics Manager
Bassel A
Data Analyst & Manager