who we are
About
Gamut 1 envisions a queer-inclusive, empathetic, rights-based society in which individual members are engaged, active, empowered and compassionate agents in their own lives, who build a supportive, inclusive environment for all members of their society. The South African Constitution and its Bill of Rights anchor and support the work and approach of the organisation. Gamut 1 promotes human rights, inclusively, with particular focus on trans and queer people and communities.
Our primary work is the documentation and dissemination of trans and queer stories as vehicles for social change. Trans voices and experiences, specifically, are central to our storytelling and advocacy ethos, with emphasis placed on the intersectionality of our identities, including race, sexuality, disability and culture. We conduct ongoing research to measure the impact of our work. Our commitment to global queer discourse is reflected in our participation in key international conferences, amplifying the voices of activists worldwide and contributing to a more unified and informed global movement.
The expected impact of engagement with Gamut 1’s work is that its beneficiaries and audiences will become advocates for trans and queer rights around the world, contributing to the promotion and protection of human rights for all. Our projects empower trans and queer communities by amplifying their voices, showcasing their resilience, and celebrating their achievements. By raising awareness and challenging prejudice, we contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for trans and queer people around the world.
Trans and queer people face significant challenges, including high rates of violence, discrimination, and social exclusion. These challenges are further exacerbated by poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to healthcare and education. Gamut 1's work addresses these challenges by creating media that promotes understanding and acceptance, and advocates for social change. Our projects challenge harmful stereotypes, celebrate resilience, and empower trans and queer people to tell their own stories.
Gamut 1 also provides training workshops which are focussed around understanding and contextualising human rights, trans and queer issue-related training, gender and sexual orientation education, strategic problem-solving, and peer facilitation techniques. We believe in sharing our knowledge and insights to advance the understanding of how trans and queer media can be used as a powerful tool for advocacy and social change.
The Team
zoey black
founder and executive director
Zoey Black is an indigenous transgender queer of colour woman living in Cape Town, South Africa. She is a queer renaissance and culture documentarian, using film and photography to tell authentic and engaging queer stories.
She graduated from the University of Cape Town as a trained professional actress and has over a decade of experience in live performance, training and facilitation, producing and activism.
Zoey’s work is focused on on telling authentic and engaging queer stories through a documentation lens. Her work on YouTube also aims to address and explore social and lifestyle issues pertaining to the LGBTQIA+ community, specifically the experiences of transgender and gender diverse people. The channel is the first of its kind in South Africa and acts as a resource in providing accessible information on trans specific issues.
Through her activism, Zoey publicly advocates for trans rights and visibility, engaging organisations and government stakeholders to activate social change and law reform.
Zoey’s Director’s Reel can be watched here: https://www.zoeyblack.com/about
Zoey’s Photography Gallery can be seen here: https://www.zoeyblack.com/gallery
koleka putuma
co-founder
Koleka Putuma is a multi-award-winning theatre practitioner, writer and poet. Her work tackles themes such as homophobia, womanhood, race and the dynamics of relationships, religion and politics. Her poetry is sharp and thought provoking, unique in its form, language and structure. Every line, a powerful statement of what she stands for.
Her bestselling debut collection of poems Collective Amnesia took the South African literary scene by storm. Since its publication in April 2017, the book is in its 12th print run and is prescribed for study at tertiary level in South African Universities and across the world. Collective Amnesia received multiple local and international awards and has been translated into Spanish, German, Danish, Dutch, and Swedish.
Manyano Media, a multidisciplinary creative company that empowers and produces stories by black queer women, founded by Koleka, published her sophomore collection of poems, Hullo, Bu-Bye, Koko, Come In. Her theatre works include the stage adaption of Hullo, Bu-bye, Koko, Come In, UHM, Woza Sarafina, Mbuzeni and No Easter Sunday For Queers.
Koleka was awarded the Standard Bank Young Artist Award - a first time award for Poetry. She is a Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative finalist for theatre, a Forbes Africa Under 30 Honouree, recipient of the Imbewu Trust Scribe Playwriting Award, Mbokodo Rising Light award, CASA playwriting award and the 2019 Distell Playwriting Award for her play No Easter Sunday for Queers. She has been commissioned to write poetry for major campaigns such as Spotify Premium "Unleash The Sounds", UN Global Goals, Wellcome Trust: Covid Living, Jameson "Dedela Abanye", Standard Bank and more.
blythe linger
co-founder
Blythe Stuart Linger is a passionate arts practitioner, producer, and director with experience in producing and directing multiple theatrical and filmic experiences. Working both in South Africa and abroad, Blythe is dedicated to the sustainability of the Arts and Cultural industry.
As the managing director of the largest Shakespearian youth festival in Africa and the incorporator of BSL Management (PTY) Ltd, Blythe creates opportunities for artists to earn while practising their craft.
Over his career, Blythe works as an arts practitioner, producer, and director with over a decade of experience in the theatre, film and creative industries. He has worked with award winning artists and producers, including Soli Philander, Lebo Mashile, Basil Appollis, Bob Meijs, and Fred Abrahamse, to produce culturally significant and impactful projects.
From arts administration and budgeting to producing and directing, Blythe embraces every chance to engage with communities through artistic mediums. Firmly believing in the power of the arts, Blythe aims to foster understanding, empathy, healing, and growth in our ever-changing world.