AMBASSADORS
We are grateful to our ambassadors and their vital contribution to advocating for LGBTQIA refugees, providing credibility and influence, raising awareness and helping bring forward inclusive policies.
Max Toxopeus
Mark Toxopeus is a nationally acclaimed pianist and arranger. He performed at the conservatories in Arnhem and Amsterdam and won several prizes for his piano performance. He also teaches Dutch as a foreign language.
Through his work as a teacher, he became familiar with the challenges facing people who came to the Netherlands as refugees, particularly LGBTQ+ people. In 2020, he joined LGBT World Beside as a volunteer. He has been the organisation’s ambassador since 2024.
Henk Nijmeijer
Henk Nijmeijer is a retired resident of Assen, Netherlands, where he lives with his husband. As a former member of the Provincial Council and chairman of GroenLinks in Drenthe, his career reflects his dedication to equality and environmental causes.
He is particularly proud of initiating the Rainbow Province initiative, which made Drenthe the first Rainbow Province in 2016 - a movement now embraced by all Dutch provinces. Since June 2023, he has served as Drenthe's Rainbow Ambassador and continues his LGBTI+ advocacy work as a core member of RozeLinks (GroenLinks) and het Roze Netwerk (PvdA).
My name is Aaron Holloway, and I am honored to be the USA Ambassador for LGBT World Beside. I am a proud Black American gay man of Creole, Igbo, and Balanta ancestry. I am originally from Beaumont, Texas, approximately 85 miles from Houston and 19 miles from the Texas-Louisiana state border. My journey has been one of advocacy, resilience, and deep commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. I am passionate about global LGBTQIA+ human rights, HIV/AIDS, trans and women's healthcare, humanitarianism, and religious tolerance. I strive to create positive change through my involvement in political campaigns, nonprofit organizations, and artistic endeavors.
Geert Gabriëls
Geert Gabriëls, a former deputy from Weert, has been an ambassador for the non-profit organization LGBT World Beside since 2024.
“In any case, my goal is to put the organization in the spotlight every now and then. This organization is there. And to point out to people their rights and obligations and what possibilities there are here,” says Gabriëls. “I think it is important because I have an affinity with Russia and speak Russian, and am married to a man myself.”
Leon Augustijn
Schrijver, motivator en spreker.
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