“We can begin the process of making community wherever we are. We can begin by sharing a smile, a warm greeting, a bit of conversation; by doing a kind deed or by acknowledging kindness offered to us.”– bell hooks
This week, we celebrate the 2025 Refugee Week with the theme ‘Community as a Superpower’. Communities can bring people together, bridge divides, and offer support. They become spaces of resilience and places for healing, giving people the strength to rebuild their lives.
But for many LGBTQI refugees and asylum seekers, community has not always been a safe place. LGBTQI people face criminalisation in more than 60 countries, experiencing persecution, violence, and exclusion. Even after reaching the UK, LGBTQI asylum seekers are still rejected by their families and communities, leaving them extremely isolated, without the social safety nets they need to thrive.
At Micro Rainbow, we understand the importance of communities for survival.
Overcoming isolation
Micro Rainbow began supporting LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees in 2012, responding to the reality that many were experiencing discrimination, abuse, and isolation.
Through our social inclusion programme, Micro Rainbow aims to build friendships and reduce extreme isolation, strengthening fragile support networks for LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees. The social inclusion activities take place in London and Birmingham, providing our community with places where they can connect, feel safe, and rebuild confidence. To mark the 2025 Refugee Week, Micro Rainbow’s community of LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees have reflected on friendship, belonging and their experiences of the social inclusion programme.
For Aisha, a lesbian woman from Pakistan, attending her first social inclusion event was a life-changing experience:
“I found it incredibly moving to witness such vulnerability and strength. Any initial nervousness quickly faded as I realised I was in a safe and supportive space where I could learn and grow.”
For Rahim, a gay man from Bangladesh, taking the first step toward community brought unexpected joy:
“I didn’t expect it to be so much fun, because honestly, I was very nervous. But I feel more confident in my own skin since coming more often.”
For Nadia, a lesbian woman from Bangladesh, finding acceptance transformed her sense of self:
“I was scared, wondering what I would do and how people would react to me. I didn’t expect the love I would receive from the very first step! I felt blessed, happy from the inside and outside both.”
Finding stability through friendships
For many LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees, meeting people with shared experiences is the first step toward feeling safe in the UK.
For Samuel, a bisexual man from Sierra Leone, finding a supportive friend helped him navigate the challenges of seeking asylum:
“During social inclusion, I met a friend whom I used to communicate with. He listened to me, supported me, and made sure I was okay whenever I felt lost or stressed.”
For Kareem, a gay man from Algeria, forming friendships through Micro Rainbow helped him feel grounded:
“At first, I was nervous. But the people were welcoming, and that made me feel less alone. I started regularly communicating with two people I met, sometimes we meet for coffee, go for a walk, or chat online. These friendships have really helped me feel more connected and confident.”
The power of connection
The theme of this year’s Refugee Week, Community as a Superpower, resonates with Micro Rainbow’s community of LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees.
For Liang, a gay man from China, community means resilience:
“One chopstick is easy to break, but 20 or 30 chopsticks together, a team, a group, are much harder to break.”
For Kareem, community gave him a sense of belonging:
“Being part of this network reminds me that I’m not invisible. I’ve made real friendships, gained confidence, and started to feel that I matter.”
For Ahmed, a gay man from Bangladesh, finding support at Micro Rainbow has made everyday life brighter:
“Laughing and gossiping with friends brings inner peace.”
Through peer-led workshops, structured support groups, and inclusion events, Micro Rainbow continues to create spaces where LGBTQI asylum seekers and refugees feel safe, valued, and empowered. This Refugee Week, we recognise the strength of coming together and creating communities wherever we are.
