Kristīne Garina Explained
Kristīne Garina is a Latvian activist who was one of the founders of the LGBT organization in Riga and serves as its chairman of the board. She is the current president of the European Pride Organisers Association, the Brussels-based organization which plans events for EuroPride.
Early life and education
Kristīne Garina was born in Riga, Latvia. She attended the University of Latvia earning a bachelor's degree in economics and management and then completing a master's degree in international relations. Upon completing her education, Garina began working in the automobile industry.
Activism
After a wave of public homophobic acts against the LGBT community spiked when the first pride march was held in Riga in 2005, the following year, sixteen activists joined to form . The organization, functions as an advocacy group for the community, lobbies with policy makers, and organizes pride events. Garina was selected as a board member of the organization and she works to combat open homophobia against the community. She regularly publishes articles in various newspapers and websites like Latvijas Avīze and Delfi, pointing out discriminatory policies towards gays and lesbians such as the lack of parental leave to care for children, lack of eligibility for spousal pensions, lack of equal taxation or movement as a family unit, among other issues like hate speech and support for spousal protection legislation.
In 2013, Garina was elected as chairman of the board of Mozaīka, succeeding Linda Freimane. She served as the Latvian representative for both Baltic Pride and EuroPride in 2015. That year, Mozaīka was successful in its bid for EuroPride to be held in Riga. The event was planning was co-chaired by Garina and . They were able to negotiate holding the parade on Brivibas Iela (Freedom Street), a main boulevard which marchers had previously been denied permission to use for other Pride events. The success of the event, led to Garina's election to head the European Pride Organizers Association, a post she continued to hold in 2022. In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Garina as head of the European Pride Organizers Association, and in conjunction with InterPride, created a virtual Global Pride event to allow virtual attendance.
Citations and references
Cited sources
- Web site: Bernāts . Andris . Kam ir izdevīgi Rīgas praidi? . Jauns.lv . Izdevniecība Rīgas Viļņi . 15 June 2022 . Riga, Latvia . https://web.archive.org/web/20220615201333/https://jauns.lv/raksts/zinas/45481-kam-ir-izdevigi-rigas-praidi . 15 June 2022 . Latvian . Who Benefits from Riga Pride? . 27 July 2015 . live.
- Web site: Garina . Kristīne . Lai naida runa nekļūtu par ikdienu . . . 16 June 2022 . Tallinn, Estonia . https://web.archive.org/web/20220531220657/https://www.delfi.lv/news/versijas/kristine-garina-lai-naida-runa-neklutu-par-ikdienu.d?id=53069523 . 31 May 2022 . Latvian . Let Hate Speech Not Become Commonplace . 1 April 2021 . live.
- News: Garina . Kristīne . Nedrošības un sociālās distancēšanās laikā viendzimuma pāri vēl aizvien ir 'tikai dzīvokļa biedri' . . 16 June 2022 . Riga, Latvia . https://web.archive.org/web/20220615211703/https://www.la.lv/kristine-garina-nedrosibas-un-socialas-distancesanas-laika-viendzimuma-pari-vel-aizvien-ir-tikai-dzivokla-biedri . 15 June 2022 . Latvian . In Times of Insecurity and Social Distancing, Same-Sex Couples Are Still 'Just Flat Mates' . 26 March 2020 . bot: unknown .
- Web site: Garina . Kristīne . Freimane . Linda . Kopdzīves likums. Valsts, kas cīnās pret savējiem . . . 16 June 2022 . Tallinn, Estonia . https://web.archive.org/web/20201130022533/https://www.delfi.lv/news/versijas/kristine-garina-linda-freimane-kopdzives-likums-valsts-kas-cinas-pret-savejiem.d?id=49863155 . 30 November 2020 . Latvian . The Law of Cohabitation: A Country That Fights against Its Own . 22 March 2018 . live.
- Web site: Kronbergs . Tālivaldis . LGBT un viņu draugu apvienība MOZAĪKA ievēl jauno valdi . Pride Latvia . 15 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220615200248/https://www.pride.lv/lv/skapiseu-arhivs/article/lgbt-un-vinu-draugu-apvieniba-mozaika-ievel-jauno-valdi/ . 15 June 2022 . Riga, Latvia . Latvian . LGBT Association MOZAIKA Elects a New Board . 4 February 2013 . live.
- News: Luongo . Michael . With Striking Global Solidarity, Europride Shines in Latvia . . 16 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220329061919/https://gaycitynews.com/with-striking-global-solidarity-europride-shines-in-latvia/ . 29 March 2022 . New York, New York . 25 June 2015 . live.
- Book: Naylor . Aliide . The Shadow in the East: Vladimir Putin and the New Baltic Front . 2020 . . London . 978-1-78673-644-4.
- News: Taylor . Derrick Bryson . World Leaders, Pop Stars and Drag Queens to Headline Livestream for Gay Pride . 16 June 2022 . . 31 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220527225236/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/us/global-pride-day-coronavirus.html . 27 May 2022 . New York, New York . live.
- . . 2015 "Europride" in Riga To See Several Thousand Participants . . Cordex Media . 16 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220615211200/http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/baltic_news/?doc=9787&ins_print= . 15 June 2022 . Riga, Latvia . 5 September 2012 . live.
- Web site: . . Kristīne Garina . Sarunu festivāls LAMPA . DOTS Foundation . 16 June 2022 . https://archive.today/20220616180320/https://festivalslampa.lv/ru/speakers/2428 . 16 June 2022 . Riga, Latvia . Latvian . 2022 . live.
- News: . . Pride Leaders from across Europe Are Heading for Cheltenham . Glos News . Gloucestershire News Service . 16 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220615211436/https://www.glosnews.com/articles/pride-leaders-from-across-europe-are-heading-for-cheltenham . 15 June 2022 . Cheltenham, Gloucestershire . 10 May 2022 . live.
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