ABOUT

Chris or Christina (he/him) - Executive Director/ Co Founder

Born in Long Island, NY Christopher Udemezue has shown at a variety of galleries and museums, including the New Museum, Queens Museum of Art, PS1 MoMa, Bruce High Quality Foundation, Mercer Union, Recess Gallery, Anat Ebgi Gallery and Ryan Lee gallery in NYC. Udemezue utilizes his Jamaican heritage, the complexities of desire for connection, healing through personal mythology and ancestry as a primary source for his work. As the founder of the platforms RAGGA NYC & CONNEK JA, he completed a residency with the New Museum "All The Threatened and Delicious Things Joining One Another" in June 2017. In 2018 Udemezue was on show in the New Museum’s “Trigger: Gender as a Tool and a Weapon” 40 year anniversary show and a part of the chosen artists in The Shed's Open Call grant program/ group show in 2019. Udemezue served as Co-Chair of the board at Recess Gallery, Brooklyn NY from 2021 to 2022. Udemezue had a solo show at Anat Ebgi Gallery in Los Angeles, California in 2021. More recently in 2024 Udemezue was in a duo exhibition alongside the acclaimed sculptor Richmond Barthé at Ryan Lee gallery in NYC.

Chris@connekja.com

Chaday Emmanuel (they/ them she/her) - Executive Director/ Co Founder

Chaday Emmanuel (aka Chantel Chaday Scott) is a Jamaican-born, Brooklyn-based creative director, community organizer, and entrepreneur whose work spans digital media production, event curation, advocacy, and grassroots organizing. With over fifteen years of experience, she specializes in creating culturally affirming spaces that center the voices and needs of LGBTQIA+ communities, particularly in Jamaica and the broader Caribbean diaspora.

Chaday is one of the visionary co-founder of Connek JA and Sapphic JA—two powerful platforms that support, celebrate, and uplift queer lives through events, education, and economic empowerment. At Connek JA, Chaday has led groundbreaking cultural initiatives, including producing Jamaica’s first official ballroom event, The Doll Ball, held at Hope Gardens in Kingston. Connek has become a vital resource center and event platform that connects queer Jamaicans locally and internationally, using storytelling, fashion, music, and community care as tools for liberation.

Through Sapphic JA, founded in 2022, Chaday continues to carve out safe and affirming spaces for women, non-binary, and trans Jamaicans. The organization emphasizes economic empowerment by employing community members and supporting queer-owned businesses at every event. In 2025, Sapphic is expanding to provide mutual aid and housing initiatives, ensuring long-term support for Jamaica’s most vulnerable queer communities.

Driven by purpose and passion, Chaday continues to harness storytelling, cultural production, and community mobilization to build spaces of joy, resistance, and transformation.

Chaday@connekja.com

Executive Assistant - Neochea
production@connekja.com

Event Producer - Daniel
production@connekja.com

Production Manager - Shelly Williams
production@connekja.com

Program Coordinator - Kyym Savage
comm.editor@connekja.com

Program Coordinator - Emani Edwards
comm.editor@connekja.com