National Black Justice Coalition Proud Recipient of Ford Foundation Grant
Washington, D.C. – July 19, 2012 – The National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, was recently awarded a $300,000 grant over two years from the Ford Foundation, an independent, global organization with a legacy of commitment to innovative leaders on the frontlines of social change.
“We are honored and humbled to be a grant recipient of the Ford Foundation,” says NBJC Executive Director and CEO Sharon Lettman-Hicks. “These funds will enable NBJC to strategically leverage the groundwork established over the past two-and-a-half years when we began restructuring the organization and re-imaging our brand.”
The funding for general support will be used to focus on the organization’s cornerstone issues—anti-discrimination, safe schools, marriage and family recognition, anti-violence, and economic security and justice. It will also serve to strengthen key partnerships and programs such as the NBJC Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) LGBT Equality Initiative, which promotes the development and delivery of culturally competent services for LGBT students as well as the OUT on the Hill (OOTH) Black LGBT Leadership Summit, where hundreds of thought leaders, activists, elected officials, faith leaders and youth convene in the nation’s capital to educate members of Congress, the White House and federal agencies about Black LGBT public policy concerns.
Since 2003, NBJC has provided leadership at the intersection of African American civil rights groups and LGBT organizations, advocating for the unique challenges and needs of the Black LGBT community that are often relegated to the sidelines. Progress on LGBT social and political issues grows as LGBT people feel empowered to be open about their full identity and stake a claim in their future. NBJC strives to build an informed and strategic constituency equipped with the necessary tools to own their power. The organization envisions a world where all people are self-assured to participate safely, openly and authentically in family, faith and community, regardless of race, gender identity or sexual orientation.
NBJC is committed to bringing voice to Black gay and transgender people, taking action to eradicate both homophobia and racism, and building networks with stakeholders. These principles guide NBJC’s planning and programmatic development as the organization focuses on removing the inequalities of policy-based initiatives that weaken families, communities, and ultimately, the country.
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The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. NBJC’s mission is to eradicate racism and homophobia.