NBJC

I became a donor after attending NBJC’s Emerging Leaders Briefing during the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Creating Change conference in Atlanta, GA earlier this year. It was there where I had the opportunity to meet the NBJC staff and knew that I wanted to be an Emerging Leader. Allow me to be clear, I am not an employee of NBJC nor is my story scripted, I just really love and admire the work that NBJC does, and all that it will do in the future for my community. 

 

I am a young Black lesbian from Oakland, CA. Growing up in Oakland; it was challenging to be anything other than ‘tough’. Education wasn’t important to my peers of whom many didn’t make it to their 25th birthday. For me to grow into an advocate for justice and equality took me moving out of the place I called home for 24 years of my life. Now, I consider myself a kid from the slums with limited education, who saw a way out of the darkness through educating myself and the people around me. Positive role models helped mold me into a leader, so if I have the ability to help someone else enhance their leadership abilities, I will. With that said, if I can pay 100 bucks for cable per month, I should be able to donate $120 per year (or $10 per month) to an organization that is looking out for people like me.

 

I decided to donate because I feel that it’s important to invest in our young people. Black LGBT youth are so underrepresented in popular media, leadership positions and as positive role models. When we are represented, we are associated with negative connotations and stereotypes. If we don’t invest in ourselves, who will? I invested the minimum amount of $10 a month for twelve months.  My small contribution of 120 bucks for the year meant that I had to cut my unnecessary spending, which equated either to one pair of Michael Jordan tennis shoes, or some meaningless materialistic item that would most likely deprecate in value once I bought it.  I personally think that amazing organizations such as NBJC, and many others, should receive more money than they do considering the amount of work that they put into helping and strengthening our community. 

 

Getting involved is the best way that you can show that you care about the success of the Black LGBT community.  We have enough money to buy drinks and go to night clubs on the weekend, why not invest in an organization dedicated to empowering our community? 

 

Make a pledge today and support the National Black Justice Coalition on May 9th for Give OUT Day. 

 

Kiniya Davis is a third year Sociology student at Western Oregon University.