NBJC

National Black Justice Coalition Announces 2023 Benevolence Grants Supporting Black LGBTQ+ Youth

CONTACT: Jordan Wilhelmi | jordan@unbendablemedia.com 

Coinciding with Their 20th Anniversary, NBJC Will Donate to 29 Organizations

WASHINGTON – Today, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a leading national Black LGBTQ+/Same-gender loving (SGL) civil rights organization, will commemorate its 20th anniversary by celebrating and supporting Black LGBTQ+ children, youth, and young adults and investing in 30 organizations that ensure our young people thrive through the Benevolence campaign. 

“As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of NBJC, we proudly announce the issuance of 29  grants to Black LGBTQ+ youth-serving groups. It’s a profound commitment to investing in organizations that ensure our young people thrive,” said Dr. David J. Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition. “As we reflect on two decades of advocacy and progress, we recognize the role that Black queer, trans, and gender-expansive youth have always played in leading efforts to ensure a more inclusive and equitable future. This announcement is a testament to our dedication and a celebration of the next generation’s resilience, strength, and aspirations. With these grants, we are sowing the seeds of change and reaffirming our commitment to a world where every voice is heard, and every individual can live authentically.”

Below are the organizations to which NBJC has provided microgrants this year:

Continuing Grantees 

• The Attic Youth Center– creates opportunities for LGBTQ youth to develop into healthy, independent, civic-minded adults within a safe and supportive community and promotes the acceptance of LGBTQ youth in society.
• Black Start Project is committed to improving academic and economic prosperity in Black and Latinx communities.
• BTAC– is the only social justice organization led by black trans people to collectively address the inequities faced in the black transgender human experience. 
• Campus Pride develops necessary resources, programs, and services to support LGBTQ and allied students on college campuses across the United States.
• FORGE–  reduces the impact of trauma on trans/non-binary survivors and communities by empowering service providers, advocating for systems reform, and connecting survivors to healing possibilities.
• House of Tulip– provides zero-barrier housing, case management, linkage to care, and community programming to trans and gender-nonconforming people needing a safe place to stay while growing the supply of affordable housing in New Orleans.
• Jasmyn– supports the empowerment of LGBTQIA+ teens and young adults through leadership, advocacy, resources, and a safe and affirming community.
• Justice for Black Girls– expands global knowledge of how US-based systems of power respond to and perpetuate the abuse of Black girls in schools, in prisons, and protest. 
• POWERS– doctors, midwives, doulas, educators, and activists committed to strengthening our communities and world through trust in pregnant people. 
• Ruth Ellis Center–  providing trauma-informed services for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, with an emphasis on young people of color experiencing homelessness, involved in the child welfare system, or experiencing barriers to health and wellbeing.
• Stand with Trans-   help trans youth build resilience, gain confidence, and find hope for a future filled with joy. 
• True Colors United– implements innovative solutions to youth homelessness that focus on the unique experiences of LGBTQ young people.
• Wordplay Cincy– sparks storytelling through writing, performance, and visual arts in collaboration with Cincinnati’s young people by celebrating their strengths, cultivating belonging, and fueling social impact.
• YWCA Madison– Advances race & gender equity to create a more inclusive community, helps people improve their financial situations through job training & transportation, supports women and families in housing & shelter, and offers school and community restorative justice programming.
• Zebra Youth Inc.- provides high-quality, culturally appropriate programs designed to meet the unique needs of homeless and at-risk LGBTQ+ youth. It also strives to meet the community’s needs for affordable youth housing, mental health services, proactive youth support, and community education.

New Grantees 

• Black Services at the Center–  provides dynamic programming and direct services for the Black LGBTQ community. In addition to social events, community connections, and Support and Discussion Groups, community members can receive medical and non-medical case management, information, and referrals to additional resources, including HIV testing, PrEP navigation, and more.
• Family Acceptance Project– a research, intervention, education, and policy initiative to prevent health and mental health risks and to promote well-being for LGBTQ children and youth, including suicide, homelessness, drug use, and HIV — in the context of their families, cultures, and faith communities.
• Haus of Codec– Committed to ending transition-aged youth homelessness in Providence through the arts and workforce development. One of a handful of organizations that provide transitional housing for queer and trans youth ages 18-24.
• Oakland LGBTQ Community Center– is dedicated to enhancing and sustaining the well-being of LGBTQ individuals, their families, and allies by providing educational, social, and health-related activities, programs, and services.
• The Okra Project is a mutual aid collective focused on supporting Black Trans people and alleviating the community’s barriers.
• The Pride Center at Equality Park– provides a welcoming, safe space — an inclusive home that celebrates, nurtures, and empowers the LGBTQ+ communities and our friends and neighbors in South Florida.
• Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center– is committed to the success of at-risk youth and adults, providing the highest quality services in education, mentoring, family outreach, employment training, and placement.
• Sisters PGH– provides opportunities for the trans communities of Pittsburgh/Allegheny County to thrive through affirming programming that includes transitional housing, leadership roles, and initiatives for trans people. Has a TGNC Youth Collective, which organizes young trans folks around city/state legislation addressing transphobia that threatens young trans people. 
• TruEvolution– fights for health equity and racial justice to advance the quality of life and human dignity of LGBTQ+ people. 
• The Wanda Alston Foundation– has a mission to eradicate homelessness and poverty for LGBTQ youth between the ages of 18 and 24. They are dedicated to ensuring that LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness have access to services that improve their overall quality of life.
• Word is Bond– the goal is to be a national leader in developing young Black men, a thought partner and resource to the community, and a platform for young Black men everywhere to become masters of their narratives.
• Youth Pride Inc.-  the only nonprofit in Rhode Island specifically dedicated to meeting the needs of LGBTQIA+ Youth 23 and under. Dedicated to meeting the unique needs of youth and young adults impacted by sexual orientation and gender identity/expression while working to end the homophobic and transphobic environments in which they live, work, and play.

If you know of an organization or student group led by and supporting Black LGBTQ+/SGL students, youth, and young adults, please nominate them for a Benevolence Grant by clicking this LINK.