NBJC Community Engagement & Power Building_

NBJC will host the annual Black Institute on February 17th at Hilton Union Square Hotel in San Francisco, California. The day-long Institute holds space for Black LGBTQ+/SGL community leaders and advocates from across the country to center wellness, share knowledge, and build power.

This year’s theme is “Winning Black The Future.” We prioritize meaningful and measurable civic engagement through the upcoming 2024 Presidential Election cycle.

Let NBJC know you plan to attend the Black Institute HERE. If you need financial assistance to attend the conference, please apply for the registration scholarship or sign up to be a conference volunteer for complimentary registration. If you need food assistance, you must sign up for the program when you register.

NBJC is looking for volunteers to support the Black Institute and our exhibition booth throughout the conference. You may sign up to volunteer with us HERE.

Each year, with the support of AARP, we have been honored to recognize Black LGBTQ+/SGL elders for their contributions to our community and nation during our annual Wisdom and James Baldwin Legacy Awards. It is the community’s turn to nominate your favorite iconic, legendary Black, queer, and trans elders. Nominees must be Black, identify as LGBTQ+ or Same-Gender Loving, be at least 55 years old, and make a lasting or impactful mark on our community and nation. View past honorees and watch past programs at www.nbjc.org.

Nominate your heroes HERE.

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) is Tuesday, February 7th. NBHAAD is an opportunity to address the disproportionate impact HIV continues to have on diverse Black communities, end HIV transmission, increase support for people living with HIV, and reduce stigma related to the virus. Below are some stats about HIV in the Black community:

In 2019, Black people comprised made up 13% of the population but 42% of the 36,801 new HIV diagnoses in the U.S.,

Black women accounted for 52% of new HIV diagnoses among women of all races in the U.S.

In 2020, 481,815 people in the Southern U.S. were living with HIV. 52.2% of those living with HIV in the South were Black.

Learn about how HIV affects the Black community and actions you can take on NBHAAD by downloading NBJC’s National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Toolkit. Stay tuned to NBJC’s social media platforms @NBJContheMove for a special live event on NBHAAD. You can learn more about our efforts for the day and download graphics on our website HERE.

HIV is Not A Crime Awareness Day (February 28th) is an opportunity to amplify the voices of those who have been criminalized based on their HIV status and advocate for HIV criminal law reform. Thirty-four states have laws that criminalize the behavior of HIV-positive people. No research supports the idea that HIV criminalization laws successfully reduce HIV transmission. These laws dissuade people from getting tested, seeking treatment, and disclosing their status for fear of prosecution.

NBJC supports the passage of the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act, which would modernize laws and policies and eliminate discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS. Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and encourage your congressional representatives to support the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act.