Our community has been built on the need for resources and support, and sectors in our community have also been called to create organizations that enrich and serve their own specific needs. One such organization is the San Diego LGBTQ Coalition. The Coalition has been working on the social, political, and economic advancement of the diverse San Diego Black LGBTQ community. We talked to its members and wanted to hear more about its start, the importance of LGBTQ History in Black History and the future.
Can you give us a little background on the Coalition?
The San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition is a nonprofit 501Β©3 organization, originally founded as a program in 2015 but became a nonprofit in 2021. The Coalition was formed by a group of Black LGBTQ leaders who noticed an absence in centralized resources, programming and services for the Black LGBTQ+ community and the coalition became their way of creating a space for Black LGBTQ+ folx to go to feel they had a place, they had a home, they belonged. Arose was our mission βto build a united front of diverse Black LGBTQ community members for our social, political, and economic advancement by forming a central hub for San Diego Black LGBTQ lifeβ with a vision of ββ¦a strong, sustained and connected Black LGBTQ Community in San Diegoβ. Over the years, the coalition formed into a nonprofit as we learned the importance of having individuals impacted the most in positions of power to make decisions with and for the community. As a reflection, we believed it was necessary for Black LGBTQ+ leaders to be able to make community informed decisions independently which has provided more fluidity, liberation and freedom while working to reshape structures to be most helpful for our work and the community. At this point, the Coalition has moved from an annual budget of $5k to hosting the annual San Diego Black Pride celebration, emergency Black Transgender Funds, emergency funds for Black LGBTQ+ individuals, hosting quarterly mini-balls and being a financial sponsor to local Kiki balls, maintaining our Damon J. Shearer Academic Scholarship Fund which awarded $20k in scholarship funds last year, and more.
What is the importance of remembering that LGBTQ History is part of Black History?
There is an intersection between LGBTQ and Black history as we have had countless, often unsung Black LGBTQ leaders that propelled this country forward many times during episodes of great strife, fighting through racism and overt acts of oppression while trying to find safe places to be themselves especially during times when being who you are could land you in jail or worse. Black history has included many Black LGBTQ+ leaders or strong Black LGBTQ+ allies, such as Bayard Rustin who was a confidant to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, one of his right-hand men and civil rights activist, Marsha P. Johnson, a Transgender activist who helped start the Stonewall Movement 50+ years ago in New York City, Langston Hughes, novelist, writer, and playwright often with undertones of homosexuality during a time where separate but equal was legal and many more that have led us to where we are today. Our ancestors led us to where we are, but it becomes up to us to continue to take the world where they always dreamt of but couldnβt fully reimagine. Today Black history consists of many stories (history, herstory, their story) including Laverne Cox, Lil Nas X, Rhoyle Ivy King, Tracie Oβ Brien, Larue Fields, Lady Pepper, and Alphonso David to name a few. Each of these incredible leaders walks in the steps of our Black ancestors that inspired us to walk even further than can be imagined. Without our often-unsung Black LGBTQ+ leaders who were brave enough to fight the multilayers of racism, oppression, homophobia and transphobia, our world couldnβt be what it is today and though we still have far to go, weβve come so far already. We can do this!
What events or programs do you guys have coming up?
The San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition has several things coming up. Feel free to check out our Black LGBTQ+ Human Book Experience at the Valencia Park/Malcolm X Library on February 11th, 2023, from 3pm-5:30pm in partnership with the San Diego Black Artist Collective and the San Diego Public Library. This will be an interactive experience to have intentional, educational conversations about stigma, racism, transphobia, homophobia, misogyny, and ways we can continue to stand up against hate. This event will also include a poetry slam along with free food, raffles, prizes and more. Also check out our Coalition produced docuseries Intersectional Lens: Part 1 β The Black, Queer & Trans Experience at the San Diego Black Film Festival April 26-30, 2023, the first of its kind in San Diego highlighting and uplifting the Black LGBTQ experience from a multitude of intersectional lens. San Diego Black Pride 2023 is also right around the corner. Keep your eyes out for more information on San Diego Black Pride 2023 being released soon and check out our website at https://www.sdblackcoalition.org/ or email me at [email protected] if interested in becoming a sponsor for San Diego Black Pride 2023. This yearβs Black Pride will incorporate a partnership with the Imperial Court de San Diego, return of the Meet Me at the Back Mini Ball Volume 4, and our infamous Black Pride Pool Party. Stay tuned, this is a 4-day event you arenβt going to want to miss!!
How can the community get involved?
Check out our website at https://www.sdblackcoalition.org/ where you can follow us on Facebook or IG as well as stay up to date on upcoming events including our quarterly Community Engagement Forums, both in person and virtual. If youβd like to donate to support local Black LGBTQIA+ programming, services, and events, please visit our website at https://www.sdblackcoalition.org/support-us. If youβd like to volunteer for one of our programs or events, please reach out to our Community Relations Chair Paige Coe at [email protected]. As you continue this month, remember Black History is not limited to just one month. Black history has been made every month. Black history is our history and where would the world be without the Black community.
