NURTURE • Education, Youth, & Person/Family Building

A community-rooted hub designed to cultivate thriving generations of Black LGBTQ+ people.

This pillar connects youth leadership development, educational access, family support, and intergenerational knowledge-sharing. It affirms Black queer life across the lifespan and nurtures the cultural, emotional, and material resources our communities need to flourish.

1. House & Ballroom Youth Leadership Institute

A culturally grounded leadership program for Black queer and trans youth ages 14–24, deeply rooted in the history, culture, and power of ballroom.

The Institute recognizes ballroom as a site of care, safety, and political education. This program merges culture, leadership, and practical life tools to prepare youth for autonomy, creativity, and community leadership.

2. Black LGBTQ Family Builders Program

A culturally affirming family support program that honors and strengthens Black queer-led families in all forms.

This program uplifts families navigating parenthood, youth care, and chosen-family structures. It emphasizes dignity, safety, and the right to parent and build family without discrimination.

This program acknowledges the many ways Black LGBTQ families form — biologically, through chosen family, or community — and ensures they receive respect and support.

3. The Queer Literacy & Liberation Lab

An intergenerational learning space advancing educational equity, cultural literacy, and self-determination for Black LGBTQ youth and adults.

This lab builds academic skills, creative literacy, and community knowledge through accessible, culturally rooted educational programs.

The Lab builds intellectual confidence, artistic expression, and practical tools that empower Black queer people to shape their futures.