June 18, 2020

Support LGBTQ people of colour

topic:	LGBT Rights
tags:	#LGBTQ issues, #LGBTQ refugees, #LGBTQ Rights, #racism, #systemic racism, #donate, #volunteer, #NGO
by:	Yair Oded

As Black Lives Matter protests proliferate across the globe, it is important to demand justice for queer people of colour - who are particularly vulnerable to violence, exclusion, police brutality, and oppression as they are often rejected by both their governments and communities. 

Queer people of colour are also more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental health issues due what is commonly referred to as ‘compounded minority stress’—being both queer and black or brown

These six organisations work to empower, protect, and advocate on behalf of LGBTQ people of colour. Please consider pledging a donation or otherwise supporting their efforts and amplifying their message.

African Rainbow Family (ARF) - a U.K.-based non-profit organisation that works to support and uplift black LGBTQ folks. Founded in 2014, the organisation provides critical support for queer refugees and asylum seekers of colour, campaigns for global LGBTQ rights and equality, stands against hate crimes, and provides support for people for queer people discriminated against, harassed, or otherwise abused due to their sexuality or gender expression.

The Okra Project  - a non-profit collective working to tackle the global pandemic of violence against Black Trans people by providing free home cooked, healthy meals as well as other resources and services. The organisation holds cooking training programs, runs an international grocery fund, and organises events and safe spaces for Black Trans people. 

UK Black Pride (UKBP) - a U.K.-based collective organising events and activities supporting and celebrating LGBTQ people of colour. UKBP also advocates for and promotes the “spiritual, emotional, and intellectual health” of LGBTQ individuals and communities of colour across the U.K 

Black Visions Coalition  - An organisation led by black, trans, and queer individuals working to abolish oppressive and violent systems, promote community-led safety projects in black communities, and shifting the public narrative around issues of racial justice in order to achieve long term societal changes.

Black Trans Femmes in the Arts (BTFA) Collective - a group working to connect, empower, and uplift black Trans and non-binary femmes working in the arts. The organisation has also been providing critical emergency support to black trans people protesting against police brutality and systemic racism. 

LGBTQ Freedom Fund - a U.S.-based organisation focusing on posting bail money to secure the freedom of low income queer people from jails and immigration facility. The organisation also works to raise awareness of the criminalisation of queer people and bring an end to this epidemic. As part of their work on immigration, the LGBTQ Freedom Fund secured the release of queer detainees from various countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and El Salvador. 

Image: The Okra Project