Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s HBCU Program Celebrates HBCU Out Loud Day
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Posted By: Reginald Culpepper on October 18, 2023 The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF), the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, and its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) program are proud to celebrate “HBCU Out Loud Day” – an initiative created to foster safe spaces for Black queer students on HBCU campuses across the country. Celebrated annually on the third Wednesday of October, HBCU Out Loud Day was established as a part LGBTQ+ History Month to inspire the next generation of queer leaders by commemorating the strides made by trailblazers in our community. The participating universities will facilitate LGBTQ+ focused campus initiatives to increase awareness around the Black queer college experience. “Celebrating HBCU Out Loud Day during LGBTQ+ History Month makes me so proud because it serves as a reminder of all the strides we’ve made in the Black, Queer community,” said HBCU Program Director, Leslie Hall. “Although there is still work to be done, witnessing these dynamic young people living out loud with no apologies is so inspiring and fuels our efforts of continued support for Black queer youth.” The 11 universities participating in HBCU Out Loud Day include Alcorn State University in Alcorn, MS; Bowie State University in Bowie, MD; Dillard University in New Orleans, LA; Howard University in Washington, DC; Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky; Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia; Prairie View A&M State University in Prairie View, Texas; Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama; Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi; Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina; Xavier University in New Orleans, LA. Studies suggest that Black LGBTQ+ students choose to attend HBCUs because they desire a college experience that centers their racial identity and cultural perspective. Despite the comradery associated with attending an HBCU, many Black queer youth feel ostracized by the Black community due to tensions surrounding race, sexuality and gender identity. HBCU Out Loud Day exists to create a space where Black queer youth can feel fully embraced for the intersectionality and understand that there is pride in all their identities. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Reginald Culpepper
President, Fulfillment and Web Services, HBCUCONNECT Clark Atlanta University class of 1998 Member Since September 2000 |
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