Austin Black Pride
Austin Black Pride (ABP) was an organization based in Austin, Texas, that focused on celebrating Austin’s black LGBT community.[1] ABP was founded in 2016 to embrace Austin’s black LGBTQI+ community’s interests, talents, and culture and organize a week-long event to appeal to the black LGBTQI+ community in Austin. According to their event page, ABP was founded to “preserve the culture and history, while also celebrating the evolution of Black LGBTQ folk.”[2][3] ABP won “Best Champions for Austin’s Blaqueers/QPOC Community” in 2018.[1]
Typical activities during the celebration included yoga, live music, panels, day parties, and more. In addition to the annual week-long celebration, ABP hosted various events throughout the year, such as art shows, brunches, and book groups that focused on the intersectionality of the black and LGBTQI+ communities to increase support. ABP organized testing events, self-defense classes, and focus groups and created safe places and programming events centered around black LGBTQI+ Austinites. ABP collaborated with the organizers of Austin Pride and helped with their annual event held in August.[4]
Background
Sheldon Darnell, the co-founder and president of Austin Black Pride, returned to Austin after his college graduation in 2015, hoping to find and connect with black LGBTQI+ communities. Although he discovered Beyond Brothas, an organization that created safe spaces for black LGBTQI+ men, Darnell still found that LGBTQI+ people of color were lacking representation in the city’s LGBTQI+ scenes. Thus, to gain more recognition, Darnell and several Beyond Brothas members organized the first Austin Black Pride celebration in 2016, providing people with opportunities to have fun, receive free HIV/STI testing, and connect with others. Over the years, ABP hosted more events and grew in popularity. It became a nonprofit organization and a resource for Austin’s black LGBTQI+ community.[5]
Dissolution
Austin Black Pride announced that they were dissolving on May 4, 2022, on Instagram. They thanked everyone who believed and invested in their organization. ABP dissolved due to the misappropriation of funds by a former board member. ABP wrote that this act “did not align with our mission, morals, and ethics to serve the community.”
Under the Instagram post announcing their dissolution, local LGBTQI+ organizations voiced their appreciation of the Austin Black Pride organization. The University of Texas at Austin's Gender and Sexuality Center stated its admiration for ABP’s transparency and leadership, and House of Lepore Mother, Ms. Girl6, wrote that ABP “changed the culture of Austin.”[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Scott, James (2022-05-04). "Austin Black Pride Dissolves". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
- ↑ Nicholus, Sarah (2017-04-04). "Austin Black Pride Wraps a Successful Second Year". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
- ↑ "2021 Austin Black Pride Celebration Set for June 8-13". Toast Media. 2021-06-03. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
- ↑ "Austin Black Pride 2021". www.austintexas.org. 2021-05-27. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
- ↑ Marloff, Sarah (2021-05-25). "Inside Sheldon Darnell's Fight for Racial Equity for Black LGBTQ Austinites". Austin Monthly Magazine. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
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