THE PROCESS OF BEING REIN
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LGBTQ+ STATE OF EMERGENCY FROM THE HBCU PROGRAM
THE QUEER RENAISSANCE SYLLABUS
SYLLABUS OVERVIEW
SECTION 01: SYLLABUS BREAKDOWN
SYLLABUS BREAKDOWN BY TRACKLIST
EMPOWERMENT AND SELF-ACCEPTANCE
INTERSECTIONALITY AND INCLUSIVITY
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ACTIVISM
ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND STORYTELLING
RESILIENCE AND OVERCOMING ADVERSITY
LEGACY AND HISTORY
SECTION 02: HOUSE OF RENAISSANCE
JUDGES YOUR SCORES
THEE HOUSES OF BALLROOM
ADDITIONAL SOURCES
SYLLABUS
LGBTQ+ STATE OF EMERGENCY
IN A HISTORIC MOVE, THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN, AMERICA'S LARGEST LGBTQ+ CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, HAS DECLARED A NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, MARKING A MOMENT OF UTMOST SIGNIFICANCE IN THEIR FOURDECADE HISTORY
THIS DECLARATION EMPHASIZES THE PRESSING NEED FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION, ACTION, AND SUPPORT TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES FACED BY LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. BY RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THIS STATE OF EMERGENCY, THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AIMS TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES, GALVANIZE ADVOCACY EFFORTS, AND FOSTER A COLLECTIVE RESPONSE TO COMBAT SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION, VIOLENCE, AND MARGINALIZATION
THIS DECLARATION SERVES AS A POWERFUL CALL TO ACTION, URGING INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITIES TO UNITE IN THE PURSUIT OF EQUALITY, JUSTICE, AND THE PROTECTION OF THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.
VISIT HRC.IM/EMERGENCY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STATE OF EMERGENCY AND RESOURCES TO FIGHT BACK!
FROM THE HBCU PROGRAM
WE ARE THRILLED TO INTRODUCE THE QUEER RENAISSANCE SYLLABUS, AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE DESIGNED TO CELEBRATE THE BEAUTY, BRILLIANCE, AND RESILIENCE OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AS THE HBCU PROGRAM AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN, WE ARE EXCITED TO SHARE THIS RESOURCE WITH YOU AND INVITE YOU TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY.
INSPIRED BY THE AWARD-WINNING ALBUM RENAISSANCE BY BEYONCÉ AND THE RESILIENCE OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, THIS SYLLABUS AIMS TO AMPLIFY DIVERSE VOICES, EMPOWER COMMUNITIES PUSHED TO THE MARGINS, AND PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY AND A SENSE OF BELONGING WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT DECLARATION OF A NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY BY THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN, THIS SYLLABUS BECOMES EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT. IT SERVES AS A POWERFUL TOOL TO NAVIGATE THESE CHALLENGING TIMES AND FOSTER A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE EXPERIENCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS.
AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION, WE STRIVE TO ACHIEVE LGBTQ+ EQUALITY BY INSPIRING AND ENGAGING INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES. THROUGH OUR HBCU PROGRAM, WE WORK TO EMPOWER LEADERS, ELIMINATE STIGMA, AND ENRICH THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE FOR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS AND THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION, EQUALITY, AND SOCIAL PROGRESS. IN SOLIDARITY, HRC HBCU PROGRAM
THE QUEER RENAISSANCE SYLLABUS
THE QUEER RENAISSANCE SYLLABUS DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM BEYONCÉ'S RENOWNED ALBUM, RENAISSANCE, AND THE INCLUSIVE ESSENCE OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY. JUST AS BEYONCÉ'S MUSIC CELEBRATES DIVERSE VOICES, THIS RESOURCE AIMS TO DELVE INTO THE RICH SPECTRUM OF LGBTQ+ EXPERIENCES AND EXPRESSIONS.
TAILORED FOR EDUCATORS, YOUTH-SERVING PROFESSIONALS, DEI PRACTITIONERS, HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERS, AND ADMIRERS OF BEYONCÉ'S ARTISTRY, THIS GUIDE ENCOURAGES MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS, ENRICHES LESSON PLANS, AND EXPLORES INNOVATIVE WAYS TO HONOR THE VIBRANCY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR CULTURE. AMID ATTEMPTS TO BAN BOOKS AND ERASE DIVERSE IDENTITIES, THIS SYLLABUS STANDS FIRM AS A TESTAMENT TO OUR UNWAVERING RESISTANCE AGAINST UNJUST ATTACKS ON THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE THIS SYLLABUS AS A STARTING POINT AND NOT A DESTINATION. WE HAVE PROVIDED ONLY A SNAPSHOT OF RESOURCES THAT EXIST AND A FRACTION OF AUTHORS AND SCHOLARS.
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION TOGETHER SERVE AS AMERICA'S LARGEST CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION WORKING TO ACHIEVE LGBTQ+ EQUALITY. BY INSPIRING AND ENGAGING INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES, HRC STRIVES TO END DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LGBTQ+ PEOPLE AND REALIZE A WORLD THAT ACHIEVES FUNDAMENTAL FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY FOR ALL.
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN ENVISIONS A WORLD WHERE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER AND QUEER PEOPLE PLUS COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO USE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE IDENTITY ARE ENSURED EQUALITY AND EMBRACED AS FULL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY AT HOME, AT WORK AND IN EVERY COMMUNITY
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM
HRC FOUNDATION’S HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCU) PROGRAM FOCUS ON PROMOTING INDIVIDUAL COMPETENCIES AND COLLECTIVE ACTION, EMPOWERING LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, AND BUILDING A NETWORK OF COMMITTED LEADERS IN PURSUIT OF ELIMINATING STIGMA AND ENRICHING THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE FOR LGBTQ STUDENTS AND THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY.
CURATORS:
LESLIE HALL | JUSTIN CALHOUN | CHAUNA LAWSON
OUR GROUNDING AND SYLLABUS OVERVIEW
THE QUEER RENAISSANCE SYLLABUS DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM BEYONCÉ'S RENAISSANCE ALBUM, INTEGRATING THE INSIGHTS OF OUR ANCESTORS AND PREVIOUS MOVEMENTS. WE EXPLORE THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE, LGBTQ+ RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND BLACK FEMINIST MOVEMENT, IDENTIFYING SEVEN GUIDING THEMES
THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE, A VIBRANT CULTURAL MOVEMENT IN 1920S HARLEM, CELEBRATED BLACK ART AND CHALLENGED RACIAL STEREOTYPES. IT DEMANDED EQUAL RIGHTS WHILE RECOGNIZING AFRICAN AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS. IN PARALLEL, THE LGBTQ+ RIGHTS MOVEMENT FOUGHT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY, ACHIEVING MILESTONES IN LEGAL PROTECTIONS AND SOCIETAL ATTITUDES
BEYONCÉ'S RENAISSANCE ALBUM, ALTHOUGH NOT DIRECTLY LINKED, SHARES THEMES OF EMPOWERMENT AND SOCIAL CHANGE. HER ARTISTRY SHEDS LIGHT ON MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, CHALLENGING SOCIETAL NORMS THESE MOVEMENTS PROVIDE PLATFORMS FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES TO RECLAIM THEIR NARRATIVES, CHALLENGE STEREOTYPES, AND DEMAND EQUALITY
UNDERSTANDING THESE MOVEMENTS' HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS HELPS US APPRECIATE PROGRESS AND ONGOING WORK TOWARDS EQUALITY. BY STUDYING AND REFLECTING UPON THEM, WE GAIN INSIGHT INTO THE CHALLENGES FACED BY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION IN EFFECTING CHANGE.
"WE HAVE TO STAND UP FOR OUR PEOPLE WITHOUT EXCEPTION. WE HAVE TO STAND FIRMLY AND UNWAVERING WITH OUR VALUES. NOT JUST DURING PRIDE MONTH. NOT JUST WITH A RAINBOW VERSION OF THE COMPANY LOGO. WE NEED OUR LEADERS TO SAY THE RIGHT THING AND DO THE RIGHT THING "
-
KELLEY ROBINSON,PRESIDENT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN (HRC NEWS - JUNE 1ST, 2023)
