Black Rainbow exists because the world has yet to make room for us as we are. This is not merely a response to the challenges we face. It is an assertion of our rightful place in the fight for freedom and equality. Black Rainbow is a declaration that we will no longer accept invisibility, silence, or incremental progress. Our mission is bold: to build a world where Black LGBTQ+ people are seen, heard, valued, and protected—not as an afterthought but as a central force for justice.
We aRe queeR.
Black Rainbow was born out of a recognition that our survival requires action. This work is about more than resistance—it is about creating a future where we thrive, where our identities are celebrated rather than scrutinized, where our health is prioritized, where our voices drive policy, and where our collective power reshapes society. Black Rainbow is not just a movement; it is a reclamation of dignity, agency, and belonging.
We aRe unaPologetiC.
We fight not only for ourselves but for the soul of this nation. In the face of these precarious times, we refuse to cower. Instead, we stand boldly, shoulder to shoulder with all who are willing to fight for justice, equity, and freedom. We believe in the promise of democracy, and we will not let it falter.
We are the architects and builders of our liberation—and we are just getting started!
FoR geneRations, BlaCk queeR and lgBtq+
PeoPle haVe Been the BaCkBone oF liBeRation MoVeMents, CaRRying the Weight oF Change e Ven as ouR ContRiButions WeRe MiniMized, ouR identities eRased, and ouR needs ignoRed.
We haVe Bled, PRotested, oRganized, and saCRiFiCed—yet WeRe FoRCed to FRagMent ouRselVes: BlaCk in one sPaCe, queeR in anotheR, RaRely seen as Whole.
today, BlaCk lgBtq+ liVes—and deMoCRaCy itselF—FaCe an existential thReat as FoRCes
dRiVen By White suPReMaCy, ChRistian nationalisM, and authoRitaRianisM aRe deteRMined to uPend the aMeRiCan deMoCRatiC exPeRiMent, ClaW BaCk haRd-Won CiVil Rights, and disRuPt FReedoMs guaRanteed By Both CReatoR and Constitution.
ouR Fight is not MeRely FoR suRViVal, But FoR the undeniaBle Right to exist, Belong, and thRiVe—Fully and authentiCally—in this nation.
o R igin
FRoM BqlC to BlaCk RainBoW
The Black Queer Leadership Collective (BQLC) was born from urgency and resistance. In 2022, the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade signaled a broader rollback of civil rights— from gender-affirming care and trans rights to voting rights and marriage equality. For Black LGBTQ+ communities, it was clear: Collective power was essential to overcome the growing attacks.
Over the following year, BlaqOut led conversations with Black queer leaders across Kansas City, Missouri, uncovering a shared frustration: local leaders were often sidelined or tokenized. In October 2023, after months of strategic planning, BlaqOut convened 30 Black LGBTQ+-led organizations and leaders for a pivotal gathering, “Unmasked.” From this, the BQLC emerged—a local coalition dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers, building political power, and advocating for Black queer lives.
kansas City and Beyond
While BQLC focused on Kansas City, BlaqOut’s leadership simultaneously engaged national partners. At major conferences, dozens of Black queer leaders and activists gathered in impromptu “think tanks.” Across these conversations, a clear consensus emerged: the fight for Black LGBTQ+ justice needed a new national front.
Black Rainbow was created to meet that need. As BQLC’s successor, Black Rainbow builds on local impact to catalyze national change. Serving as a public advocate and backbone organization, Black Rainbow seeks to connect grassroots movements nationwide, drive transformative policy agendas, and builds leadership pipelines for Black queer advocates.
Black Rainbow isn’t just an idea—it’s a national movement for Black queer liberation: urgent, unyielding, and unstoppable.
P u RP ose
We are living in a time when the fight for racial justice and LGBTQ+ rights often seem separate. But for Black LGBTQ+ people, the struggle is relentless and intertwined. In every system—healthcare, housing, employment, policing—Black LGBTQ+ individuals face exclusion, discrimination, and violence. Black Rainbow exists because this must change. We will be the national organization that refuses to let our people be forgotten in the broader civil rights movements.
The truth is, Black LGBTQ+ lives have always been on the frontline of justice—from the Stonewall riots to the racial uprisings of today. Yet, despite our pivotal role in shaping these movements, we are the most vulnerable, the most marginalized.
BlaCk RainBoW is a MoVeMent FoR BlaCk lgBtq+ liBeRation.
We are here to dismantle the barriers that keep Black LGBTQ+ people oppressed and assert our right to live fully, without fear. We are on a mission to seize the moment—demanding justice, equity, and safety for all Black LGBTQ+ individuals through direct political action, policy reform, and collective power. We center the voices of Black LGBTQ+ people in our struggle to dismantle systems of oppression and create a world where we thrive—not just survive. We refuse to let another generation of Black LGBTQ+ lives be marginalized, erased, or excluded from political power. We will disrupt systems that deny us safety and demand a future where Black LGBTQ+ people stand empowered.
Black Rainbow’s vision is to reclaim and reimagine the world for Black LGBTQ+ people. It’s about more than justice—it’s about joy. We envision a world where Black LGBTQ+ lives are valued, protected, and celebrated. Where healthcare, education, and housing are not privileges but guarantees. Where our voices lead the fight for freedom, and our identities are celebrated as sources of power, not persecution. We seek nothing less than the full liberation of Black LGBTQ+ people.
CollaBoRation, not CoMPetition
BlaCk RainBoW is not heRe to RePliCate oR diMinish the WoRk oF otheRs But to Fill the gaPs that still exist in addRessing the unique, inteRseCtional needs oF BlaCk lgBtq+ PeoPle.
While We deePly ResPeCt and aCknoWledge the WoRk that is Being done By otheR gRouPs, the Reality is that BlaCk lgBtq+ PeoPle Continue to exPeRienCe disPRoPoRtionate haRM in neaRly e VeRy asPeCt oF liFe.
ouR goal is not to RePlaCe oR CoMPete With otheR oRganizations. instead, We seek to WoRk in solidaRity, aMPliFying the VoiCes oF
BlaCk lgBtq+ PeoPle in a Way that no otheR gRouP has Made its CentRal FoCus. We Belie Ve in CollaBoRation—ensuRing that the Most MaRginalized aMong us aRe not only inCluded But aRe leading the ChaRge.
BlaCk RainBoW is CoMMitted to Building a uniFied FRont that WoRks alongside otheRs While ensuRing that BlaCk lgBtq+ PeoPle aRe no longeR sidelined in the Fight FoR justiCe and liBeRation.
B la C k R ain B o W is a M o V e M ent R ooted in the R adi C al B elie F that W e dese RV e B ette R.
B ut W e C an ’ t a C hie V e this in isolation . this W o R k de M ands that W e
M o V e B eyond indi V idual a C hie V e M ents and stand as a uni F ied F o RC e — a F o RC e that W on ’ t B e silen C ed , e R ased , o R igno R ed .
l et’s set ou R sights high. l et’s da R e to B elie V e in ou R C olle C ti V e P o W e R .
l et’s B uild a F utu R e W he R e Bla C k quee R indi V iduals not only su RV i V e B ut
th R i V e. t ogethe R , W e C an P a V e the W ay F o R P ositi V e
C hange and CR eate a
BR ighte R F utu R e F o R Bla C k quee R P eo P le.
C o R e V alues
1 2 3 4 unyielding CoMMitMent to justiCe
liBeRation thRough inteRseCtionality
Our fight is intersectional because it must be. The struggles of Black LGBTQ+ people live at the crossroads of multiple systems of oppression, and our liberation must address every layer.
RadiCal CoMMunity-led leadeRshiP
The solutions to our problems come from us. Black Rainbow puts the leadership and decision-making power into the hands of Black LGBTQ+ people. No one speaks for us but us.
healing and aFFiRMation
We believe that Black LGBTQ+ people deserve more than survival. We deserve to heal, to live in joy, and to have every aspect of our identity affirmed in a world built for our wellness.
We do not negotiate for incremental change in the face of unrelenting racism, homophobia, transphobia, and economic injustice. Black LGBTQ+ people deserve full justice, boldly and without compromise.
st R ategy
1. inteRseCtional PoliCy adVoCaCy: Fighting FoR ouR Right to exist
2. RadiCal CoMMunity eMPoWeRMent: leadeRshiP FRoM the FRontlines
3. holistiC healthCaRe: healing the Whole PeRson
4. ColleCtiVe iMPaCt: suPPoRting tRue alignMent FoR PoWeRFul Results
5. Coalition Building: CRoss-MoVeMent oRganizing
W hy o R ganize ?
At the heart of every movement for justice is a profound truth: change does not happen by chance; it happens by design. For centuries, systemic oppression has been designed and sustained to marginalize Black LGBTQ+ people, silencing our voices, erasing our identities, and limiting our potential. In response, we must be equally deliberate and intentional in organizing to dismantle these systems and build something better—something freer, fairer, and reflective of our full humanity.
oRganizing is hoW We ReClaiM PoWeR.
When we organize, we transform isolation into solidarity, despair into action, and invisibility into visibility. Organizing connects us—across cities and states, across struggles and identities—and allows us to channel our collective strength toward meaningful change. It is through organizing that we can:
• Hold systems accountable: From discriminatory laws to underfunded health programs, systemic inequities will not change unless we demand it. Organizing gives us the tools to challenge policies and practices that harm Black LGBTQ+ people.
• Build political power: We cannot afford to be absent from decision-making spaces. Organizing ensures that Black LGBTQ+ people are represented—not as a token presence but as a driving force for change.
• Create safe spaces: In a world that often denies our existence, organizing allows us to carve out spaces where Black LGBTQ+ people can gather, heal, and grow together.
Why noW?
The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated. Across the country, attacks on civil rights, voting rights, and LGBTQ+ freedoms are intensifying. The rise of hate-fueled ideologies threatens the very fabric of our democracy and the safety of our communities. Black LGBTQ+ people are uniquely and disproportionately impacted by these attacks, standing at the dangerous intersections of racism, homophobia, transphobia, and economic injustice.
Yet, amid these challenges lies an opportunity: to mobilize, to resist, and to lead. Black Rainbow was born from the recognition that our liberation cannot be an afterthought in broader movements for racial justice or LGBTQ+ rights. We must organize for ourselves, by ourselves, ensuring that our voices are central to the fight for justice.
oRganizing is hoW We Build a FutuRe WoRth liVing in.
At Black Rainbow, we believe that organizing is not just a strategy—it is an act of faith in our collective power. When we come together, we rewrite the narrative. We demand healthcare that centers our humanity, policies that protect our livelihoods, and a society that sees our existence as vital, not expendable.
We oRganize BeCause We haVe no otheR ChoiCe.
We oRganize BeCause ouR liVes dePend on it.
We oRganize BeCause We aRe the aRChiteCts oF ouR liBeRation.
W hat ’ s next
Black Rainbow is a national civil rights movement, born from urgency and led by Black LGBTQ+ people, for Black LGBTQ+ people. We will not wait for permission. We will not ask for incremental change. We demand a future of justice, liberation, and joy for every Black LGBTQ+ person. We will fight tirelessly until it is realized.
This is our movement, and we will not stop until Black LGBTQ+ lives are fully seen, fully heard, and fully free. Now, we build.
Here’s a high-level view of what’s next:
• a national BlaCk lgBtq+ ConVening
• a national sign-on stateMent and Pledge
• BlaCk RainBoW ChaPteRs and ResouRCe huBs
• PolitiCal PoWeR-Building & leadeRshiP PiPeline
• ReseaRCh that dRiVes aCtion
• CultuRe, Media, and Message MoBilization
• RaPid-ResPonse solidaRity Fund
This is the beginning. We are building something beautiful, something necessary, and something unstoppable.
Black Rainbow is rising. Join us. Build with us!
join the M o V e M ent
talk stRategy
Be a part of something truly groundbreaking! Scan the QR code to connect with BlaqOut’s Power Team, the hub of our public policy and advocacy work, and discuss how you can contribute to driving meaningful change.
Make an inVestMent
Change requires resources, and every contribution counts! Scan the QR code to make a direct investment in a future that empowers and uplifts the lives of Black LGBTQ+ people.
sign uP
Ready to take action? Scan the QR code to join the movement and stay informed on how you can make a tangible difference.
Mission
BlaqOut’s mission is to create a community where Black people of queer and trans experience are connected and supported, have access to safe spaces, and enjoy sufficient resources to help them thrive. Our mission is summarized in this mantra and emblazoned on our hearts: Our Lives. Our Health. Our Way.
Vision
BlaqOut’s vision is a world where all Black people of queer and trans experience live with dignity and are free from racial injustice and health inequity.
stay ConneCted
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates on our progress. Our handle is the same across all social platforms: @blaqoutkc. Learn more about us at our website blaqout.org, or email us at hello@blaqout.org.
