9 LGBTQ+ Orgs to Support (From Home) in Texas
In case you’re new around here, Austin celebrates PRIDE in August. And although our celebrations were a bit different due to the pandemic this summer, Texas’ queer communities are still very much here. :)
We believe celebrating and amplifying LGBTQ+ voices in our community is a continued stay-at-home necessity. So, today, we’re highlighting nine Central Texas LGBTQ+ organizations that you can continue to support (from home) during COVID-19. Read on to learn more about their work and plug in.
MEET NINE LGBTQ+ ORGANIZATIONS AMPLIFYING QUEER VOICES IN TEXAS:
1.) allgo QPOC (@allgoqpoc): allgo celebrates and nurtures vibrant queer POC communities in Texas and beyond. They do this through cultural arts, wellness and social justice programming by: supporting artists and artistic expression, promoting health within a wellness model, and mobilizing and building coalitions in order to enact change.
HOW TO SUPPORT ALLGO RIGHT NOW: You can fill out their Sex & COVID anonymous survey, volunteer, and donate directly to allgo via their website.
2.) House of Rebirth (@houseofrebirth): The House of Rebirth is a transformative initiative and community safe space led by Black Trans Women to assist Black Trans Women affected by oppression. They provide avenues for housing, job placement, counseling and other lifesaving resources in the North Texas area.
HOW TO SUPPORT HOUSE OF REBIRTH RIGHT NOW: You can donate directly to House of Rebirth via their website.
3.) Montrose Grace Place (@montrosegraceplace): Montrose Grace Place provides a safe, welcoming environment for vulnerable homeless youth of all sexualities and genders, providing nourishment, healthy relationships, and hope for the future.
HOW TO SUPPORT MONTROSE GRACE PLACE RIGHT NOW: Montrose Grace Place is currently in need of masculine athletic shorts in all sizes, feminine shorts in all sizes, medium and small leggings and stretch pants, and small feminine t-shirts. They are currently also in need of masculine interview clothes in all sizes. You can volunteer, contact them and donate directly at montrosegraceplace.org.
4.) Kind Clinic (@kindclinic): Kind Clinic was founded in 2015 with the vision of providing sexual wellness and health for all. Since then, they have become a leader in providing Central Texans access to PrEP, PEP, STI Testing and Treatment, HIV Testing and Care, Gender Care, and Telekind, their Telehealth service. Kind Clinic strives to deliver measurable impact for its community by providing state-of-the-art sexual health services to all people, regardless of race, creed, gender or sexual orientation, without judgment or stigma.
HOW TO SUPPORT KIND CLINIC RIGHT NOW: You can show your support for Kind Clinic by volunteering with them or donating here.
5.) Project BAE (@bae_yourself): A program of AIDS Services of Austin (now Vivient Health), Project BAE is an individualized opportunity for young adults (18-24) to have a conversation with a mentor about their substance use, mental and sexual health.
HOW TO SUPPORT PROJECT BAE RIGHT NOW: You can contact Project BAE directly by shooting them a message via Instagram or Facebook to see how you can best get involved with them right now. :)
6.) Transform Houston (@transformhou): Transform Houston is a grassroots campaign led by a diverse coalition of Houstonians committed to making a city where people live free from discrimination. They are committed to improve the lives and legal protections for transgender and gender nonconforming people, and LGBTQ+ people of color.
HOW TO SUPPORT TRANSFORM HOUSTON RIGHT NOW: You can sign their pledge to show your support for transgender and gender nonconforming people, sign up to volunteer to canvass, share your story with them, or donate directly to their organization via their website.
7.) Queerbomb Austin (@queerbombaustin): Erupting every year on the first Saturday in June in downtown Austin, Queerbomb is a radically inclusive Pride march and rally organized by and for Austin’s Queer community in order to celebrate the beauty and diversity of our varied genders and sexualities.
HOW TO SUPPORT QUEERBOMB AUSTIN RIGHT NOW: You can donate to Queerbomb directly to keep the event free in the future. :)
8.) Austin Black Pride (@atxblackpride): Austin Black Pride was recreated in 2016 with queer POC in mind. The founders of Austin Black Pride (ABP) saw that Austin was lacking in spaces and programming that catered to the unique needs of its Black LGBTQ+ community. Austin Black Pride was not created to further divide, bash, or belittle non-Black LGBTQ+ communities; but to instead preserve the culture and history, while also celebrating the evolution of Black LGBTQ+ folk. Their mission is to transform the living and social environments of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) people of color with a focus on Black LGBTQ+ individuals. They aim to create multicultural opportunities that educate, celebrate, and empower LGBTQ+ individuals of color through the creation and/or facilitation of culturally specific programs, policy, advocacy, partnerships, and relationship building.
HOW TO SUPPORT AUSTIN BLACK PRIDE RIGHT NOW: You can show your support and donate directly to Austin Black Pride via their website or by donating to their Venmo or CashApp (both AtxBlackPride).
9.) Thee Gay Agenda (@thee.gay.agenda): Thee Gay Agenda exists to create a platform for queer artists to be discovered, seen, & connect with other like-minded creatives to make space for otherness everywhere.
HOW TO SUPPORT THEE GAY AGENDA RIGHT NOW: With the help of Austin Black Pride, Thee Gay Agenda has launched Thee Learning Factory Fund: a set of funds that are allocated to subsidize the cost of materials and their series of online workshops for Black and queer individuals who wish to participate. This includes journals, tarot decks, jump rings, stained glass materials, and more. Attendance to Thee Learning Factory is free for all Black and Indigenous folks. To inquire about writing for their blog, becoming a member, attending Thee Learning Factory, or donating, shoot them an email at hello@theegayagenda.com or DM them on Instagram.
LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED?
Check out everything we’re doing virtually for women and nonbinary creatives and leaders (plus the people who support them) here.