User talk:Jourdan.barnes

Welcome!
Hello, Jourdan.barnes, and welcome to Wikipedia! My name is Adam and I work with the Wiki Education Foundation; I help support students who are editing as part of a class assignment.

I hope you enjoy editing here. If you haven't already done so, please check out the student training library, which introduces you to editing and Wikipedia's core principles. You may also want to check out the Teahouse, a community of Wikipedia editors dedicated to helping new users. Below are some resources to help you get started editing. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me on my talk page. Adam (Wiki Ed) (talk) 20:17, 10 September 2016 (UTC) Hello Jourdan. This is your partner, Taylor, just letting you know we should get together soon to discuss Wiki. — Preceding unsigned comment added by TaylorCrawford (talk • contribs) 14:16, 23 September 2016 (UTC)

Jourdan, Its Collin your partner. The info on your page seems interesting, I'd like to learn more! If you have any questions about the glass ceiling please don't hesitate to ask. — Preceding unsigned comment added by OGCollin (talk • contribs) 19:19, 25 November 2016 (UTC)

Bold text Topic Ideas Bold text

National Queer Arts Festival Center for black Equity Jourdan.barnes (talk) 13:20, 11 November 2016 (UTC)Jourdan Barnes

Collin - I feel like your contribution to the CBE is very informative. What i find interesting is the support system that is integrated within the Black LGBT community that is disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS and other discriminatory practices that ultimately affect the Black community. Those are serious issues that often can get overlooked and not considered in the history of not only minorities but sexual minorities The Black LGBT community is definitely making strives toward progress and working to earn full equality.

The Birth of Center of Black Equity:
The Center of Black Equity is a organization birthed from a history of pride in the LGBT community. Before it's time there were celebration of LGBT pride in DC hosted by the Club House a LGBT club that was occupied main by the Black LGBT community. The Club House started hosting what was called "Children's Hour" a themed party celebrated on Memorial Day. The "Children's Hour" brought members of the LGBT community together in celebration and awareness for each other. The Club House hosted this event for fifteen years before being forced to stop in 1990. Unfortunately, the Club House had to cease business due to financial problems and key members of the staff being affected by AIDS. After the Club House closed down there was a void left. Children's hour had been a unifying celebration for the LGBT community and all of sudden it was gone. This absence inspired a group of Black queer men and women to join together and carry out the legacy of "Children's Hour" and from there became Black Pride. This continuation of Black Pride events went on for eight years, expanding to multiple cites, states, and continents. In 1999 Welmore Cook, Theodore Kirkland and Ernest Hopkins, the founders of Black Pride, decided to create a more inclusive organization that would serve as a network that would connect all Black Prides together to have unifying message that would increase their chances of visibility, outreach to prevent and educate the Black LGBT community on HIV/AIDS, and funding opportunities. They would title this organization as the International Federation of Black Pride (IFBP). This network of encompassed Black Prides from all over the world ; Albany, NY; Buffalo, NY; Rochester, NY; Boston; New York City; Newark, NJ; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Baltimore; Washington, DC; Raleigh-Durham, NC; Charlotte; Columbia, SC; Atlanta; Jacksonville; Central Florida (Tampa); Jackson, MS; Memphis; Nashville; New Orleans; St. Louis; Indianapolis; Chicago; Detroit; Twin Cities (Minneapolis); Little Rock; Dallas; Austin; Portland; Los Angeles; San Diego; Toronto, Canada; London, UK and Johannesburg, South Africa. The following Black Prides are in the IFBP membership pipeline: Columbus, OH; Oakland, CA; Gainesville, FL; Orlando; Virginia Beach and Greensboro, NC. Also, Latino Prides in New York; Boston; Portland, OR; Chicago and Washington, DC. The IFBP organization decided that their brand wasn't aligning with their mission and services that had and is still growing today. On July 28th 2012, the board of IFBP decided to change there brand from International Federation of Black Pride to Center of Black Equity (CBE). This strategic move made by the IFBP allowed for more programs to be included underneath the Center of Black Equity umbrella. The organization was no longer a committee dedicated to one event during the year, the organization had began year round advocacy for social justice, HIV/AIDS awareness, and Black LGBT consiousness. Redefining IFBP to Center of Black Equity allow for all the work and programs to be included under this one organization.

Importance of Center of Black Equity
The Center of Black Equity serves as a beneficial tool for Black LGBT persons who deal with the duality of being black and LGBT. CBE is the only organization in the world strictly focused on the Black LGBT experience. The disproportionate affect of HIV/AIDS on the black LGBT community compared to their white counter parts serves as a driving force within CBE. The Black LGBT community also face work discrimination, issues in housing opportunity, and lack of medical access more than White LGBT persons. The Center of Black Equity intentionally networks with CBOs (Community Based Organizations) to reach to the Black LGBT community to do health screenings, and they assist in connecting them to care and making sure they stay in care. This support system is a integral part in the Black LGBT community that is disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, Black gay and bisexual men account for the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases in the United States. Black LGBT diagnoses of HIV is the highest for multiple reasons socioeconomic factors, smaller exclusive networks, and lack of awareness of HIV status are three major reasons that directly affect the Black community. The Black LGBT community needs an exclusive group that puts their needs at the forefront. The Center of Black Equity strives to meet the needs of the Black LGBT community not only by supporting the community, but having an organization with members who reflect the population being served.