Lighthouse Foundation is a social justice organization concentrating on building Black LGBTQ+ equity across Chicagoland. By analyzing racial equity indicators, focusing on workforce development, and transforming institutions with anti-racism programs, Lighthouse Foundation is making a tangible difference in the lives of Black LGBTQ+ individuals. Learn more here!
What is the mission behind Lighthouse Foundation?
Lighthouse Foundation is a Black LGBTQ+ led, multiracial social justice organization that advances justice for Black LGBTQ+ people across Chicagoland through empowerment, education, and entertainment. We envision a Chicagoland in which Black LGBTQ+ people are safe, resourced, empowered, liberated, and flourishing. Since our founding in 2019, we’ve partnered with over 20 organizations, hosted thousands of participants at community events, and created the first Black Queer Equity Index in the United States.
Can you tell me about the BQEI?
Our racial justice organizing began in response to a series of racist incidents that unfolded in Chicago’s gayborhood and culminated in removing a racist security firm from the largest LGBTQ+ center in the Midwest. Now, our flagship program is the Black Queer Equity Index, a participatory action project to improve how nonprofits treat Black LGBTQ+ board members and staff. We are evaluating workplace cultures through publishing an annual report card and offering actionable interventions. BQEI works towards collaborative accountability, improves employment opportunities, and addresses the root causes of systemic inequity. Our respondents emphasized the need for culturally responsive tools to foster Black LGBTQ+ mobility within the IL nonprofit sector, which employs over 600,000 people.
What have you learned from the BQEI?
We launched the BQEI by evaluating the workplace culture of Chicago’s largest nonprofits addressing LGBTQ+ health. We analyzed human resource data, surveys, interviews, and focus groups, and found that 100% of Black LGBTQ+ board members and employees reported experiencing marginalization. Many feel frustrated by initiatives that prioritize optical diversity over the real work of anti-racism. Five key themes emerged in our research on how to change this: resource allocation, giving voice and power, professional development, systemic action, and data collection. We base our next steps on the results of the BQEI. We’re working on developing professionals, creating a grading scale for equity indicators, and scaling our impact.
What do your other programs entail?
The arts are an integral medium of self-care, healing, and justice, and so we infuse them throughout our work. Our signature art program is Voices of Light, a collective of musical performers that celebrate the Black LGBTQ+ talent, resilience, and joy. VOL provides artistic and professional development opportunities while paying Black LGBTQ+ artists a thriving wage. We understand spirituality broadly, as fostering emotional well- being and encouraging healthy communal practices. Our Black LGBTQ+ Caucus meets monthly to design community programming. We’ve offered over 50 events ranging from LGBTQ+ Family Day to a Pride Skate Party and Self-Care Events – all to build self-worth and community as a social determinant of health.
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