LGBT Detroit

Last updated
LGBT Detroit
Founded1994 (1994) [1]
FounderCurtis Lipscomb [2]
Type 501(c)(3)
56-2393981
Focus LGBT communities
Location
Coordinates 42°21′54″N83°04′15″W / 42.36511°N 83.07089°W / 42.36511; -83.07089
Area served
Detroit, Michigan
Key people
Curtis Lipscomb (executive director) [1] [3]
Antonio L. Johnson-Seals (board president) [1]
Employees
6 [1]
Website www.lgbtdetroit.org
Formerly called
Kick Publishing Company (a for-profit business) and KICK – The Agency for LGBT African Americans

LGBT Detroit is a Michigan nonprofit organization serving the African American lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population of Detroit, and nearby communities. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

LGBT Detroit's mission is "to increase awareness of and support to Detroit's dynamic LGBT community through education and advocacy with integrity and pride." Their aim is to implement LGBT affirming programs, services, projects and special events; and to partner with other social justice organizations and allies with similar beliefs. [2] [4]

The organization is a member of CenterLink, [5] Midtown Detroit, Inc., the National Black Justice Coalition, Center for Black Equality, and the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce. [1]

History

LGBT Detroit began as Kick Publishing Company (a for-profit business) in 1994 [2] [5] by Curtis Lipscomb. [6] The publication was created to inform the LGBT community of issues relative to LGBT African Americans. Kick Publishing Company was the third black LGBT media company created in America. The publication and various other publications were distributed to national gay and straight retailers. The publishers of magazine soon got involved in sponsoring many LGBT events, and ultimately in 1996 members of the staff of KICK! Magazine created and formed the non-profit Detroit Black Gay Pride, Inc., the organizers of Hotter Than July!, [2] which is Detroit's black LGBT weekend pride celebration. [1]

The organization was founded as a nonprofit organization, known as KICK – The Agency for LGBT African Americans, in 2003 with the help of Detroit LGBT residents. The organization moved into an office in Midtown Detroit in 2007. [1]

In 2011, The Center in Detroit opened to provide the LGBT and allied community a safe meeting space in Detroit. [1]

The organization began discussing its name and brand in June 2013, and in May 2015 changed its name from KICK to LGBT Detroit. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Ellis (activist)</span> American LGBT rights activist

Ruth Charlotte Ellis was an African-American woman known for being an LGBT rights activist and the oldest surviving open lesbian at the age of 101. Her life is celebrated in Yvonne Welbon's documentary film Living With Pride: Ruth C. Ellis @ 100.

<i>QSaltLake</i>

QSaltLake is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) news and entertainment magazine published monthly by Gay Salt Lake Inc. in Salt Lake City. The magazine is the feature publication for the corporation. Related publications, web sites and a nonprofit organization are among the corporate projects.

<i>Between the Lines</i> (newspaper) American LGBT newspaper

Between the Lines is an LGBT newspaper in the Michigan area. It is headquartered in Livonia, Metro Detroit. It is a member publication of the National Gay Media Association and is affiliated with Q Syndicate, an LGBT content provider founded in 1995.

Craig Covey is an American politician who served as Mayor of Ferndale, Michigan from 2008 to 2011. He was the second openly gay mayor elected in the state of Michigan. A Democrat, he resigned the office in 2010 to take a seat on the Oakland County Commission, where he served one term.

The Center for Black Equity is a coalition of Black gay pride organizers formed to promote a multinational network of LGBT/SGL Prides and community-based organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black gay pride</span> Movement in the United States for Black people in the LGBTQ+ community

The black gay pride movement is a global campaign tailored for black people who are also members of the LGBT community. Starting in the 1990s, black gay pride movements began as a way to provide black LGBT people an alternative to the largely white mainstream LGBT movement. According to some, white gay prides are seen to enforce, both consciously and unconsciously, a long history of ignoring the people of color who share in their experiences. The history of racial segregation seen in other organizations such as nursing associations, journalism associations, and fraternities is carried on into the black gay prides seen today. The exclusion of people of color in gay pride events is perceived by some to play into existing undertones of white superiority and racist political movements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equality Michigan</span> LGBTQ+ advocacy organization in Michigan, USA

Equality Michigan is an American civil rights, advocacy and anti-violence organization serving Michigan's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Equality Michigan serves Michigan's LGBT community through victims services, lobbying on behalf of the LGBT community, public education on LGBT issues, and organizing Michigan's largest LGBT events such as Motor City Pride. The organization is a founding member of the Equality Federation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motor City Pride</span> Annual LGBT event in Detroit, Michigan

Motor City Pride is an annual LGBT pride street festival, held in Hart Plaza in Detroit, Michigan the second Saturday and Sunday of June. Previously held in Ferndale, Michigan, the festival moved to Detroit in 2011. It is the largest LGBT event held in Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Bohnett Foundation</span>

The David Bohnett Foundation is a private foundation that gives grants to organizations that focus on its core giving areas – primarily Los Angeles area programs and LGBT rights in the United States, as well as leadership initiatives and voter education, gun violence prevention, and animal language research. As of 2022, the foundation has donated $125 million to nonprofit organizations and initiatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of African Americans in Detroit</span> History of African Americans in Detroit

Black Detroiters are black or African American residents of Detroit. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Black or African Americans living in Detroit accounted for 79.1% of the total population, or approximately 532,425 people as of 2017 estimates. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, of all U.S. cities with 100,000 or more people, Detroit had the second-highest percentage of Black people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hotter than July (festival)</span>

Hotter Than July! is an annual week-long black LGBT Pride celebration held annually since 1996 in Detroit, Michigan, which includes events each day culminating with a large festival on the final weekend. The Detroit Black Pride Society and KICK partner to produce Hotter Than July.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Houston</span>

Houston has a large and diverse LGBT population and is home to the 4th largest gay pride parade in the nation. Houston has the largest LGBT population of any city in the state of Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Metro Detroit</span>

The LGBT community in Metro Detroit is centered in Ferndale, Michigan, as of 2007. As of 1997, many LGBT people live in Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, and Royal Oak. Model D stated in 2007 that there are populations of gays and lesbians in some Detroit neighborhoods such as East English Village, Indian Village, Lafayette Park, and Woodbridge and that the concentration of gay bars in Detroit is "decentralized".

D.C.Black Pride is the first official black gay pride event in the United States and one of two officially recognized festivals for the African-American LGBT community. It is a program of the Center for Black Equity (CBE) and is also affiliated with the Capital Pride Alliance. DC Black Pride is held annually on Memorial Day weekend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Affirmations (Ferndale, Michigan)</span>

Affirmations is a Michigan nonprofit community center serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population of Ferndale, Michigan, and nearby communities.

Austin, Texas has one of the most prominent and active LGBT populations in the United States. Austin was acclaimed by The Advocate in 2012 as part of its Gayest Cities in America, and was recognized by Travel and Leisure as one of America's Best Cities for Gay Travel. Much of Austin's gay nightlife scene is clustered around 4th Street. LGBT activism groups Atticus Circle and Equality Texas are headquartered in Austin.

LGBT culture in St. Louis is strongly influenced by larger regional divisions, such as racial division and the city/county divide. Recorded history and resource flow have tended to prioritize white individuals and the city's central corridor, creating a perception of LGBT culture in St. Louis that does not always align with regional demographics. For the purposes of this article, St. Louis describes the metropolitan area, including neighboring counties in Missouri and Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Baltimore</span>

LGBT culture in Baltimore, Maryland is an important part of the culture of Baltimore, as well as being a focal point for the wider LGBT community in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Mount Vernon, known as Baltimore's gay village, is the central hub of the city's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Washington, D.C.</span>

In Washington, D.C., LGBT culture is heavily influenced by the U.S. federal government and the many nonprofit organizations headquartered in the city.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Who We Are". lgbtdetroit.org. LGBT Detroit. Archived from the original on 2015-06-30. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Abbey-Lambertz, Kate (June 1, 2012). "Curtis Lipscomb, Kick Founder, Dedicates Time To Serving LGBT Black Community In Detroit". The Huffington Post . Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Proxmire, Crystal A. (January 24, 2013). "Movement Building: Community Center Network Connects Across Michigan". Between The Lines . Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "What We Do". lgbtdetroit.org. LGBT Detroit. Archived from the original on 2015-03-07. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
  5. 1 2 Michael, Jason A. (May 7, 2014). "KICK Changes Name To LGBT Detroit". Between The Lines. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.