Today on Juneteenth, and in recognition of the ongoing struggle for full Black liberation, Funders for LGBTQ Issues stands in solidarity with ABFE: A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities in their call for philanthropy to take action on anti-Black racism.

ABFE is the oldest affinity group in the country, borne out of a moment of both conflict and action, when Black leaders raised their voices to protest the lack of representation within philanthropy. Since their founding nearly 50 years ago, ABFE has worked to mobilize grantmaking entities, donors and nonprofits to improve outcomes for Black communities and the country as a whole. Funders for LGBTQ Issues is proud to have worked side by side with ABFE both as a close collaborative partner and as a part of the CHANGE Philanthropy coalition for over 25 years. Now, we join ABFE in calling on philanthropy to respond to the impacts of COVID-19 and anti-Black racism by engaging in deep, transformative institutional change; supporting Black communities; and deploying an equity analysis in their work.

As ABFE highlights in their call to action, Black LGBTQ communities have been facing particularly alarming disparities even before the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic recession. Black LGBTQ people, particularly Black trans women, are all too often the victims of violence and police brutality. We commit to continuing to work with ABFE to lift up the intersections of anti-Black racism, misogyny, transphobia, and homophobia and to work in solidarity to bring more resources to all Black communities. We ask you to read ABFE’s call to action and commit to making change within your own institution. We also ask that you support ABFE and their work by becoming members of their community.

Side by side with ABFE, CHANGE Philanthropy, and all of our members and partners, we are in it for the long haul. We hope you are too.