Stories

June is #SpotlightOnCLT Pride Month

Each year, June is nationally recognized as LGBTQ Pride Month, to mark the date in history (June 28th) when the first pride march was held in New York City in 1970.

 While Pride Month serves as a time of celebration for continued acceptance and the accomplishments of the LGBTQ community, it also serves to commemorate years of struggle for civil rights and the ongoing pursuit of equal justice under the law for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. 

 #SpotlightOnCLT is SHARE Charlotte’s monthly content series that highlights a different cause or issue each month and allows us to explore the crucial work being done in that particular arena by our local nonprofit partners. It is one way that we shine a light on various causes and issues in one calendar year as a way to educate the community and explore the given topic through the lens of the nonprofit community- breaking down who does what, how to get involved, etc. 

For the month of June, we’re highlighting Charlotte Nonprofits who serve the LGBTQ community by offering welcoming spaces, strengthening families, and empowering allies.

At sharecharlotte.org, you can always find information on nonprofits working on causes close to your heart by using our filters. Visit here to see our LGBTQ cause nonprofit list.

Meet the June #SpotlightOnCLT Pride nonprofits below -

Meet Charlotte Pride: 

Charlotte Pride envisions a world in which LGBTQ people are affirmed, respected, and included in the full social and civic life of their local communities, free from fear of any discrimination, rejection, and prejudice. They create programs and activities to enrich, empower, strengthen, and make visible the unique lives and experiences of LGBTQ people in Charlotte and the Carolinas. 

Charlotte Pride presents and collaborates on programs, projects, and activities, including the annual Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade, Charlotte Pride Interfaith Programs, Reel Out Charlotte: The Queen City’s Annual LGBTQ Film Festival, and the Charlotte Pride Magazine, among others. We take a deliberative and purposeful approach to our programs and activities, seeking to provide a thoughtful, open, and affirming space for community members to engage with our organization and its mission.

Meet PFLAG Charlotte: 

PFLAG Charlotte is one of over 400 grassroots chapters in the country devoted to strengthening families, empowering LGBTQ+ allies, and elevating LGBTQ+ stories. Most of the people they serve are caregivers of gender diverse children, who are looking for personal support, resources for their children, and a safe community for their whole family. PFLAG does this through peer support, educational workshops, and advocacy.

Meet Qnotes LGBTQ Journalism Program: 

As the only local media outlet in Charlotte solely published by and for the LGBTQ+ community, Qnotes is your source for LGBTQ local news, voices and community.  The Qnotes LGBTQ Journalism Program supports local stories and events that celebrate and honor LGBTQ Charlotteans. With support of readers like you, they provide thoughtfully researched articles for a more informed and connected community.

Meet Charlotte Trans Health: 

CTH is a collective of multidisciplinary healthcare providers committed to gender-affirming care through education/consultation, community outreach/advocacy, and provision of services to the transgender and gender diverse community. 

Their mission is to reduce health and healthcare disparities for transgender and gender diverse individuals through increased collaboration and competency among healthcare providers and increased access to competent, gender-affirming  care. Educational programs include peer education and consultation, where members strive to enhance trans-specialized clinical competency of individual healthcare providers and larger systems of care. CTH's members and their website, with a provider directory, provide a valuable community outreach/advocacy resource to increase access to competent, affirming healthcare in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties. 

Finally, "Access to Care" centers efforts to reduce barriers to affirming care through direct provision of services. Pursuit of funding allows CTH to provide pro bono healthcare services to the most marginalized transgender and gender diverse individuals in our community.

Meet the Be More Foundation:

The Be More Foundation’s mission is to empower the Black, Brown, & LGBTQ+ communities by promoting innovative approaches to education, art, self-advocacy, and radical self-care. Our work focuses on providing access to resources that advance equity, encourage growth and social-emotional wellbeing. Be More’s vision is a liberated community in which queer folk of color have the support and resources they need to thrive. Their primary focus is to curate and elevate safe spaces where Black, Brown, & LGBTQ+ youth are centered and celebrated, as they examine social systems, learn life skills, and heal from trauma.

Meet Time Out Youth:

Time Out Youth Center is a haven for LGBTQIA youth ages 13-24 in Charlotte, NC. They provide housing and supportive services, mental health counseling and therapy, nutrition services, sexual health clinics, love and acceptance for Charlotte’s queer and transgender youth all at no cost. Time Out Youth also has weekly programming and activities for young people, special events, and opportunities for leadership, self-expression, and joy. Their mission is to support, accept, affirm, and empower LGBTQ youth in everything they do.

Meet Identiversity, Inc:

Identiversity is an online educational platform on gender and sexual identity. They provide curated, fully vetted, evidence based research presented with an edutainment approach connecting their content with real people. Identiversity is non-partisan. Their site is available and free 24-7. Identiversity sustains themselves through fee based educational programming for corporations, organizations, institutions of higher learning and faith based organizations.