Human Rights Campaign HBCU Program Celebrates Leadership Summit 20th Anniversary with Dynamic Group of Queer College Leaders

by Jarred Keller •

WASHINGTON — The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF), the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) program is proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Leadership Summit with the announcement of the new cohort. This year, 32 students will gather in Washington, DC for a convening to further develop their leadership skills and deepen their commitment to LGBTQ+ advocacy, inclusion and social justice on their campuses.

“We are excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the HBCU Leadership Summit by welcoming this new cohort of HBCU students who are working diligently to create safe spaces for queer college students. We’ve seen the Leadership Summit evolve over the last twenty years, but the one constant has been the dedicated students and their unified desire to push for change. Engaging with such inspiring young people makes me proud to be an HBCU graduate and serves as a reminder to champion for the next generation of leaders.”

HBCU Director, Leslie Hall

The cohort consists of students from HBCUs across the country, including: Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina; Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland; Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA; Dillard University in New Orleans, LA; Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee; Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida; Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia; Howard University in Washington, D.C.; Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky; Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA; Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD; North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, NC; Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas; Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, AL; Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee; Wiley College in Marshall, Texas; Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Leadership Summit offers an extensive training program that empowers LGBTQ+ HBCU students to act as change-agents on their campuses and teaches these young leaders how to navigate the intersections of race, religion, gender identity, class, and sexual orientation. In addition to the Leadership Summit, The HBCU program offers other programing opportunities like, HBCU Out Loud Day and the PrEP Ambassadorship Program aimed at creating safe spaces for Black queer youth on their college campuses.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.

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