The Inclusive Excellence Initiative is a capacity-building and systems change initiative designed to partner with Historically Black Colleges and Universities on an annual cycle to achieve benchmarks that promote promising policies and practices in LGBTQ+ inclusion. Through this initiative, participating institutions are given access to comprehensive resources, including a confidential online self-assessment tool, expert webinars on LGBTQ+ topics, technical assistance, and more.

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Are you apart of an institution wishing to join the cohort, or care to learn more about eligibility? Click below to contact the HBCU team

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Research shows us that Black LGBTQ+ students choose to attend HBCUs because they desire a college experience that values and provides historical richness for their Black identity (Squire & Mobley, 2015). However, at times, there is tension present as their sexual, racial, and gender identities are in conflict with their institutional cultures.

In 2018, the HRC Foundation released the Black and African American LGBTQ+ Youth Report to highlight the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth who identified part or all of their ethnic-racial identity as either Black or African American. The resource analyzed survey data of more than 1,600 Black and African American LGBTQ+ youth.

The results from the survey emphasize the importance of understanding the experiences of Black and African American LGBTQ+ people through an intersectional lens.

Although school is supposed to be a safe space for learning and building meaningful relationships, only 21% of Black and African American LGBTQ+ youth have heard positive messages about being LGBTQ+ in school.
Consequently, only 35% say they can “definitely” be themselves in school.
These feelings may compound for Black transgender students specifically, as 50% report they can never use the restroom that aligns with gender identity in school.

The Human Rights Campaign reports on news, events and resources of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that are of interest to the general public and further our common mission to support the LGBTQ+ community.