Marginalized Males Funder Group

Introduction from Marcus Littles

This, the fifth issue of the MMFG e-newsletter, highlights one of the most marginalized males populations of all: gays of color. We also feature an article about an event where leading scholars and practitioners discussed how the Obama Administration can help improve the life outcomes of black males and a report on a pivotal lecture on African American males at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Yours truly,

Marcus J. Littles
Chief Executive
Frontline Solutions

Black and Brown Gay Men Need More than HIV Funding

By Paul Bachleitner

        Black and brown gay men often register below the radar of philanthropy. When funding occurs, it usually supports infrastructure for HIV intervention, and this only recently. More support is needed.

        Of the various HIV intervention programs approved by the rigorous Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions (DEBI) strategy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only one has targeted black gay men as of 2008, as reported by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF).

        Philanthropies, such as the MAC AIDS Fund and Funders Concerned About AIDS, have begun to target black and brown gays for prevention, testing, and treatment of HIV over the last couple of years. But other kinds of programming for black and brown gays are receiving very little attention, according to the national public education director for Queers for Economic Justice, Kenyon Farrow.

During an interview earlier this month, he said, “While we do HIV prevention, no one is talking to black gays about prostate cancer, for instance. Black gays are the least likely of any racial or ethnic group to be screened for prostate cancer!”

The high incidence of HIV among black gays reflects complex behavioral and cultural interactions. Farrow said rates of high-risk behaviors among black gays, such as unprotected sex and drug use, are equal to, and possibly even less than, those of white gays, despite a higher incidence rate. And, contrary to popular belief, he said that levels of homophobia are fairly similar in all communities, whether white, black, or brown.

However, black and brown communities tend to have higher rates of poverty and unemployment and poorer access to healthcare in general. These kind of social and economic disparities underlie the disparities in HIV incidence between white and black and brown gays, he said.

“When you compound homophobia on top of everything else, what do you have to fall back on?”

Black and brown gays wind up marginalized onto the fringes of society, where they live far from healthcare or support organizations with the infrastructure to address LGBT needs. These organizations, Farrow observed, are usually located in more privileged, whiter communities, such as Chelsea in New York. Just to travel there involves long train rides where black and brown gays must think strategically about passengers who might be hostile or even violent.

Fear of violence perpetuates a vicious cycle of adversity for black and brown gays. When violence happens, Farrow said black and brown gays are “met with stony silence” from civil rights leaders, even in their own communities, and indifference from the public.

“When you think you don’t have value, you can’t negotiate terms of sex or how you’re treated, which leads to high-risk behavior,” Farrow said.

Funders need to become more informed and figure out better means to engage black and brown gays. Farrow said that while many outreach organizations for black and brown gays have funding for HIV intervention, few receive funding for the leadership and organizational development necessary to provide advocacy, support, and civil rights responses. Providing the capacity to meet these needs will also help reduce the HIV incidence rate and improve the quality of life for black and brown gays.

“We need more attention,” Farrow said. “We’re not just wealthy, white, well-fed, well-scrubbed gay men.”

For more information:

Queers for Economic Justice: Provides information about economic and social issues facing LGBT communities, including black and brown communities. Also check out its recent report, “Poverty, Public Assistance & Privatization.”

Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP) Network: Organization Kenyon Farrow cited as currently engaging in the most interesting model of talking about HIV as a social justice issue.

Harlem United Community AIDS Center: One of the more effective outreach efforts to black gays, which engaged Harlem gays on a personal level.

International Federation of Black Prides (IFBP): Makes issues of the black LGBT community visible by organizing local chapters of over 30 black LGBT pride organizations across the country.

The Latino Commission on AIDS: A nonprofit dedicated to fighting the spread of AIDS in the Latino community and by offering core and complementary services to Latino communities: health education, HIV prevention, capacity building, and advocacy.

Atlanta Black LGBT Coalition: One of several advocacy groups across the country engaging in advocacy work for black gays.

The Audre Lorde Project: Community organization focused on community wellness and progressive social justice for the LGBT community in New York.

The National Black Justice Coalition: Civil rights organization dedicated to ending racism and homophobia.

A Philadelphia Story of Challenges and Possibilities: Educational Wellbeing of African American Boys

By Ryan Bowers

        If you could pick one strategy to give the biggest educational boost to poor children in the United States, what would it be? A team of University of Pennsylvania researchers may have come one step closer to finding the answer.

        Last month, Penn Graduate School of Education professor, Dr. John W. Fantuzzo, presented research findings from a curriculum that promoted school readiness in over 40 preschools across Philadelphia. The curriculum, the Evidence-Based Program for Integrated Curriculum (EPIC), integrates cognitive, social, and emotional supports that enhance school readiness for low-income, urban preschool children. Fantuzzo evaluated the curriculum over the past five years and found that it had an enormously high impact on low-income children’s readiness for school, with even greater gains for African American boys.

        EPIC builds on the success of the federally funded Head Start model. Head Start promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of preschool children and their families. EPIC was developed by adding four other curricula that combine different elements of numeracy, literacy, social supports, cognitive supports, and parent engagement in learning. EPIC has since served over 1,500 young people.

        During a plenary session after Fantuzzo’s lecture, CEO and Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, Dr. Arlene C. Ackerman, advised caution about the findings. She said that, although she respected the level of rigor of the research behind the study and the researchers’ intentions, she did not see much hope for the future of African American boys in Philadelphia without acknowledging institutional racism in the system. Her thoughts were echoed by Deputy Mayor of Health and Opportunity and Health Commissioner of the City of Philadelphia, Dr. Donald F. Schwarz, who added that the biggest obstacle to the future of African American males is “jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs and jobs.”

        Other Penn scholars to champion issues affecting African American males in recent years include Dr. Vivian Gadsden, Dr. Howard Stevenson, Dr. Elijah Anderson, and most recently, Dr. Shaun Harper.

Breaking Barriers Conference and Report

By Ryan Bowers

        On April 24, the event, “Breaking Barriers: the Obama Administration, the 111th Congress, and the Future of School-Age Black Males,” addressed the social and emotional needs of African American males. The event synthesized much of the work on marginalized males occurring across the nation and was hosted by three of the top organizations in the field: the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and the Open Society Institute’s Campaign for Black Male Achievement.

        The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation showcased its newly released report, “Breaking Barriers: Plotting the Path to Academic Success for School-age African-American Males," written by Dr. Ivory Toldson. The report introduces policy suggestions for improving the educational achievement of African American males.

        Three panel sessions discussed the report and the impact of family and emotional supports, community development, and educational equity on black males’ academic outcomes. The panels also included legislation proposed by the Congressional Black Caucus, such as the White House Conference on Children and Youth in 2010 Act, the Second Chance Act, and the Youth Promise Act. Later, Representative Yvette Clark presented an analysis of her bill, the Affordable Housing and Community Development Act of 2009.

In Brief

The 21st Century Foundation has teamed up with the director, Mario Van Peebles, to produce the 22-minute documentary film, “Bring Your A Game!,” with interviews of Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Cornell West, and others about strategies that have improved the lives of black men and boys. The film was launched at an ABFE reception at the national COF conference this month and will air exclusively on BET during 2009.

Another documentary, “Men II Boys,” features men from all walks of life, including Congressman Elijah E. Cummings; NFL Player Daniel Wilcox (Baltimore Ravens), as a resource about manhood for young men of color. A written accompaniment, “101 Things Every Boy/Young Man of Color Should Know,” will be presented at film showings as a study guide.

An event offering how-to, life-skills working groups for at-risk youth aged 14-24, the second annual Mentor-Vention Symposium, will occur on Saturday, June 20 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm in Oakland, CA. For more information contact The Mentoring Center, a direct-service organization that transforms the lives of at-risk youth.