November 2019

Side by Side is dedicated to creating supportive communities where Virginia’s LGBTQ+ youth can define themselves, belong, and flourish. To honor the fullness of who our youth are we want to cultivate a space that recognizes and focuses on their full humanity to include race along with sexual orientation and gender identity. Side by Side’s commitment to racial equity allows the board, staff, and volunteers to learn and share together in service of the youth. Our starting point in this evolving journey is to acknowledge the power we hold as an organization and to commit to taking actions to promote more racially equitable communities. Given the unique history of anti-Black racism in Virginia, and specifically in Richmond, we are focusing on Black youth in this initial work of racial equity. Going forward we plan to commit to other underrepresented identity groups with the same level of focus and intention. We invite our youth, families, volunteers, board, junior board, donors, and funding partners to join us on this ongoing path towards a more racially equitable Side by Side.

At this time we commit to:

• Listening to both racial equity scholars in the community and to Black LGBTQ+ youth (including youth beyond those who currently attend Side by Side) to understand the nuances of what Black LGBTQ+ youth need;

• Working intentionally to create a representative organization that reflects the racial diversity of Virginia’s LGBTQ community. We affirm that representation matters and also commit to the messy emotional work of racial equity that moves us beyond representation and towards full inclusion;

• Creating space for Black LGBTQ+ youth, which includes naming the historical and systemic nature of racism, leveraging organizational influence, implementing intersectional programming and curriculum, and engaging in intentional outreach and recruitment that not only breaks down the dominance of white culture, but also celebrates other cultures and experiences;

• Seeking funding opportunities, on an ongoing basis, to uplift Black LGBTQ+ youth;

• Collaborating with organizations who serve, support, and affirm Black youth, to ensure that Black LGBTQ+ youth have multiple safe and affirming spaces in which to flourish; and

• Increasing access to our programs and services by building relationships in Black communities consistently through long-term engagement.