Workforce Development
We believe in the importance of developing the leadership of Black LGBTQ+ Chicagoans in order to build collective power for the Black LGBTQ+ community as a whole. Respondents of our Black Queer Equity Index emphasized the need for culturally responsive tools to foster Black LGBTQ+ mobility within the IL nonprofit sector, which employs 1 million people. And they asserted the importance of these tools to be designed and provided by other Black, LGBTQ people. In response, we’ve crafted a variety of programming dedicated to responding to that specific need, including network opportunities, our Workforce Development Conference, and more.
Workforce Development Conference
In 2023, we piloted our first annual Workforce Development Conference, an event to convene Black LGBTQ+ staff and unemployed job seekers for interactive workshops, resume development, interview prep, networking events, headshot services, and an award-winning keynote speaker.
BQEI Happy Hours
A key finding from the Black Queer Equity Index (BQEI) is that Black LGBTQ+ employees lack affinity spaces where they could connect with each other to build community and create workplace solutions both internal to their organizations and across organizations. Our reoccurring BQEI Happy Hours work to fill that void, allowing Black LGBTQ+ employees of Illinois nonprofits to come together for connection and community. Together, we build community on a foundation of mutual support, self-worth, and justice, all while proactively working to foster understanding and build power across differences to address the issues we face.
