Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice

@rustincenter.bsky.social

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Queer safe-space, community activist hub, & educational bridge for our LGBTQIA youth, intersectional families, & all beautifully diverse Angelic Troublemakers! www.rustincenter.org

Today last day #pridemonth Tomorrow first day #Pride lifetime PRIDE is not a MONTH PRIDE is a MOVEMENT #pride365 at Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ & beyond The rainbow rampage ends & the glitter & glam may fade but NOW the hard work continues in community, camaraderie, & co-conspiracy Angelic Troublemakers Assemble! www.rustincenter.org *QUEER JOY IS REVOLUTIONARY* 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️❣️
We may be late to the party ‘cause we were out doin’ the work that actually got us on the Insider NJ @insidernj LGBTQIA+ Power List but as we celebrate this last weekend o' #PRIDE in this more pivotal than evah #pridemonth & when so many of the honorees are members of our fabulous @RustinCenter fam~ Terry @w28any , Liz @lizzzard89 @brcsjbookdefenders, Dean @deandafis, Frank, & @brcsjqueered Dr. Sara @sarajwass, along with so many other courageous cats in our greater queer community, all glorious glimmers across that rainbow spectrum, how we could not share out this loud & PROUD (esp. since our BRCSJ Chief Activist Robt Martin also broke the top thirty)! We do not take this honor lightly, it is so very dear to all of us, both personally & organizationally, so we pledge to dedicate ourselves to work that much harder & to show up & glow up that much more powerfully in the fabulous face of it, & great gratitude to Jay Lassiter @309munn for puttin’ this gorge thang together especially meaningful in these tender times…
Our past informs our present to inspire our future & no cat knows that better that the acclaimed author & LGBTQIA+ historian Hugh Ryan whom we fondly dub the “queer Indiana Jones”! Ya’ don’t wanna’ miss this very meaningful moment as our fab friend Hugh makes his triumphant return to our Beloved Community in a very special live & in-person Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Power Hour. This book-signin' & conversation is FREE (as all our programs be!) so we invite all y’all to join us at this extraordinary event, indeed a joint production of the BRCSJ Defenders of the Right to Read & our dedicated Queer History Archivists, featurin' acclaimed author, quintessential queer historian, & courageous co-host of “Queer 101” with Miss Peppermint, Hugh Ryan to celebrate the release of his newest book, “My Bad * A Personal History of the Queer Nineties & Beyond” published by Hachette Books under the Bold Type Books imprint Hugh joins BRCSJ Chief Activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber to discuss this terrific tome as well as his work uncoverin’ stories untold in our collective tapestry consistin’ of heretofore forgotten history & untold personal stories all across that all-inclusive rainbow spectrum PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ANGELIC TROUBLEMAKING in this tender time Help us keep all our extraordinary events, powerful programs, & robust resources FREE of charge & accessible to all~ https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/334832
“Hope will never be silent” Celebrate Harvey Milk today by bein' loud & PROUD Of how you identify Of who you love Of who you are! Our friend would have been 96 this #harveymilkday In his name & in his honor let us all love each other that much more 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️❤️ @harveymilkfoundation @stuart.milk @RustinCenter
¡Feliz Aniversario Betty Ann & Paula! Honored to host the nuptials of our Beloved Community members at Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ & make it all official on the occasion of their inspirational 40th anniversary together, this beautiful couple serves as powerful possibility models who give us all hope... Please know our BRCSJ Chief Activist (& in-house officiant!) Robt Martin can perform same ceremony for any fab folx who desire to make their partnerships legal as well... Love is love & Queer love is revolutionary! rustincenter.org
¡Feliz cumpleaños mi querido Emilio! Today & everyday we celebrate the life of our Beloved Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Board Member Emeritus His meaningful representation as Luis on Sesame Street still serves as powerful inspirational legacy for us all to carry forth & his spirit, energy, & kindness guides our community always! Todavía echo mucho de menos a mi hermoso amigo... "¡PA'LANTE!"
In the spirit of Bayard Rustin, our queer community “spoke truth to power” as we shared a meaningful moment in intimate conversation connectin’ CD-12 Congressional candidates with our LGBTQIA+ youth, families, & seniors here at Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ... Whilst no one could evah replace our Beloved Bonnie both across our great State of New Jersey as well as in the shinin’ city upon the Hill, we hope & expect to continue our strong relationship & purposeful journey with whomever will next best represent all our fab folx across that rainbow spectrum at this pivotal moment in our nation’s history. Further & more importantly, we will absolutely hold that individual to their promises of preservin’ & protectin’ equity & equality for all of us in all of our beautifully diverse communities… As our inspirational namesake also espoused, “The proof that one believes is in action”! To be crystal, our Center is indeed a non-profit so we do not ever endorse nor support any one candidate in any race, we just ask you to consider who will be best serve our community & who will amplify YOUR voice as we all deserve to to be seen & heard & recognized & respected!
Creating Safe Spaces to Teach Histories Using Disability & LGBTQIA+ Struggles for Equity as Models Collaborative workshop led by the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice & the National Civil Rights Museum featurin’ Dory Lerner & our very own BRCSJQueerEducator Dr. Sara Extraordinary educational event explorin’ the fundamental ideas of inclusion & intersectionality of the Disability Rights Movement & the LGBTQIA+ Fight for Liberation in the Civil Rights Movement In today’s challenging climate, it’s imperative to create a classroom that is truly inclusive, a term oft used yet rarely understood, & to consider how we establish our legacy as educators & how as role models we encourage our learners to work towards accessible & all-inclusive communities
🏳️‍🌈¡Felicidades to our Beautiful Terry!🏳️‍🌈 Our fabulous friend & awesome ally so very deservedly receivin’ Russ Berrie Making A Difference Award! 🎉 This honor meant the world to BRCSJ Chief Activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber personally but was even more impactful in amplifyin' our angelic troublemakin' here at Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ so his nomination of Terry & he now receivin’ this extraordinary accolade at their 30th Anniversary (& sadly last!) Ceremony even more meaningful & supa’-special indeed!⭐ #QueerJoy #lgbtqia #lgbtqcommunity #russberriemakingadifferenceaward #30thanniversary #njchangemakers #growtherippleofpositivechange #mada30
PRIDE VOLUNTEERS ASSEMBLE! Join us at beautiful Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ Saturday, April 11th at 1pm Powerful Princeton PRIDE Parade & Awesome After-Party Planning Meeting & bring your whole PRIDE posse~ Dear friends, stalwart allies, & fabulous family, by blood or by LOVE! This first meeting is pivotal as it will include volunteer & committee assignments for anyone who wants to be of service as we work to represent all our beautifully diverse communities to be as inclusive & intersectional as possible. Lend your voice, share your energy, & contribute your talents to make this inspirational, empowering, & indeed historic event as meaningful as it needs to be as it is fabulous as it has to be! PRIDE '26 * PRIDE SAVES LIVES! 🌈🏳️‍⚧️❤️SATURDAY JUNE 13th❤️🏳️‍⚧️🌈 https://www.facebook.com/share/17CnwPNQMB/ At this tender time for our Queer Community Marchin' in Strength & Solidarity Dancin' in Celebration & Lamentation Boots on the ground & High-heels on the dance-floor Respectin' how far we've come Recognizin' how far we have yet to go Watch this beautiful video to get only a glimmer of the meaningful magic we have conjured up together over the past seven years~ https://youtu.be/r3pyRWQskI8?si=PiQd8kbgRq43yEct This year PRIDE is more important & more necessary than ever before & that's why it has to be as equally meaningful & utterly fabulous as possible given how we find our Queer Community under attack & our LGBTQIA+ youth more at risk like never before... Every PRIDE is someone's first PRIDE. Every PRIDE allows folx across the rainbow spectrum to see the potential & promise of how they can live their lives fully, who they can love openly... & simply & beautifully who they can BE, who they ARE~ Angelic Troublemakers Assemble! http://rustincenter.org/pride
Happy #BiHealthMonth from yer friendly neighborhood bisexual! Check out our powerful partners & awesome allies Bisexual Resource Center GLAAD Bisexual.org Still Bisexual Bisexual Organizing Project-BOP for inspirational initiatives & extraordinary events committed to bisexual+ health equity during Bi+ Health Awareness Month as well as their significant support all year 'round for the greater queer community... Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice 🩷 💜 💙 /🩷 💛 🩵 #BisexualResourceCenter #BiHealth #BiHealthEquity
Happy birthday Bayard Rustin Black Queer LGBTQIA+ & Civil Rights Pioneer Godfather of Intersectionality Mapped the March Begat non-violence in the Movement Inspired the Freedom Riders Spoke Truth to Power Lost to history because of who he loved Who he was It cannot happen again It WILL not happen again That is the very foundation of our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Please help us preserve his life & legacy In the name of Bayard Rustin Let us all be Angelic Troublemakers today... https://rustincenter.org/donate https://youtu.be/7Sc63Oc_7UE?si=zSGjid37y8SfA-0O
Diggin' this powerful new book on our Beloved Bayard Rustin! Much love & respect to all the fab folx over at Damage Magazine for sendin' a copy of "Rustin's Challenge" over to Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ, this courageous collection of Bayard's speeches & writings followed by extraordinary essays from contemporary writers never more more meaningful & inspirational in this pivotal moment in our nation's history... Now all y'all can drop by our BRCSJ Defenders of the Right to Read Library to check it out for yourselves!
"Real solidarity & justice begins when we bring community into everything we do" Jeff Chang @zentronix.bsky.social Talkin' Social Justice Power Hour Intersectionality of hip-hop Camaraderie & co-conspiracy in diverse community Can't Stop Won't Stop @rustincenter.bsky.social https://youtu.be/sEe-2vXXYig?si=d9cDeyHH9IpNPhwT
“Our flag is red white & blue but our nation is a Rainbow At the end of the day we must go forward with hope not backward by fear & division” Rest in Power Righteous Rev. Jesse Jackson Rainbow PUSH Coalition Civil Rights Icon Political Pathfinder Freedom Fighter Angelic Troublemaker We #keephopealive at Bayard Rustin CEnter for Social Justice HQ each & every day... I AM SOMEBODY!
“The roots of sexism & homophobia are found in same economic & political institutions that serve as foundation of racism... Our political activism must clearly manifest our understanding of these connections” ¡Feliz cumpleaños Angela Davis! Love & respect from BRCSJ HQ @rustincenter.bsky.social
A powerful perk o’ bein’ BRCSJ Chief Activist~ This awesome ambassador hat sported by our Beloved Bayard Rustin, a radiant remembrance & stunning souvenir from the extraordinary exhibit we created at Stonewall National Museum, Archives, & Library! Great gratitude to our beautiful Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Board Member Glen Pannell, courageous "Crossroads" curator, for sharin' this meaningful totem which I shall wear whilst angelic troublemakin' with significant style & in fabulous fashion... Comin' soon to a rally near you!
Much love & respect to Dr. Martin Luther King on his 97th “We are still determined to use the weapon of love” at Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ this day & every day as we work in that Beautiful Struggle toward the Beloved Community Let us celebrate MLK but recognize Bayard Rustin Black Queer Pioneer Planned the March Brought non-violence to the Movement Inspired the Freedom Riders Lost to history because of who he loved Who he was This cannot happen again This is our work This is our Dream... Join us as Angelic Troublemakers! www.RustinCenter.org #MLK #HappyBirthdayMLK #MLKDay2026 #MLKDay
The State of the State is fairer & stronger &… utterly fabulous! @govmurphy @philmurphynj @njgov & @RustinCenter Chief Activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber share one final meaningful moment together!
On this day in 1957 buoyed by Montgomery bus boycott Bayard Rustin inspired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to forge the SCLC Southern Christian Leadership Conference organizing Black leaders who possess “ties to masses of people so that their action projects are backed by broad participation of people” Our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice now proudly continues this pivotal community work with powerful intersectionality in camaraderie & co-conspiracy... Join us as Angelic Troublemakers! www.rustincenter.org
SRO crowd @RustinCenter HQ for our Holiday Drag Show Fabulously Festive Fundraiser! @misscissywalken sang her holiday heart out at this sensational celebration of the season & thanx to all the Beloved Community who came out in fab fashion for this extraordinary event! We'll be spreadin' Holiday Queer for the next few weeks at our LGBTQIA+ Safe-Space so please all y'all join us at BRCSJ HQ to celebrate together in camaraderie & co-conspiracy all leadin' up to our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Queer Safe-Space OPEN Christmas for all who want to gather with dear friends, awesome allies, & fab fam (by blood & by love!)~ BRCSJ HQ OPEN X-MAS DAY! A warm embrace for all our LGBTQIA+ kids & families (chosen & otherwise)... ALL ARE WELCOME! ALL ARE LOVED! Please join us for carols, cocoa, & camaraderie, dear ones~ https://www.rustincenter.org/happenings-at-hq
Join us as we start our Seasonal Shenaniganz Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ Welcomin' the Community FREE Breakfast * Spreadin' Holiday Queer Kyle the Craftivist (Insta @vacuumingthelawn) hostin' Handmade Holiday Gift Workshop https://www.facebook.com/share/16XhtTCUMz/ Cissy’s Rockin’ Chair Eve 2025 🎄🎁 Holiday Drag Show Fabulously Festive Fundraiser featurin' Miss Cissy Walken & Tracy Stark GET YER TIX HERE, WE SOLD OUT QUIK LAST YEAR! https://brcsjfabdragfundraiser.eventbrite.com & all leadin’ up to our BRCSJ LGBTQIA+ Safe-Space OPEN CHRISTMAS DAY https://www.facebook.com/events/860760839795372 Spend the holidaze with fab folx hangin' with friends & chosen fam!
On this day in 2013, President Barack Obama awarded Bayard Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This was done posthumously & given to his partner & our Beloved Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Board Member Emeritus Walter Naegle 26 years after his passing. Whereas we appreciate fully President Obama's acknowledgement & the honor indeed wonderful, it was far too long in coming. On this day all of us at BRCSJ HQ pledge to fight that much harder to make sure no one is left behind ever again!
Show some beautiful birthday love for our @RustinCenter Chief Activist Robt Martin Donate to his fabulous fundraiser Help us spread Queer Joy Support our pivotal Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice LGBTQIA+ Community Safe-Space Angelic Troublemakers Assemble https://www.facebook.com/donate/781333131380596/1918902022363853/
Opening Soon 94% recommend (16 Reviews) LGBTQ+ owned Photos Privacy · Consumer Health Privacy · Terms · Advertising · Ad Choices · Cookies · Featured Posts Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice is with Terry Mcmillian and 4 others . Favorites · Just now · Black Panther Party formed this day in 1966 To combat police racism & obliterate white supremacy through direct action as well as powerful social initiatives Medical & legal clinics, youth mentorship, & pivotal Free Food Program Inspires our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Welcomin' the Community Breakfast in camaraderie & co-conspiracy… Angelic Troublemakers Assemble! rustincenter.org
Thanx to all fab folx shoutin' out our extraordinary exhibit with our powerful partners at Stonewall National Museum, Archives, & Library! Amplifyin' our inspirational namesake, intersectional Black LGBTQIA/Civil Rights Pioneer Bayard Rustin, everyone talkin' 'bout it across the nation from NPR PBS WLRN Public Radio and Television to Windy City Times (& even the lovely Luxury Guide!)~ Can't wait for all y'all to be inspired & empowered... JOIN US 📅 Opening Reception * Friday, November 14th | 6PM 📍 Stonewall National Museum More 411 * www.RustinCenter.org #stonewallmuseum #BayardRustin #CivilRightsHistory #lgbtqhistory #queer #LGBTQIA+ #QueerVoices #rustincenter #socialjustice #racialjustice #bayardrustincenterforsocialjustice #AngelicTroublemakers
¡Felicidades Equality Forum #LGBTQIAHistoryMonth 2025 Honorees! This honor meant the world to me personally as a truly meaningful (& very touching!) affirmation of my Queer advocacy & significant service to the greater community but organizationally it was even more impactful in amplifyin' the angelic troublemakin' of our terrific (& even more fab than my own self!) team here at Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ... So with oh-so-much love & respect I pass on my glam tiara to this new class of inspirational ICONS Andy Cohen Colman Domingo John D'Emilio Billie Eilish Cecilia Gentili Mel Heifetz Troy Masters Sarah McBride Chappell Roan Breanna Stewart Abby Wambach KARL LAGERFELD & so many other fab folx! https://lgbthistorymonth.com/robt-martin-seda-schreiber
Muchas gracias Governor Phil Murphy& First Lady Tammy Murphy for welcomin’ our BRCSJ Power Couple Michelle & Sam to the "People's House" to celebrate #HispanicHeritageMonth Appreciate your acknowledgement of this beautifully diverse & intersectional community that has done so much to enrich our culture & to keep the American Dream alive in our great State of New Jersey & across our fair nation. Our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice proud indeed to represent along with so many friends, allies, & family at this meaningful moment at Drumthwacket!
HAPPY BOOKAVERSARY! The pivotal “Bayard Rustin: A Legacy of Protest & Politics” published by NYU Press amplifyin’ our inspirational namesake Black Queer Civil & LGTBQIA+ Rights pioneer Bayard Rustin now a powerful part of our quintessential Queer History Archive & awesome addition to our dedicated BRCSJ Defenders of the Right to Read Library PROUD this powerful book edited by Michael Long features Beloved Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Board Members Dr. Peniel Joseph & Walter Naegle as well as our Chief Activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber & good friend Jonathan Eig & so many other fab folx! Get yer own signed copy here at BRCSJ HQ or order online to support our significant safe-space~ https://www.rustincenter.org/brcsjmerch
“'queer' not being about who you're having sex with (that can be a dimension of it) but 'queer' being about the self that is at odds with everything around it & that has to invent & create & find a place to speak & to thrive & to live” bell hooks inspires us today & everyday @rustincenter @bellhooks_ @brcsjqueered @brcsjbookdefenders RUSTINCENTER.ORG
From @jeopardy to day named for her @denverwestword our delightful @RustinCenter Musician-in-Rez @jillsobule gettin’ all well-deserved roses... Please support her Good Life Foundation & empower inspirational initiatives like our quintessential queer safe-space here at BRCSJ HQ! www.rustincenter.org
On #bivisibilityday @RustinCenter PROUD our Chief Activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber bisexualresourcecenter Bee Hero Honorable Mention Considerin’ courageous cats in his company it is truly the epitome of the oft-uttered (but not often meant!) phrase "just an honor to be nominated!" Hope this inspires other folx to pioneer powerful platforms & create quintessential queer safe-spaces to allow us all to live our lives more fully & to love each other that much more openly... 🩷💙💜💛 Fellow nominees Bisexual Killjoy @bisexualkilljoy * Jeiselynn “Jace” N. Ríos Rivera @bi.academic Bailey Merlin @bamaram_merlin bi+ (in)visibility @bi_invisibility * Rebecca Minor @gender.specialist Bi History bihistory * Mel Reeve @melreeve RK Russell @rkrelentless Zachary Zane @zacharyzane_ Laura Clarke @mybodyandyours Past awardees Rebecca Sugar @rebeccasugar Robyn Ochs @robynochs All of whom carry us forward in the essential work of making bi+ lives visible & celebrated!
At Stonewall National Museum, Archives, & Library for extraordinary exhibit amplifyin' life & legacy of our inspirational namesake Black Queer LGBTQIA+ & Civil Rights Pioneer Bayard Rustin, BRCSJ wreckin' crew Beloved Board Member Glen Pannell (aka Mike Hot-Pence) & Chief Activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber dreamed & schemed with Prez Robert Kesten in powerful partnership to make this event everything our community needs & deserves it to be! Immersive & interactive, showcasin' heretofore unseen powerful pieces from the BRCSJ Queer History Archive, this landmark exhibition will also allow visitors an opportunity to share their experiences in our Story Corner for inclusion at both Stonewall & in the Rustin Archive as well! Join us to celebrate the OG Angelic Troublemaker & raise up the voice of this forgotten figure (as well as ALL our voices!) in our collective Social, Racial, & Queer history. “We need in every community a group of Angelic Troublemakers The only weapon we have is our bodies & we need to tuck them in places so wheels don’t turn” A visionary strategist for the Civil Rights Movement & trailblazing advocate for LGBTQIA+ liberation, Bayard lived boldly in the interwoven intersectional tapestry of race, sexuality, & justice & now we will indelibly sew his name in the quintessential quilt of our Queer Community. JOIN US Opening Reception * Friday, November 14th | 6PM Stonewall National Museum RSVP * Monique@stonewall-museum.org More 411 * www.RustinCenter.org #stonewallmuseum #BayardRustin #CivilRightsHistory #lgbtqhistory #queer #LGBTQIA+ #QueerVoices #rustincenter #socialjustice #racialjustice #bayardrustincenterforsocialjustice #AngelicTroublemakers
Our BRCSJ wreckin’ crew co-conspirin’ with Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Board Vice-Prez Dr. Peniel Joseph Equally inspired by community conversation with Princeton University Anthropology Prof. Laurence Ralph at Princeton Public Library in collab with Humanities Council at Princeton Bought a copy of Brother Peniel’s powerful new book “Freedom Season” for our Queer Safe-Space in support of our friends at Labyrinth Books Princeton Much love & respect to BRCSJQueerEducator Dr. Sara & all y’all who showed up & glowed up at this extraordinary event!
Great gratitude to Steven Aloyisus Campbell & all the marvelous musicians who contributed their talent, energy, & spirit to releasin' "To Jill, With Love: A Tribute To Jill Sobule" This awesome album not only honors our delightful BRCSJ Musician-in-Rez Jill Sobule but all proceeds further empower our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice quintessential queer safe-space & conspiratorial community activist hub~ It will shine bright as a radiant glimmer in these tender times for all the LGBTQIA+ kids, intersectional families, & the beautifully diverse folx we serve as well as support all the angelic troublemakin' we do in the name of Bayard Rustin to make sure no one is ever left behind again, whether the leader of a movement, a worker in an office, a student in a classroom, or any member of any community who needs & deserves recognition, respect, & indeed LOVE! https://thejillproject.bandcamp.com/album/to-jill-with-love-a-tribute-to-jill-sobule
¡Felicidades @equalityforum #LGBTQIAHistoryMonth 2025 Honorees! This honor meant the world to our @RustinCenter Chief Activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber personally as a truly meaningful (& very touching!) affirmation of his Queer advocacy & significant service to the greater community but organizationally it was even more impactful in amplifyin' the angelic troublemakin' of our terrific team here at BRCSJ HQ... So with oh-so-much love & respect he passes on his tiara to this new class of inspirational ICONS...
 @bravoandy @kingofbingo @billieeilish @ceciliagentili72 @giovanni.nikki @troymasters @congresswomansarahmcbride @sarahemcbride @tjosborne @chappellroan @cytwombly_ @breannastewart30 @abbywambach @karllagerfeld & so many other fab folx! https://lgbthistorymonth.com/robt-martin-seda-schreiber
This Labor Day we show great respect to the Labor Movement who fought for us & afforded us this day for rejuvenation but we must also recognize how far we still have yet to go in the ongoing campaign for essential workers’ rights! “We meet on a common ground of determination that in this, the richest & most productive society ever known to man, the scourge of poverty can & must be abolished…” ~ Bayard Rustin 1966 In our nation overflowing with wealth & the utter disparity of disbursement of such, he dared to ask, “What would happen if we actually shared it?”
 The “Freedom Budget for All Americans” was his direct answer, a powerful plan rooted not in charity, but in justice. He handed our nation a blueprint & forced all of us to look in the mirror. At the March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom, then as the first Executive Director for the A. Philip Randolph Institute @aflcio , & indeed throughout his entire life, he dedicated himself to illuminating the intersectionality of Civil & LGBTQIA+ Rights & the Labor Movement & as always, Bayard spoke truth to power & espoused what true justice actually looks like: 🛠️ Jobs for everyone who wants to work 🏥 Healthcare that doesn’t depend on your paycheck 🏘️ Housing that’s safe, clean & affordable 📚 Schools that serve every child, not just the privileged 💰 Wages that let people live, not just survive Bayard didn’t dream, he demanded action & set forth how to realistically achieve economic equality~ “It is not visionary or utopian. It is feasible. It is concrete. It is specific. It is quantitative. It talks dollars & cents. It sets goals & tells how these can be achieved.” This #laborday we take a much-needed day for respite & restoration afforded to us by our Union brothers, sisters, & non-binary siblings Mañana we must be back with that new-found vigor to continue our pivotal work in the Beautiful Struggle as set forth in Bayard’s visionary “Freedom Budget for All Americans”! Join us @RustinCenter http://RustinCenter.org
WELCOME @RustinCenter team member Shaquana Chief Curator of the Bayard Rustin Queer History Archive Served community this summer as Intern Extraordinaire here at BRCSJ HQ & proved herself to no doubt be that inspirational individual to promote this long-gestating project powerfully amplifying our heretofore untold quintessential queer stories. Her wonderful work, clarity of vision, & passionate voice inspired us to hire her to move forward on this impactful initiative & even moreso our meaningful journey together. A nontraditional Princeton undergrad with an Associate’s Degree in Human Services from Bronx Community College as well as Co-Founding TheSchoolGirl Inc., a nonprofit organization that empowers young women through educational wellness workshops & community-building, & now will be sharing her substantial strength & spirit to this first of its kind dedicated digital archive devoted to our Black Queer LGBTQIA+/Civil Rights pioneer (& other folx whose stories have gone far too long untold). This substantial online platform will serve alongside its physical counterpart here at BRCSJ HQ HQ to illuminate the life & legacy of our namesake whose history was tragically erased for decades & preserving & protecting all our stories henceforth in the process. These archival materials are shaped to share significant stories that honor Rustin’s impact & pushes our Center’s pursuit of truly intersectional social & racial justice as is the quintessential heart of the very tapestry of our meaningful mission. This work is about more than preservation~ it is about justice, truth, & making space for those individuals forgotten & sharing those stories untold for far too long. Our Bayard Rustin Queer History Archive will be publicly intro'd in full force soon so stay tuned true believers & in the meanwhile see all the awesome Angelic Troublemakers who work in community, camaraderie, & co-conspiracy to move us forward in these tender times https://www.rustincenter.org/ourteam
Happy BRCSJ Boardaversary Dr. Peniel Joseph! As Vice Prez of our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Board of Directors, Founding Director at the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, one of our nation's leading Black Power scholars, & a NYT best-sellin' author to boot, you embody our extraordinary work to carry on the intersectional legacy of LGBTQIA+ & Civil Rights Black Queer Pioneer Bayard Rustin, & we are honored by your continued belief & stalwart support of our meaningful mission in community, camaraderie, & co-conspiracy... You indeed inspire us all to move forward in powerful ways each & every day in the Beautiful Struggle~ Thanx for all you do & all you are! Basic Books The LBJ School of Public Affairs History Department - University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin Division of Campus and Community Engagement Seal Press
Queer History alert, kids! On this day, President Barack Obama awarded the late Harvey Milk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, bequeathing the honor to his inspirational-in-his-own-right nephew Stuart Milk Celebrate Harvey Milk today by being loud & proud Of how you identify Of whom you love Of who you are! In his name & in his honor, let us love each other that much more...
On this day Barack Obama announced our inspirational namesake Bayard Rustin would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously, given to his partner (& our BRCSJ Board Member Emeritus!) the wonderful Walter Naegle, 26 years after his passing. Whereas we fully appreciate President Obama's acknowledgement & the honor indeed wonderful, it was far too long in coming. On this day our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice pledges to fight that much harder to make sure no member of any of our beautifully diverse intersectional communities is ever left behind again!
“This is the charged, the dangerous moment, when everything must be re-examined, must be made new, when nothing at all can be taken for granted” From the '65 Selma to Montgomery March for Voting Rights to the right here, the right now Thank you, James Baldwin, for always leadin' the way~ All of us at Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ still oh-so-inspired by you on this day & celebrate you on your 101st birthday! 📸credit * Robert Abbott Sengstacke
As we step toward summer's halfway point, we wanna' shout out loud & proud our beautiful BRCSJ Interns Extraordinaire who have been with us since before #Pride & some of whom only have a few weeks left but their time here at our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice has been the absolute epitome of community service in camaraderie & co-conspiracy! They have all made, both individually & collectively, considerable contributions to our powerful programming, helped expand our extraordinary events, & shown significant support to all the fab folx who drop by BRCSJ HQ as well as showin' up & glowin' up in the greater community to represent the Center in fabulous fashion indeed. Learn more about Shaquana, Mack, Brooke, Marisa, Aniset, & our whole wonderful wreckin' crew at rustincenter.org/ourteam & we invite you, nay implore you, to drop by our Queer Safe-Space to share a meaningful moment with these courageous cats & be just as marvelously motivated & gloriously galvanized by 'em as we are each & every day that we get the honor o' sharin' together...
PROUD to share our powerful partnership with the Halff Windham Foundation! Their extraordinary endowment allows our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice to not simply survive these tender times but indeed to thrive in the face of an even more fraught future as we to continue our powerful programming paired with extraordinary in-house & virtual events as well as welcome all with the respect & love they deserve to our pivotal Safe-Space now open seven days a week. In camaraderie & co-conspiracy, we honor our inspirational namesake Bayard Rustin’s life & legacy through social engagement, community organizing, public education, advocacy for youth & families, & our just-about-to-drop quintessential Queer History Archive ~ a freely accessible collection protecting & preserving LGBTQIA+ narratives through the years & amplifying heretofore unheard voices all across the rainbow spectrum. This generous grant speaks directly to the Halff Windham Foundation’s meaningful mission to foster a more just & inclusive society. Larry Halff & Randy Windham founded this small family foundation which is dedicated to providing direct financial support for transformative projects in the arts & education by funding initiatives that expand access for historically marginalized communities & amplify underrepresented voices. Be even more inspired by their wonderful work by visiting www.halff-windham.org & please if so inclined share your personal great gratitude with these fab folx for their significant support of our Center & the Beloved Community we are buildin’ together!
“Picture us coolin' out on the Fourth of July & if you heard we were celebrating, that’s a worldwide lie…” Lest we forget, fam, the 4th’s celebratory fireworks & parades atcherly commemorate a manifesto of principled rejection of authoritarian rule, which became the foundation of a successful revolution. Chuck D & Flavor Flav may eschew the day but meaningful moment indeed to gather together in rebellion, justice & collective action so we invite all y'all to join us in community, camaraderie, & co-conspiracy (or at least grab a bagel, a vegan breakfast treat, & a cuppa' joe!)~ Before ya' venture out to yer fab family gatherings, drop by Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice HQ & share a meaningful moment with OUR family! ¡HOY! 8-10am Welcomin' the Community Breakfast @ beautiful BRCSJ HQ! https://www.facebook.com/share/1CPZTdMvBx/