I’m From Driftwood is proud to announce a new initiative we’re kicking off next year: I’m From Driftwood Community Spotlights. Our inaugural feature will be the IFD Black Community Spotlight in February, and we need your stories, your connections and your help to make it happen. Continue Reading to see what you can do to help.

It seems that as much as things are improving for the LGBTQ community, they’re improving more slowly if you’re also part of the black community. There has been less progress for the black LGBTQ community in terms of workplace discrimination, housing discrimination, HIV/AIDS prevention, homelessness and general acceptance from both the straight community and even from the non-black LGBTQ community. In order for every LGBTQ person to be understood and accepted, all of our stories must be shared. It’s our hope that by bringing black LGBTQ stories into the spotlight where they belong, that we can all move forward together. You can help in one of many ways:

- If you’re a member of the black LGBTQ community, submit your written story. Write “Spotlight Story” at the beginning of your story and try to get it to us by January 10, 2012.
- If you’re an illustrator or painter and part of the black LGBTQ community, contact us about being part of our Featured Artist series.
- If you want to share your story on film or audio, contact us before January 1, 2012, with a brief explanation of your story and where you currently live.

While the Spotlight week will focus on members of the black LGBTQ community, the stories themselves do not necessarily have to be about race. Share any story in your life involving you being LGBTQ that is meaningful to you. It can be about love, loss, a good day, a bad day, realizing for the first time that you were LGBTQ, etc. Look at other stories on the site for inspiration. It is possible to submit a Written or Audio Story anonymously, and those who are on the DL (down-low), in the closet or identify as MSM (men who have sex with men) are especially encouraged to share your story.

Examples of previous black LGBTQ stories can be seen here, here and here.

If you have any questions at all about the Spotlight or about sharing a story, don’t hesitate to contact us.