About Language
We focus on Black LGBTQIA+ community members because broad “People of Color (POC)” frameworks often obscure the specific ways in which Black community members are excluded from local LGBTQIA+ spaces. Targeted attention is necessary to achieve meaningful and measurable change.
Centering Black experiences here is not about exclusion; it’s about precision, accountability, and responding directly to what Black LGBTQIA+ Charlottesville community members have asked for so that any future inclusion efforts are more honest, effective, and sustainable.
Click on the QR code to be sent to the Registration form.
FAQ
Will parking be available?
Yes, free parking will be available to all registered participants. Please be sure to register.
Is this summit really for Black LGBTQIA+ community members?
Yes. The BRIDGE Summit is Black-led, organized, and facilitated. It is designed in response to longstanding concerns raised by Black LGBTQIA+ community members about exclusion, harm, and inequity in local LGBTQIA+ spaces. Black participants are not being invited to “help organizations learn,” but to be centered, respected, and protected within a process that places responsibility for change on white-led organizations.
Is this a safe space?
Safety is a priority, not an assumption. The summit includes clear guardrails, trained facilitators, and explicit expectations for white participants. Black participants will not be asked to debate their lived experiences, manage others’ emotions, or participate in unstructured conversations where harm often occurs. While no space can promise zero discomfort, the structure is intentionally designed to reduce risk and prevent retraumatization.
There will also be security folks on site (Black allies).
Will I be expected to share my story or educate others?
No. Participation does not require personal storytelling, teaching, or emotional labor. Any truth-telling components are voluntary, curated, and supported. You choose how, and whether, you engage.
Who is facilitating this summit?
Dr. Shaashawn Dial, Charley Burton, and JaiVyn Whitehead will hold lead roles throughout the summit. White facilitators, where present, will focus on managing white accountability and defensiveness, not directing or interpreting Black experiences.
What happens after the summit?
This is not a one-time conversation. White-led organizations will be expected to make concrete commitments, with timelines and accountability structures. Follow-up actions may include shared governance spaces, funding commitments, and ongoing accountability practices. Black community members will not be asked to “wait and see” without transparency.
Do I have to trust this process to participate?
No. Skepticism is valid and respected. Participation does not require optimism; only that you are given clear information, meaningful choice, and respect for your boundaries.
Click on the QR code to be sent to the Registration form.