Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice

The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice is a dedicated Queer Safe- Space, community activist hub, & educational bridge for LGBTQIA youth, intersectional families, & all marginalized folx across the spectrum, dedicated to preserving the life & legacy of Bayard Rustin by offering innovative all- inclusive support initiatives, powerful programs, & extraordinary events hosted physically at their beautiful Princeton New Jersey HQ & at various partner centers across the nation as well as virtually on www.rustincenter.org connecting our beautifully diverse communities in ways as inspirational as they are exponential. They are at the forefront of intersectional social justice & Queer advocacy with such robust resources as their Queer Youth Brigade, Transgender Justice Collective, Queer History Archive (which will expand to be the only such resource to be dedicated to Bayard Rustin himself!), Reproductive Rights Birth Justice Program, HIV testing & Monkeypox/COVID vaccinations, PRIDE Parade & After-Party, GOTV & voter registration drives, Queer Community Gatherings, our Welcomin’ the Community Free Breakfasts (inspired by the Black Panther Party free food program!), Racial Justice Task Force, Defenders of the Right to Read (Anti-Censorship combatants & Book-Banning battlers!) & mayhaps most importantly, a dedicated safe-space open each & every day, hosted by volunteers trained to welcome anyone & everyone who wants or needs our love & support. The recent acts of hate & violence directed towards the LGBTQIA community members is tragically just one more ugly reminder of what we face on a daily basis & makes our precious & increasingly endangered safe spaces that much more important & absolutely necessary & is a fierce reminder of the vitality of the Center's work for collective liberation for all! During the pandemic, when the Center had to close their doors physically, their Chief Activist Robt Martin opened their doors virtually by hosting their Social Justice Power Hour which became a tremendous source of strength & solace (as well a bit of fabulous entertainment!) & creating a virtual bit of community-building & remote fellowship as the show became as exponential as it was inspirational. This extraordinary broadcast was live every single weeknite for more than two years, over 600 shows gathering together thousands of viewers as well as hosting an impressive mix of inspirational local folx & more diverse & nationally-known figures including authors, activists, artists, dignitaries, politicians, actors, poets, as well as celebrities representing across the spectrum including (but not limited to!) Wayne Brady, Robert Jones Jr., Patton Oswalt, Valerie Jarrett, Billy Eichner, Ibram X. Kendi, Kurt Andersen, Al Franken, Andrew Aydin & Nate Powell, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Rosie Perez, Jonathan Eig, Billy Porter, Patrick McDonnell, Raquel Willis, John Fetterman among literally hundreds of other fab folx... Join us as Angelic Troublemakers in Beloved Community!

Visit their website:
https://www.rustincenter.org