Fayetteville State University Among Four HBCUs to Win Grant to Advance LGBTQ Inclusion
Promised Land Film announced that Fayetteville State University (FSU) was one of four historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and two faith institutions to receive $3,000 grants. The awards are part of their Empowering Equality Faith-Initiative and Empowering Equality at HBCUs program to use the award-winning documentary, The New Black as a tool to advance on-campus LGBTQ inclusion.
Others in addition to FSU, receiving the grants are Bethune-Cookman College, Jackson State University, North Carolina Central University, Lighthouse Church Chicago, and Unitarian Universalist of Morgantown, West Virginia.
Directed by Yoruba Richen, The New Black is nationally recognized for its engagement of black, LGBTQ and faith communities around the intersections of race, religion and sexual orientation. The HBCUs and faith institutions will screen the documentary in conjunction with meaningful community discussions and events.
"I am excited that The New Black continues to serve as a powerful medium for supporting institutional change." Richen said. "The film played an important role in the many LGBTQ advancements achieved since its release in 2013 and in this political climate it is more important than ever for the film to continue to serve as a catalyst for conversations that inspire individual, political and structural changes in the fight for LGBTQ inclusion and justice."
Promised Land Film views the new awards as an opportunity to build upon the social change efforts of past grantees and continue to provide campuses and faith institutions with important tools for amplifying issues of inclusion and justice at the intersection of race, gender, sexual identity and expression.
Previous award recipients are: Albany State University, Alabama State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Tennessee State University, Spelman College, Howard University School of Law, Morgan State University and North Carolina A&T State University.
The New Black has screened in more than 85 cities around the country through ITVS's Community Cinema public education and civic engagement initiative and in over 70 film festivals around the world. The documentary has garnered numerous awards including the AFI Docs: Audience Award, Best Feature; Philadelphia QFest: Audience Award, Best Documentary; Frameline LGBT Film Festival: Audience Award, Best Documentary & Honorable Mention, Outstanding Documentary; Urbanworld Film Festival: Jury Award, Best Documentary Feature and The Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Independent Documentary. The film was also nominated for a 2014 NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Documentary; and a 2014 GLAAD Media Award, Outstanding Documentary.
Fayetteville State University is a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina and the second-oldest public institution of higher education in the state. FSU offers degrees at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels. With more than 6,200 students, Fayetteville State University is among the most diverse institutions in the nation.