COACHELLA VALLEY, CA — A nonprofit organization, in collaboration with the Inland Empire Community Foundation, has created a scholarship that aims to support gay Black men in the Inland Empire.
The Brothers of the Desert organization, founded in 2017 to support Black gay men and allies in the Coachella Valley, established the Brothers of the Desert Scholarship Fund to give back to their own community after receiving funding.
“It’s incredibly important for the Valley because I don’t think there’s ever been a scholarship that has been focused specifically on the intersection of Black identity and LGBTQ identity,” said Tim Vincent, the organization’s president. “It’s important for us to really make sure we’re reserving this support for a student that identifies in both of those places. It’s so important to change the dynamics that continue to happen to Black queer people.”
Charitable Giving Officer John McGuirk added remarks about the scholarship.
“Education creates a pathway for the next generation to thrive and give back,” McGuirk said.
To qualify for the scholarship, the individual must be a student who has completed a two-year college program or secondary education in the Inland Empire. The student must also be accepted into a four-year college or university in the U.S. and who identifies as a gay Black male.
Applications will open next month and more information can be found by emailing info@brothersofthedesert.org.
“The goal is to transform the barriers that can spark feelings of isolation, disconnection and inequity among Black gay men,” the organization stated.
