As Pride Month approaches, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) and Out in Tech are launching Lavender Book, a web based app dedicated to finding safe and inclusive spaces for members of the Queer BIPOC community throughout the nation.
Inspired by Green Book, a historic guide for Black roadtrippers published during the Jim Crow era mapping safe spaces throughout the nation, Lavender Book was created specifically with the Queer BIPOC community in mind. The app's features include ability for users to submit, research, review different local businesses that are safe, inclusive, Black owned, Queer owned, and more.
CHECK OUT THE LAVENDER BOOK HERE: lavenderbook.org/ .
"Finding safe, supportive, responsive environments can be a tall order for Black and African diasporic LGBTQ+/SGL people. We created Lavender Book to serve our BIPOC LGBTQ+ community in a time where anti-discrimination efforts and safety cannot be taken for granted," said David Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition. "Rather than spend hours googling, texting, and emailing , users can refer to Lavender Book for recommendations and reviews by location, service, accessibility, and more. Can this salon style 4c hair? Are the restrooms at that restaurant inclusive? Is the noise level high? Is the shop Black or LGBTQ+/SGL-owned? Whether you're traveling 1,000 feet or 1,000 miles, we want Lavender Book to help map a safe and enjoyable journey for all of our users."
"We believe every person deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. However, there are still states where people can be denied services on the basis of perceived sexual orientation and gender identity," said Andrew Lowenthal, Executive Director of Out In Tech. "Unfortunately, there are also unfriendly, unwelcoming, and even hostile environments specifically for BIPOC members of our community. By leveraging the power of technology and crowdsourcing for social change, we hope to help BIPOC LGBTQ+ folks find safe and inclusive spaces at the recommendation of their peers."
The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is America's leading civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+, and same gender loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) people, including people living with HIV.
Out in Tech is the world's largest non-profit community of LGBTQ+ tech leaders. Our mission is to unite the LGBTQ+ tech community. We do this by creating opportunities for our members to advance their careers, grow their networks, and leverage tech for social change.