Draft:United Black Ellument
Dallas-based Black LGBTQ community initiative
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
United Black Ellument (UBE) is a Dallas-based community initiative focused on empowering young Black same-gender-loving men and addressing health disparities affecting Black LGBTQ communities in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.[1]
History
In June 2009, United Black Ellument opened their center in Deep Ellum, Dallas, to the public as a two-year-pilot project funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control.[2][3] The project was administered by Dr. Susan Kegeles of the University of California, San Francisco,[2] and was coordinated locally by community organizers Chaaz Quigley, Terrance Anderson, and Venton Jones.[4] UBE developed as part of community-based HIV prevention efforts addressing disproportionately high infection rates among young Black men who have sex with men in Dallas.[1] The project emerged from grassroots organizing focused on HIV prevention, peer education, and community health initiatives among Black gay and bisexual men.[5]
In 2011, the initiative shifted from an independent organization to "a program of Resource Center Dallas," with funding provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services.[2] The Center for AIDS Prevention Studies in San Francisco would continue to evaluate the effects of the program.[2]
Programs and activities
United Black Ellument has organized peer education programs, social gatherings, and community discussions focused on HIV prevention and strengthening connections among Black LGBTQ residents in Dallas. They have also organized events on vogue and ball culture.[6]
The initiative has also been referenced as part of broader community programming hosted through LGBTQ organizations in the Dallas area.[7]