The International Federation of Black Prides (IFBP), a coalition of Black Gay Pride organizations in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and South Africa, announced today the formation and recent IRS 501 (c)(4) tax-exempt status of the IFBP Fund for Leadership, Inc.

The initiation of the IFBP Fund for Leadership will arm us with another critical tool in our ongoing efforts to impact improved legislative outcomes for our diverse communities in the United States, said Earl Fowlkes, President/CEO of the IFBP and the IFBP Fund for Leadership.

The formation of the IFBP Fund for Leadership (IFBP FL) was authorized by the membership of the IFBP during the 2006 Annual Board and Technical Assistance meeting held in Memphis, TN. The primary purpose of the IFBP FL is to engage in legislative advocacy activities that promote the development of economic empowerment, health and wellness, social justice, and political empowerment on behalf of African American LGBT communities. Additionally, the IFBP FL has a goal of developing leadership within IFBP member organizations regarding voter education, political processes, and the raising of resources to support the efforts of the IFBP and its constituencies in the United States.

The IFBP Fund for Leadership comes at a very critical time for our communities, stated Michael Hinson, Interim Board Chair of the IFBP FL. Never before has an African American LGBT organization positioned itself to directly take on the political issues facing our communities. The development of this 501(c)(4) will give LGBT African Americans and those of African descent a voice in the important political debates and decisions that until now have evaded our communities.

The Board of Directors of the Fund for Leadership has initiated the development of a strategic plan for the next three to five years to take advantage of the more than 300,000 Black LGBT individuals and families who attend the thirty-plus Black Pride events each year around the United States.