Mission
The Closet Unlocked is a social enterprise community co-creating art and producing multimedia assets to help Queer, Trans, and Non-Binary Black people amplify their voices and experiences.
Vision
A world where all Queer, Trans, and Nonbinary Black people feel a deep sense of belonging in all spaces.
Values
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We value growth because it’s what happens when we learn to be patient with ourselves & listen to what we need to be able to not just survive but thrive.
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We value respect because it is always deserved yet often shown to Black Queer, Trans, and Nonbinary people.
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We value visibility because the more spaces that people see us in, the more they know we’re here.
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We value empathy because we all have experienced similar moments throughout life, and it helps to be understood while trying to heal.
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We value authenticity because it encourages people to experience vulnerability and live in their truth unapologetically.
Pillars
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We emphasize advocating for Black Queer, Trans, and Nonbinary people to endorse their human rights.
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We acknowledge creativity for what it means to us, has contributed to, and inspired through catalyzing social change.
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We utilize education as a pathway to equitable, sustainable life outcomes.
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We champion revolutionary ideas and actions that support the betterment of Black LGBTQIA+ people.
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We encourage celebrating all stages of your journey to appreciate the range of accomplishments you can achieve.
Media Productions
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‘Closet Moments’ are experiences shared by individuals from the Black, LGBTQ+ community through therapeutic outlets, to show others that they're not alone in their own life journey.
This initiative is used to turn a narrative research analysis of anonymously collected qualitative data into anthology-style nonfiction stories to assess long-term Queer belonging in Black spaces.
Click here to access media.
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‘The Table’ serves as a reporting outlet to highlight culturally competent resources and accomplishments throughout the Black, LGBTQ+ community by celebrating culture and amplifying the voices of its members.
This initiative aims to focus solely on the positive experiences to provide a more uplifting perspective for our audience, while also including live interviews with select creative individuals.
Click here to access media.
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The ‘Closet Unlocked Theater (CUT) in Blaque’ is a space where communities can unite in unison, love, and support to showcase Black Queer talent and enjoy entertainment from various artists.
This initiative combines a sample of the artist's work and a summary of their accomplishments to display representation throughout industries that have historically excluded Black LGBTQ+ folks.
*Blaque (adj): a trait describing an individual existing at integrated identities on the Black LGBTQ+ spectrum.
Click here to access media.
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‘Garden of Greats’ allows us to honor Black Queer trailblazers through reoccurring tributes to teach others about the collective impact being left for and by our community.
With leaders across sectors pushing for change in schools, sharing resources internationally, and contributing to historical progress, this initiative gives well-deserved recognition and flowers to people for their achievements at all stages of their journey.
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The Why
Founded in 2020, The Closet Unlocked is the first multimedia, digital platform that amplifies the voices and experiences of Black, Queer folks to provide a deeper sense of belonging for individuals.
Through music curation, anthology stories, the latest news, and more, we highlight the positive moments of the LGBTQ+ community.
We bring awareness to the strength in the dynamic journey, instead of the negative, and show others that they are not alone in their intersectional experiences.
Events
September 29th, 2024
Nobody’s Darling Bar
Chicago, Illinois
Building the Table:
Celebrating Culture in the Business, Education, & Entrepreneurship fields.
Testimonials
YouTube
