Boston LesBiGay Urban Foundation
Last summer, Curtis Santos was at a turning point in his career and his life. He was considering leaving his much-loved job in urban ministry to devote himself full-time to his work at Boston LesBiGay Urban Foundation (BLU, pronounced “blue”), the nonprofit he had co-founded five years before. With more than 10 ongoing programs and countless get-togethers, BLU had grown to the point that it needed the full-time oversight of an executive director. So, Curtis took advantage of The Lenny Zakim Fund’s weekly office hours and met with LZF Board Member Deborah Seidel, an attorney and former nonprofit executive. “I told Deborah, I have to make a decision here, and I don’t know what that decision is going to be,” Curtis recalls. “It was such an emotional moment. I was so afraid to walk into this space by myself because I didn’t really have the necessary education, and I could so easily fail. But Deborah said, ‘Curtis, you’re going to be okay, my friend. Because you’re doing the right thing talking with me right now, so we can figure all these things out.’” “She walked me through everything I needed to do and connected me with other lawyers to get our organization officially established,” Curtis continues. “I’m so grateful for all Deborah and The Fund did for me during this time. They helped us set up bylaws and board governance and infrastructure, including the best tools for managing our finances. And now that we’re so grounded, we’re really growing in different capacities.” Despite Curtis’ uncertainty, he brought an impressive skill set to the role of executive director, honed from years of frontline experience in health care, violence prevention, housing, homelessness, and youth development. He’s also quick to note the crucial role various mentors played in his career, particularly Dr. Jonathan Spikes, a research scientist, clinician, and nonprofit director in Miami, who Curtis worked with as a clinical administrative assistant for three years. “I was going back and forth from Miami to Boston a lot during that time,” Curtis recalls, “and Dr. Spikes said, ‘You’ll always have a job here if you want it, but you’re clearly needed back in your city.’ He opened the door, and I ran right through it, home to Boston, to devote myself to BLU.” That was two years ago, and since then, Curtis and his team of volunteers and part-time staff have developed 10 ongoing programs and countless special events as part of BLU’s services for the QTBIPOC community. “We use mental health as our catalyst,” Curtis explains, “and create a safe and welcoming space to share experiences and build lasting, healthy relationships. Our goal is to break the cycle of dysfunction in marginalized communities, make medical and mental health awareness a priority, and uplift the voices of our Black/Brown/Latino LGBTQ+ inner-city community.” With nearly 5,000 people on their mailing list and an average of 100 people attending events from all over New England, the BLU mission of empowerment, celebration, and advocacy is clearly having an impact. “We’re mobilizing and activating spaces and trying to get the word out that we exist,” Curtis says. Virtual activities often have a global reach, with participants from as far away as Houston, Chicago, and even Africa. Currently, BLU’s roster of programs includes: A digital equity group for seniors, twice a month A virtual support group for trans men of color, twice a month Walking 1 Stop, a comprehensive LGBTQ+ healthcare program After work networking socials A community-based mentorship program for LGBTQ+ youth NOW Project (Networking, Outreach, and Education) Workshops and training for LGBTQ+ youth The Food Destigmatization Program, providing essential resources and raising awareness of food insecurity to promote empathy and understanding Blue Cares Initiative, a reentry workforce development program helping formerly incarcerated LGBTQ+ individuals with job training and finding employment Boston Black Pride, a volunteer-driven initiative that curates Pride-centric celebrations, culminating in an annual parade and festival Boston Black Pride activities ramp up significantly each June during Pride Month and continue into the first week of July. This year, Pride will be celebrated on the Boston Common on June 14th. BLU and Boston Black Pride will be tabling at the festival, and Curtis will be in his fourth year hosting from the main stage. From June 29th through July 6th, Boston Black Pride is hosting a week-long series of events in Roxbury’s Nubian Square, including a fitness challenge, open mic night, health summit, youth pride glow party, educational workshops, pool party, R&B brunch, two galas, and paint and karaoke night at The Pryde senior residence. For the grand finale, on Sunday, July 6th, a parade through Franklin Park will end with a music and arts festival at the Shattuck Grove Picnic Area. In addition to running the organization and helping plan and host so many activities, Curtis finds a way to connect with individual BLU members and make sure everyone finds a place where they fit in. “If someone comes to me and says they’re feeling disconnected, I tell them they’ll be the first person I call the next time we have an event or tickets to a show,” he says. “I tell them: When you’re ready, I will bring you!” Current needs at the BLU Foundation include office and event space and volunteers to help with marketing and public relations, event planning and hosting, financial systems, and setting up a CRM database to track members/clients. If you’d like to get involved, please contact Curtis Santos at 857-492-5360 or info@lesbigayurbanfoundation.org or through the BLU contact page.
