The National Black Justice Collective (NBJC) brought Black LGBTQ+/Same-Gender Loving leadership to the forefront of the 2026 Creating Change Conference with its annual signature convening, The Black Institute.
Held Friday, Jan. 23, the daylong gathering brought together Black LGBTQ+/SGL organizers, advocates, and emerging leaders at a moment shaped by political backlash, policy rollbacks, and heightened organizing urgency. Hosted in Washington, D.C., the institute created space not only for reflection, but for coordinated action rooted in community care and long-term power building.
This year’s theme, “In Defense of Ourselves: A Strategic Convening for Black LGBTQ+/SGL Liberation,” framed defense as an active, forward-looking practice. Organized in partnership with the Movement for Black Lives and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the convening emphasized strategy, coalition building, and shared responsibility across movements.
Strategy Beyond Survival
Workshops throughout the day aligned with the Movement for Black Lives’ organizing framework, guiding participants through approaches that blended resistance with infrastructure. Sessions focused on strengthening community defense systems, advancing civic leadership pipelines, and scaling mutual aid as a sustainable model rather than an emergency response.
Organizers positioned the convening as a tool kit meant to extend beyond the conference, offering strategies applicable to electoral work, grassroots campaigns, and local care networks.
NBJC CEO and Executive Director Dr. David J. Johns joined a roster of organizers, strategists, and elected officials with experience across policy, advocacy, and movement work. Speakers included Movement for Black Lives Co-Executive Director Dr. Amara Enyia, Black Campaign School founder Jessica Byrd, and Vice Mayor Darryl Moore of Manassas Park, among others.
Leadership Across Movements
The Black Institute served as NBJC’s Black Track within Creating Change, while the organization also sponsored additional programming throughout the weekend. One session, led by NBJC’s Good Trouble Network, examined pathways for Black LGBTQ+/SGL candidates and officeholders navigating local, state, and federal government.
That workshop featured elected leaders including Maryland Delegates Gabriel Acevero and Ashanti Martinez, D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker, and Prince George’s County Council Chair Krystal Oriadha, who discussed governing while queer and Black in public office.
Another cornerstone was NBJC’s HIV Institute, developed alongside the Center for Black Equity, US Helping Us, and Destination Tomorrow. The daylong program addressed policy barriers, cultural messaging, and access to prevention tools such as PrEP and PEP, while also examining research funding and decriminalization efforts.
Investing in Black Futures
Alongside its conference programming, NBJC highlighted ongoing research and advocacy initiatives. Resources included Black Facts, a large-scale research project documenting perspectives within the Black LGBTQ+/SGL community, and Stop HIV Together, a federal collaboration promoting at-home testing and expanded treatment access.
Additional initiatives, including the Benevolence Campaign, 100 to Watch, and the Good Trouble Network, underscored NBJC’s continued investment in leadership development, youth support, and policy change.
As Creating Change 2026 concluded, NBJC’s Black Institute stood as a reminder that liberation work is strategic, communal, and deeply intentional, grounded in both survival and vision.
