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Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice

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Coordinates: 40°20′53″N 74°39′52″W / 40.348017°N 74.664456°W / 40.348017; -74.664456
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice is a nonprofit organization located in Princeton, New Jersey.[1] It hosts programming and events geared towards public health, gender and sexual advocacy, and civil rights for marginalized people, particularly LGBTQIA+ youth.[2] The center was named in honor of Bayard Rustin, a black and gay activist of the American civil rights movement.[3]

History

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The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (BRCSJ) was founded in 2018 by Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber, a former middle-school teacher[4] who founded the first middle school gay-straight alliance in New Jersey.[5] In 2017, he was named Social Justice Activist of the Year by the National Education Association[6] and in 2024, was honored as LGBT History Month Icon by the Equality Forum.[7]

Walter Naegle & Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Chief Activist Robt Seda-Schreiber with Rustin's posthumously awarded Medal of Freedom
Walter Naegle & Robt Seda-Schreiber

From 2018-2020, the BRCSJ operated from its first headquarters on Wiggins Street in Princeton, NJ. On June 30, 2018, the BRCSJ held the second largest "Families Belong Together" rally in NJ.[8] In collaboration with Central Jersey GLSEN, the BRCSJ held New Jersey's largest LGBTQ youth forum, with keynote speaker Gavin Grimm.[9] The BRCSJ supported New Jersey State Legislature Bill A1335 which “would require Boards of Education to include instruction, and adopt instructional materials, that accurately portray political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.”[10] In 2019, the organization co-sponsored Martin Luther King Jr. Day events at Princeton University.[11] Also in 2019, the BRCSJ organized Princeton’s first Pride parade[12] as well as Princeton’s first drag show.[13]

In 2020, the BCRSJ transitioned to a completely virtual platform due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They hosted a Virtual Pride event, which featured such guests as Billy Porter, Sam Sparro, and Luis and Bob from Sesame Street.[14] They began a nightly virtual Social Justice Power Hour, with guests including Robert Jones Jr., Patton Oswalt, Valerie Jarrett, Maggie Smith, Adam Gopnik, Wayne Brady, Garry Trudeau, Raquel Willis, Gavin Grimm, Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, Ibram X. Kendi, PA Lt. Gov. and Senator-elect John Fetterman, John Doe (X), Billy Eichner, Keisha Blain, Kiese Laymon, and Susanna Hoffs. The Social Justice Power Hour ran continuously every weeknight for over 600 shows from 2020-2022 and continued in a multiplatform format.[15] The BRCSJ collaborated with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Princeton’s Racial Justice Task Force to declare racism a public health crisis.[16]  In 2020, the BRCSJ received a commendation in a Joint legislative Resolution from the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly. In 2022, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman presented the BRCSJ with a Congressional Proclamation, "recognizing and honoring Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice’s (BRCSJ) positive impact and achievements as an activist center, educational bridge and safe space for LGBTQIA youth, families and allies".[17]

In March 2022, it re-opened physically at the organization’s second headquarters in Princeton, at 12 Stockton Street.[18] In June 2022, the BRCSJ organized Princeton’s Pride parade, which drew over 3500 people, and was headlined by Alan Muraoka of Sesame Street as Grand Marshall.[19]

Objectives and activities

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The BRCSJ continues to offer programming and service as a local safe space for multigenerational, intersectional communities. Some of their services include free, in-house therapy for LGBTQIA youth; birth justice and reproductive rights offered by a BRCSJ Doula-in-Residence; the Transgender Justice Collective; Queer History Archive; and the Queer Youth Brigade.[20] The BRCSJ is home to a social justice lending library which features over 1,000 books by authors who are LGBTQIA+ or hold other marginalized identities.

People

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Bayard Rustin's partner Walter Naegle is Board Member Emeritus.[21] Members of the BRCSJ Board of Directors have included Emilio Delgado who played Luis on Sesame Street; Emmy and GLAAD Media Award winner Alan Muraoka (Alan on Sesame Street); Dr. Peniel E. Joseph; Glen Pannell (Mike Hot-Pence); Rasheed Newson, author of “My Government Means To Kill Me”;[22] and Bel-Air EP, poet and podcaster Micelle Elizabeth Brown; Coalition for Peace Action founder Rev. Robert Moore; Philadelphia trans activist Erin Worrell; Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Tom Haydon; queer educator Carol Watchler; labor rights organizer David Sailer; Center for Medicare Advocacy lawyer Wey-Wey Kwok; Stark & Stark shareholder Thomas Onder; and Dean Dafis, first openly gay mayor of Maplewood, New Jersey.[21]

Chief Activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber was named as a top straight ally in New Jersey by Insider NJ before coming out as bisexual[23] and was honored as LGBT History Month Icon by the Equality Forum.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice". Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice. Archived from the original on 2023-04-23. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  2. ^ "Bayard Rustin Center Opens Its Doors, Seeks Social Justice for All | Town Topics". Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  3. ^ "Bayard Rustin: Gay Civil Rights Leader & MLK's Adviser | HISTORY". History.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-01. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  4. ^ Silberstein, Jodi (2019-05-10). "Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice". Out In Jersey. Archived from the original on 2023-02-05. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  5. ^ Nisse, Jake. "East Windsor teacher wins activism award for LGBTQIA efforts". Courier News. Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  6. ^ Maccar, Madeleine. "West Windsor resident wins national award for social activism". Community News. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  7. ^ a b "Princeton's Bayard Rustin Center Chief Honored By Equality Forum". Princeton, NJ Patch. 2024-09-30. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  8. ^ Wadlow, Brad. "NJ Today: Central Jersey Daily Rundown, Wednesday, July 4". Courier News. Archived from the original on 2022-06-27. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  9. ^ Oglesby, Amanda. "NJ's biggest LGBT youth forum will draw hundreds to Middletown". Asbury Park Press. Archived from the original on 2023-04-23. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  10. ^ NJ.com, Susan K. Livio | NJ Advance Media for (2018-12-18). "N.J. may require schools to teach about the accomplishments of LGBTQ and disabled people". nj. Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  11. ^ "Reflections on truth and compassion mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration". Princeton University. Archived from the original on 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  12. ^ "These 9 Places are Hosting Their First-Ever Pride Celebrations This Year". Teen Vogue. 2019-06-01. Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  13. ^ "NJGayLife.com keeps the NJ LGBT Community Connected! - Bayard Rustin Center-Princeton's First Drag Show". www.njgaylife.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  14. ^ Lahman, Alex Biese, Maddy Lauria, Jim Beckerman, Celeste E. Whittaker and Sean. "Pride Month: How LGBTQ community, allies will be celebrating differently due to COVID-19". Asbury Park Press. Archived from the original on 2020-08-28. Retrieved 2023-04-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ NJ.com, Tennyson Donyéa | NJ Advance Media for (2020-07-06). "Want to learn more about N.J.'s diversity? Here are some resources". nj. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  16. ^ "Racial Justice Ministry - Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton". Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  17. ^ Writer, ANDREW HARRISON, Staff (2022-09-07). "Princeton's Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice receives congressional proclamation for service to community". centraljersey.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-04-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Biese, Alex. "'What this community needs': NJ's Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice finds new home". Asbury Park Press. Archived from the original on 2023-04-23. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  19. ^ "Princeton Pride 2022: In-Person Pride Parade To Be Held June 18". Princeton, NJ Patch. 2022-05-26. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  20. ^ "Bayard Rustin Center Ramps Up Programming; Out-of-the-Closet Clothing Giveaway August 20 | Town Topics". Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  21. ^ a b "Board of Directors". Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice. Retrieved April 24, 2023. WALTER NAEGLE (BRCSJ BOARD MEMBER EMERITUS & BELOVED PARTNER OF BAYARD RUSTIN) BECAME INTERESTED IN NONVIOLENCE & SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES AS A 1960'S TEENAGER IN SUBURBAN NEW JERSEY.
  22. ^ Jersey, Out In (2022-12-04). "Bayard Rustin Center welcomes Rasheed Newson to the Board". Out In Jersey. Archived from the original on 2023-01-29. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  23. ^ "Straight. But But Not Narrow. A Tribute To Straight People Who Fought For LGBTQ Liberty". Insider NJ. 2021-10-07. Archived from the original on 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
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40°20′53″N 74°39′52″W / 40.348017°N 74.664456°W / 40.348017; -74.664456

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