Community Impact
AFFA’s mission is to achieve, nurture, and defend equality and full acceptance for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people. To achieve our mission, we work to build partnerships with municipal and civic leaders, legislators, medical and mental health care providers, policy makers and business leaders to advocate for awareness, protections and equality for the LGBTQ community.
We know that education and advocacy go hand-in-hand. To accomplish our goal of full acceptance and equality, we need to educate and raise awareness about LGBTQ identity and the issues affecting our community. We do this work through conducting training and educational programming, meeting with organizational leaders and teams, and helping organizations conduct diversity, equity and inclusion audits of their own policies and programs, specific to LGBTQ identity.
Educational Programming
We hosted forums with policy makers, subject experts, faith leaders, and community members. We love creating programs that inspire, educate and empower our community.
Creating Change at the Municipal Level
We have worked with Charleston, North Charleston, Folly Beach, and most recently Mt. Pleasant to pass nondiscrimination ordinances that protect LGBTQ people. We will not stop until there is full acceptance of our community.
“AFFA is a key resource and tireless advocate for the Lowcountry. Working with Executive Director Chase Glenn to pass nondiscrimination ordinances in Mount Pleasant was the highlight of my first year on Town Council. I am so thankful these protections are now in place for our citizens.”
G.M. Whitley, Mt. Pleasant Town Council Member
Workshops and Trainings
AFFA leads diversity, equity and inclusion trainings and workshops with local healthcare and mental health providers, as well as businesses and schools that educate people about the issues affecting LGBTQ individuals. Trainings are provided on a sliding scale. Contact us if you’d like AFFA to conduct a training with a business, healthcare provider, school, religious organization or any other group where you feel like it may be helpful.
Creating Visibility for the LGBTQ Community
Our 2018 media campaign reached thousands of people with the message to “Transcend Gender” and end the violence against transgender individuals— particularly trans women of color. And when a rainbow flag was burned in Charleston, AFFA sprang into action and offered free rainbow flags to anyone who would fly the flag in solidarity with the LGBTQ community. Over 200 requests for flags were received!
Tireless Advocacy
When a transgender woman was attacked in downtown Charleston, AFFA quickly went to work advocating for our LGBTQ community. AFFA hosted a town hall meeting with the Charleston Police Department in the days following the attack and we continue to work with the department to increase awareness and competency.
“AFFA has worked as a constant ally and community partner with the Charleston Police Department to assist in bridging the gap between the LGBTQIA community and our law enforcement organization. We remain excited to have AFFA as a supporter as our team continues to improve the relationship between law enforcement and LGBTQIA members in the Lowcountry.”
Chief Luther Reynolds, City of Charleston Police Department
Leader in Our Community
AFFA brought the College of Charleston and Medical University of South Carolina together to conduct the Tri-County LGBTQ Community Survey. This needs assessment captured the experiences of over 1,400 LGBTQ people in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester Counties. This critical data is helping us improve life for LGBTQ people in the Lowcountry.
Small Grants Programs
Through the generosity of the Freeman Foundation, each year AFFA awards upwards of $60,000 in small grants to organizations in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia that are doing programming with LGBTQ youth. In addition to the small grants program, AFFA also partners with We Are Family to administer the Trans Love Fund (TLF). TLF is dedicated to helping the transgender community of South Carolina through providing microgrants to trans-identified individuals for medical, legal, and emergency living expenses.
