It’s indisputable – we are ready to embark on new ventures. Join us. The body of BMX National work comes in the form of carefully discussed, researched, planned and executed initiatives and we need all the help we can get from dedicated people in our community and our allies.
Through our initiatives BMX National solves problems and educates our people, and we aim to see to it that our initiatives always align to these goals. A closer look at our initiatives may prove eye-opening. We hope in learning more about our cause, you too may want to participate in BMX National events, projects, and initiatives.

Current initiatives include:

Black Men Against their Defamation and Demise (B-MADD)
Founded March 9th 2012, inspired by the murder of 17 year old Trayvon Martin, Black Males Against our Defamation and Demise (B-MADD) is dedicated to addressing and resolving the history and problem in the United States of criminalizing, essential sing, mistreating, misrepresenting, under-representing, stereotyping and murdering Black men of African descent in cold-blood. Additionally, B-MADD is dedicated to upholding and ensuring fair, accurate and affirming representation of Black men of African descent in the media, in education and public spaces as a means of eliminating premature death and murder and harassment by law enforcement and every day citizens, academic and employment inequity, barriers to well-being and discrimination based on being “Black” and male.

Black MSM Policy and Advocacy Collaborative Team (B-MPACT)
How will the Black community address HIV among Black men (BMSM, SGL, Gay-identified) if we don’t have indigenous Black men at the forefront? The Black MSM Policy and Advocacy Collaborative Team (BMPACT) lead by BMX National is demanding a new paradigm for HIV work with BMSM. Black Mens Xchange and it’s partners, Hetrick-Martin Institute, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, Brotherhood Inc., National Gay Black Mens Advocacy Coalition and the Harm Reduction Coalition are standing up to push the CDC and the national HIV/AIDS policy stakeholders to work towards a more sensible, effective and life-saving national HIV/AIDS strategy for Black men.

BMPACT is demanding that HIV prevention risk-reduction and behavior change interventions be brought back from the margins of national prevention policies and made equal with testing so as to form a comprehensive national prevention policy for Black MSM. Unlike previous attempts by the CDC to do we are demanding that going forward HIV prevention risk-reduction and behavior change interventions be implemented with the cultural literacy of BMSM required for these interventions to be successful.

Sankofa Tour
Black Same Gender Loving (SGL), Gay-identified and Bi-sexual brotha’s nationwide have voiced concern about the lack of spaces in their local communities that are affirming, culturally relevant or welcoming. The ‘Sankofa’ National Tour will be social, inspirational, and fun with emphasis on Black affirmation, respect and developing inherent critical thinking skills.

The Gathering of Brothers (G.O.B.)
The Gathering of Brothers (G.O.B) commences a time and space for like-minded Same Gender Loving (SGL) and Bi-sexual Black men to gather together as one body to discuss, engage, educate and implement, on a broader spectrum, the issues surrounding Black men who love Black men. There will be various topics discussed and suggested topics along with this being a means to recruit, establish, and encourage brothers toward the weekly forums within the local chapters’ communities.

Weekend Forum
At a BMX local chapter Friday, Saturday or Sunday Night Forum you can expect to have great dialogue about the latest news headlines, hear some good music and eat some good food. A weekend night forum is an “affirmation station” wherein brothers of different stripes, from different walks of life, and different parts of the Diaspora chart resolutions to issues that impact their lives as Black men, and as Black men who love men.

Partnerships

In order to improve our own offerings and initiatives along with those of other organizations that with similar interests, BMX National has formed partnership with several groups.

The ties we have formed with groups both large and small hold great value to BMX National, and we hope our work together will continue to improve our relationships and foster education and change within communities in need.

Partnerships include:

The Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative (AAALI): Learn the basics of HIV and AIDS and learn how to take steps to prevent transmission and protect one’s self  from HIV. Launched in 2009, the AAALI initiative initially brought together some of the nation’s foremost African American organizations to intensify HIV prevention efforts in black communities. In 2010, CDC expanded AAALI to also include organizations that focus specifically the Latino community and on black gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM).(More)

 AmASSI Center: The AmASSI Center is a non-profitcommunity based health, wellness and cultural affirmation center, providing healing to over 10,000 primarily African American and Latino men, women, and children in the South Central Los Angeles neighborhoods of Inglewood, West Adams, Crenshaw, Baldwin Hills, Leimert Park, and Adams-La Brea. AmASSI is an acronym for the African American Advocacy, Support-Services & Survival Institute. They provide preventive health for HIV/AIDS, STDs, cancer, diabetes, etc., psychological and therapeutic assistance and math and literacy tutoring, skills building opportunities and empowerment. At the AmASSI Center, community members are culturally respected and affirmed, and all services are free and low cost. AmASSI has received national recognition for its Critical Thinking and Cultural Affirmation (CTCA) model of services for hard to reach and sub populations.

Hetrick Martin Institute: The Hetrick-Martin Institute believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential. Hetrick-Martin creates this environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth between the ages of 12 and 24 and their families. Through a comprehensive package of direct services and referrals, Hetrick-Martin seeks to foster healthy youth development. Hetrick-Martin’s staff promotes excellence in the delivery of youth services and uses its expertise to create innovative programs that other organizations may use as models.

Brotherhood, Inc: Brotherhood, Incorporated was established as a minority non-profit community based organization in 1996. The organization is governed by a board of directors that is reflective of the diverse populations served. The organization also operates Trinity House, which provides transitional and permanent housing in a group home setting to low income individuals living with AIDS. Staff of the organization are members of the New Orleans Regional AIDS Planning Council, the Louisiana HIV Prevention Community Planning Group, the American Public Health Association, the American Red Cross, and the National Minority AIDS Council. The mission of Brotherhood, Incorporated is to develop and implement programs and services that increase access to health care and health care information, such as housing, health promotion, and disease prevention programs, among at risk and under served populations. We are here to make a difference. Join us in the fight against AIDS as we work to reduce the spread of HIV among minority and under served populations in Orleans Parish.

National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors: The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) represents the nation’s chief state health agency staff who have programmatic responsibility for administering HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis healthcare, prevention, education, and supportive service programs funded by state and federal governments. NASTAD is dedicated to reducing the incidence of HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis infections in the U.S. and its territories, providing comprehensive, compassionate, and high-quality care to all persons living with HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis, and ensuring responsible public policies. NASTAD provides national leadership to achieve these goals, and to educate about and advocate for the necessary federal funding to achieve them, as well as to promote communication between state and local health departments and HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis care and treatment programs. NASTAD supports and encourages the use of applied scientific knowledge and input from affected communities to guide the development of effective policies and programs.(More)