Black Queer Canada Launches as Canada’s First National Organization for Black 2SLGBTQI+ Communities

OTTAWA, Ontario, Feb. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Queer Canada is marking its historic launch as the country’s first national organization dedicated to centring Black 2SLGBTQI+ people, at the second annual National Black 2SLGBTQI+ Futures Summit, taking place February 5–7.

For the first time, Canada has a national organization representing Black 2SLGBTQI+ voices and stories, amplifying the community and ensuring their lived experiences are at the heart of research, reports, and the decision-making that directly impacts them.

Data shows 86 per cent of Black 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada have experienced anti-Black racism within 2SLGBTQI+ spaces, while 53 per cent have faced the threat of a hate crime or an incident based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Black 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada have always been here — organizing, creating, surviving, and leading. However, our experiences have been pushed to the margins in a system that has often failed to reflect their realities or meet our needs,” said Tyler Boyce, Executive Director of Black Queer Canada. “Black Queer Canada was created to fill that gap, to move us from invisibility to influence, from isolated efforts to collective power.”

With a focus on advocacy, research, and policy change, Black Queer Canada will ensure that Black 2SLGBTQI+ people are meaningfully represented at policy tables, funding decisions, and public discourse. Already, Black Queer Canada is working with the federal government to advance employment equity for Black and 2SLGBTQI+ public servants, marking a concrete step toward systemic change.

“The launch of Black Queer Canada is rooted in both courage and strategy. Black queer people have always led with care for one another; today they are pairing that strength with the tools of policy, research, and organizing to change the systems that shape our lives. Visibility matters, but structural change is what delivers safety, dignity, and opportunity.”

• Mohammed Hashim, Executive Director of Canadian Race Relations Foundation
  

“In Black Queer Canada, our community has finally found a place where we can dream without limits. We are moving past the idea of just 'being included' and focusing on the tools and resources needed to truly succeed. We are proving that a Canada that values Black and Queer voices is a more resilient and prosperous Canada for everyone. We aren't just looking for a seat at the table anymore; we are busy building our own home.”

• Shelly-Ann Skinner, Executive Director of Uplift Black
  

“I have watched my community show up and stand up for a decade as individuals who too often didn’t have support of their own. Black Queer Canada is about supporting the work being done across Canada to empower Black 2SLGBTQI+ people.” 

• Adebayo Katiti, Executive Director of RaricaNow
  

About Black Queer Canada
Black Queer Canada advances the rights, dignity, and well-being of Black 2SLGBTQI+ communities in Canada through community organizing, advocacy, policy, and systemic change. We work to dismantle anti-Black racism, homophobia, and transphobia by pushing for equitable policies, holding institutions accountable, and amplifying the voices of those most impacted. Grounded in our histories and lived experiences, we strive to build a future where our communities thrive in safety, dignity, and self-determination.

To learn more about Black Queer Canada, visit our website.

For interviews, including media availability at the National Black 2SLGBTQI+ Futures Summit, please contact:

Colton Praill
Public Relations Strategist, spark*advocacy
colton@sparkadvocacy.ca
613-875-4320

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