Love and Joy: Dr. Tara Jae on YouthSeen, Black Pride, and Reimagining Philanthropy

In a world reeling from continued budget cuts, legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, and persistent systemic racism, finding pockets of joy has become an act of profound resistance. This is the perspective of Dr. Tara Jae, the dynamic leader at the helm of YouthSeen and Black Pride in Denver and a beloved member of our community. 

While acknowledging the immense difficulty of navigating this landscape, Dr. Jae shares how their organizations are fighting for survival, advocating for community-centered change, and building a new model for philanthropy.

Balancing Struggle with Personal Strength

Dr. Jae has a great response to the elephant in the room—the lack of funding and attack on basic human rights that so many in our country are facing. 

“I definitely go through this journey; I am trying to really focus on the moments of joy and really making that a part of my resistance,” they explain. “With everything that is going on with YouthSeen and Black Pride, that shit is hard, and it’s going to continue to be hard.” 

However, they find essential balance and fuel in her personal life. “It’s balanced, though, because my personal life is amazing, right?” They say, referencing her recent engagement to influencer and OFM cover model for this issue ReShanda Lias. “Like, I get to wake up to the love of my life, and we are constantly just laughing and having a good time. As we keep going through these executive orders and all of these shifts, middle-class and folks who are barely making ends meet get hit the worst every time, so we have to keep going.”

The Blatant Disparity in Nonprofit Funding

Dr. Jae has been vocal online about the stark and blatant disparity of which organizations are currently keeping their funding and which are using it. They acknowledge that many of the organizations that stay funded do so because of private donors—but that is still part of the larger systemic issue. 

“You can go to my Facebook, my  LinkedIn. You know I am very vocal about the fact that it is very eye opening and very blatant on which organizations are moving through this and which organizations are losing funding,” they say. 

They point out that while some larger organizations can rely on established donor networks during a crisis, smaller organizations, particularly organizations of color, are consistently overlooked. 

 “There are organizations out there that take from organizations of color consistently, do not give credit, do not give, give back in any way,” they say. “And the way that I turned it around is, me and another organization, Soul 2 Soul Sisters, started a mutual aid fund, and we opened it up nationally.”

The response was immediate and overwhelming. They had to close the application process almost instantly after receiving 92 applicants on a national level who collectively requested $9.2 million in assistance.

The applicants’ stories revealed a grim and consistent pattern: community-based organizations are being abandoned by private and large foundations because their work is “focusing on communities of color, LGBTQ+, and that is not where we’re aligning right now.

“These are the organizations that are very much community-based, neighborhood based, they’re the ones giving out food, making sure that there’s rent assistance, and making sure that people are staying off the streets, and making sure that they have roofs over their head, medical assistance, like all of the stuff that, these larger organizations … It’s not a priority of theirs,” they continue. “Which is, which is a problem, because, you know, these larger organizations, most of the conversations I’m hearing is, ‘We need access to funding to leave the country.’ The folks that we’re working with would not even consider that, and they’re like, ‘How do we, one, stand our ground, and two, make sure that we have basic needs?’”

Reimagining Philanthropy

One major frustration Dr. Jae shared is the slow, weeks-to-months-long funding process that, they argue, intentionally keeps smaller organizations “in crisis.” They recall the immediate turnaround of funding in 2020 during the COVID-19 crisis as definitive proof that large foundations can move quickly when they choose to.

“When everyone was having a hard time, you turned funding around within days, instead of this, like weeks to months bullshit that is often happening, which is it keeps these, these smaller organizations in crisis, so that they can come in and save them.”

“You showed us that you could do it in 2020, and now’s the time to pour into community because community needs it most, and we will always know what to do with that funding.” 

The mutual aid fund has sparked a revolutionary long-term conversation: the possibility of starting their own foundation. This foundation would focus on their community and be built on the principle of redoing philanthropy, removing the unnecessary walls and gatekeeping. Dr. Jae asserts, “Community will always work quicker than the system set up to support us.”

Call to Action: How to Get Involved

Dr. Jae emphasizes that the only way to navigate these challenges is to come together. They challenge readers to build coalitions with a discerning eye:

“Look around the room and see who’s not there. Yeah, that will speak volumes, because the only way we’re going to get through this is if we all come together.”

How to Support YouthSeen and Black Pride:

Support General Operating: “Most of the stuff that we are trying to bring in is around general operating so that we have the ability to move some stuff around,” they say, mentioning that some of their services, like rent and bill assistance, are on hold until they can get more funding. 

Connect and Engage: Find both organizations on social media. Message, email, or call them to offer support or tap into their community.

How to Access Services:

Visit the Website: The best way to inquire about services is through the YouthSeen website, where the team responds quickly.

Use the Drop-In Space: The physical space is available for youth and adults looking for community.

Access the Food Pantry: The food pantry is available to anyone in need of assistance with groceries.

In the face of sustained attacks on their community, Dr. Jae and their team are refusing to be dragged into despair. Instead, they are doubling down on what matters most: community, mutual aid, and the revolutionary power of shared joy.

Photo Credit: Flor Blake