A new campaign is raising funds to give a proper Christmas to young queer black people who aren’t able to celebrate with their family due to estrangement.
Created by Tanya Compas, a youth worker and writer, the event aims to give around 35 young black individuals a space to celebrate Christmas with their “chosen family”.
The event will be free for attendees and all donations are welcome, although £25 covers each head.
An initial fundraising target of £1,200 - to cover the cost of food, alcohol-free drinks and Christmas decorations - was met just within one day of the campaign's launch.
Compas is now trying to raise an extra £800 so attendees can each receive a Christmas stocking filled with gifts.
In her GoFundMe post explaining the venture, Compas wrote that she was driven to create Queer Black Christmas as a “passion project” after personal experience with the difficultly of strained family relationships during Christmas.
For many, Christmas and the holiday period is a special time to spend and bond with family,” wrote Compas, who was named one of the UK’s most inspiring women by Amnesty UK in 2018.
“However for others, this period can bring up feelings of dread, isolation and sadness, both IRL and on social media too.
“I want to create a small, intimate event in which I can facilitate community building, friendships, remind one another of the importance of chosen family and give us the chance to have a family meal, regardless of our faith background,” her post finished.
A poll conducted this month by YouGov on behalf of akt (formerly the Alan Kennedy Trust), found that a quarter of UK adults said they do not feel proud to have an LGBTQ child.
One in 10 also said they would feel “uncomfortable” living under the same roof as a child who identified as queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
Donate to the fundraiser here and please visit akt if you have been affected by any issues raised in this article.
