Arcus Foundation Launches New Social Justice Strategy

NEW YORK – The Arcus Foundation today announced a refined strategy for its social justice program following a comprehensive needs assessment and evaluation process that involved input from more than 250 advocates and stakeholders worldwide.

The new strategy builds upon Arcus’ past work and is intended to maximize the foundation’s impact and achieve the following outcomes over the next five years:

• Within the U.S., increased support of LGBT youth of color and increased pro-LGBT advocacy by young people and communities of color.
• Greater leadership among people of faith around the world for the affirmation and protection of the lives of LGBT people.
• A strong, cohesive global movement to advance the recognition and protection of the human rights of LGBT people.

The strategy is driven by the Foundation’s social justice mission to enable individuals and families of every sexual orientation and gender identity, race and ethnicity to live their lives with dignity and respect, and express their love and sense of self wherever they are in the world.

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“Exciting advances and new opportunities are arising in the field of LGBT rights in the U.S. and around the world,” said Tom Kam, Vice President of Social Justice Programming.

“These opportunities are driven by the vision and courage of LGBT advocates and allies across the globe. Arcus has responded to these shifts by drawing from the leadership of our partners and stakeholders to define an ambitious set of new goals that will drive our future work.”

Underlying the desired outcomes of this new direction are goals that include putting freedom of expression for sexual orientation and gender identity directly on the international human rights agenda; supporting the establishment of a global LGBT movement with leadership outside the metropolitan centers of Europe and North America; strengthening the capacity of people of faith and religious institutions to lead efforts in protecting LGBT lives; and reducing LGBT-related persecution and violence.

“When one day we look back upon how we achieved our mission, it will be because we kept a strategic eye on what work needed to be done with which partners at critical points throughout our struggle.” said Kevin Jennings, Arcus’ Executive Director. “Monumental change requires a long-term commitment and strategic vigilance, and that’s what this refinement of our approach is about.”

In preparation for launch of the strategy the Foundation is opening the following positions in its program team: Director, U.S. Domestic Program; Director, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Human Rights; Director, Global Religion.

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