Q26 Winter Fundraiser 2020: Giving Back to Our Creative QPOC Community

Los Angeles, CA, August 31, 2020 --(PR.com)-- Many new QPOC graduates and creatives exiting academia face many added disadvantages on their journey due to systemic racism and ultimately leave with greater debt. Instead, they leave academia without being able to give their talents back to the world. Black and Queer-owned creative collective, Q26, wants to help alleviate this inequality by raising funds for scholarships.

Q26 is a Black + Queer-owned creative collective supporting LGBTQ+ creatives with a focus on people of color. Q26's goal is to raise funds to help six queer academics and artists of color pay off the sum of at least three loan payments. By creating this fundraiser, they're hoping that it gives these students and graduates a little space to work on their goals and well-being without having to worry about their payments. This is for the creatives, the teachers, the tech enthusiasts, the activists, and the storytellers that have so much more to give to our society than a loan payment. And, this is for the people out there who will inevitably be affected by them.

"Discussions for marriage with my partner has been mutually decided to be put aside until student loan debts are all paid off," says Christine A., a graduate with a BA in English and an MA in Teaching. "Coming from a lower socioeconomic bracket than my partner, our engagement and marriage will have to wait until I pay off my large loan sum, which may take years after her."

Other students who were selected to receive the donated funds turned their focus to making sure that they have a home to stay in during the global pandemic brought on by the spread of COVID-19, which has put them in even more debt.

"My student loans were used for housing, and the assistance would allow me to not fall behind on my housing funds which are currently very sparse," explains Jamie L., who accumulated student loan debt while working towards a degree in Film and Television Studies. "I have also not been able to invest in film equipment out of fear of accumulating more debt."

Q26 is also working diligently to provide a fully-fledged Art Center for queer artists to create and access much-needed equipment, educational opportunities, and organizing space. The mission is to offer the opportunity to hear and be heard, to learn, grow, and build, and meet like-minded individuals. Q26's goal is to create connections and creative support systems, ensuring that dream projects come true, and that autonomy as both individuals and as a community is gained.

Q26 has created a network that includes QTYPE, a tri-annual magazine covering fashion, film, and music, and Q26 Originals, which makes original video content including The OutCrowd. Both of their programs highlight queer creatives of color and offers opportunities to queer writers to let their voices be heard loud and clear. Every dollar that gets donated to Q26 from this network of programs goes back to the LGBTQ community.

For more information on any of the programs, the Q26 Winter Fundraiser 2020, or how you can help give back to those in need in the LGBTQ community, please visit theq26.com.