Brooklyn Boihood is a social and advocacy organization that advances the interests of transgender people of color. The organization was founded in 2009 to give a space for gay and transgender people of color to come together, hosting of parties and gatherings before the outbreak of pandemic COVID-19. The group also hosted retreats and conferences for gay and transgender people of color. Since the pandemic, the group has moved its events online. 1
The organization raises the much of its money by selling calendars that feature its members and by selling a book that was published in 2015 titled Outside the XY: Queer, Black, and Brown Masculinity. 2
The organization received a “six figures” grant from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 3
Overview
Brooklyn Boihood was founded in 2009 to provide a space for gay and transgender people of color to gather and celebrate. The word “boi” is defined by the organization’s founder, Ryann Holmes, as the umbrella term to describe masculinity of gay and transgender people of color. 4
The organization was founded after Holmes got a haircut with a friend and they wanted to celebrate them. They decided to form a project and launch a calendar focusing on more masculine gay and transgender people of color. 5
The organization raised the money to fund the calendars and eventually produced six of them. The group held house parties all over Brooklyn that were sold out and used the proceeds to fund the calendars. 6
In 2016, the group joined with DJ Rimarkable to create a summer day party called Joy. Joy was created to memorialize the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida and to give a space for gay and transgender people of color to celebrate and delight in each other’s company. The party was sold out; in 2020, organizers moved it to a digital format in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated governmental restrictions. 7
The organization has said that it focuses on parties because of the gay nightlife scene’s importance for the gay and transgender community. “In New York, the queer nightlife scene has been a source of community,” Ryann told a website “It’s where we gather; it’s how we make friends; it’s how we meet lovers. It’s a place to let it all out with people who understand you and are going to make sure you’re safe.” 8
In 2015, the organization changed its focus and did not publish a calendar. Instead, it published a book called Outside the XY: Queer, Black, and Brown Masculinity. The book was a collection of stories and essays by organization members. The goal was to increase the visibility of masculine gay and transgender people of color. 9
The group works exclusively, when possible, with gay and transgender service providers of color. 10
The group also features storytelling events, camping, community conversations, and events where members can gather while not being on the dance floor. 11
Previously, the collective offered the chance for members to blog and express their opinions on the website. 12
Leadership
Ryann Holmes is the founder and leader of the collective. Holmes moved from Northern Virginia after graduating college and settled in Brooklyn, finding and settling in the black gay scene. 13
In 2016, Holmes expressed concerns about gentrification of her neighborhood, complaining that gay residents were being priced out of their neighborhoods. 14
Genesis Tramaine is an artist and is the co-founder of the collective. 15
Finances
Brooklyn Boihood does not appear to be a registered nonprofit so it is not required to disclose its finances. The organization appears to raise much of its money through sales of calendars, books, and tickets to its parties. The organization has been supported in the past by the left-of-center Allied Media Project. 16
The collective has received a “six figures” grant from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation in 2020. 17
References
- “Bklyn Boihood”. 2020. Black-Owned Brooklyn. https://www.blackownedbrooklyn.com/stories/bklyn-boihood.
- “D4D Futurists: Ryann Holmes (Bklyn Boihood)”. 2019. Project Inkblot. https://medium.com/@projectinkblot/d4d-futurists-ryann-holmes-8ea0c70f5aa2.
- Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. “BLACK LIVES MATTER 2020 IMPACT REPORT.” Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, 2021. https://blacklivesmatter.com/2020-impact-report/. ^
- “D4D Futurists: Ryann Holmes (Bklyn Boihood)”. 2019. Project Inkblot. https://medium.com/@projectinkblot/d4d-futurists-ryann-holmes-8ea0c70f5aa2.
- “D4D Futurists: Ryann Holmes (Bklyn Boihood)”. 2019. Project Inkblot. https://medium.com/@projectinkblot/d4d-futurists-ryann-holmes-8ea0c70f5aa2.
- “Bklyn Boihood”. 2020. Black-Owned Brooklyn. https://www.blackownedbrooklyn.com/stories/bklyn-boihood.
- “Bklyn Boihood”. 2020. Black-Owned Brooklyn. https://www.blackownedbrooklyn.com/stories/bklyn-boihood.
- “Bklyn Boihood”. 2020. Black-Owned Brooklyn. https://www.blackownedbrooklyn.com/stories/bklyn-boihood.
- “Bklyn Boihood”. 2020. Black-Owned Brooklyn. https://www.blackownedbrooklyn.com/stories/bklyn-boihood.
- “D4D Futurists: Ryann Holmes (Bklyn Boihood)”. 2019. Project Inkblot. https://medium.com/@projectinkblot/d4d-futurists-ryann-holmes-8ea0c70f5aa2.
- “Our Work”. 2021. Bklyn Boihood. Accessed June 14. https://www.bklynboihood.com/our-work.
- “Where The Bois Are: Bklyn Boihood Is The Future”. 2020. Autostraddle. https://www.autostraddle.com/bklyn-boihood-is-the-future-80182/.
- “Bklyn Boihood”. 2020. Black-Owned Brooklyn. https://www.blackownedbrooklyn.com/stories/bklyn-boihood.
- Lyons, Jarrett. 2016. “LGBTQ In A Gentrifying Central Brooklyn”. Brooklyn Deep. https://brooklyndeep.org/lgbtq-in-a-gentrifying-central-brooklyn/.
- “Where The Bois Are: Bklyn Boihood Is The Future”. 2020. Autostraddle. https://www.autostraddle.com/bklyn-boihood-is-the-future-80182/.
- “Bklyn Boihood”. 2021. Allied Media Projects. Accessed June 14. https://alliedmedia.org/projects/bklyn-boihood.
- Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. “BLACK LIVES MATTER 2020 IMPACT REPORT.” Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, 2021. https://blacklivesmatter.com/2020-impact-report/. ^