Start a Chapter

Are you interested in starting a chapter of Black & Pink? Over the past couple of years, several chapters have sprung up around the US. Black & Pink – Boston still serves as the “headquarters”.  Please write us to begin this discussion, and fill out the application!

Questions to ask before starting a chapter

• Are we LGBTQ people directly targeted by the prison industrial complex?

• If we are not majority people directly targeted by the prison industrial complex, do we have accountable relationships with currently and formerly incarcerated people?

• Have we had conversations with anti-prison organizers in our community to understand what current campaigns are and how to include LGBTQ people?

• How much capacity do we have as a group? Are we using our capacity assessment to determine what projects we are ready to take on?

Every chapter is its own autonomous entity with its own projects, capacity and structure. To be a chapter the group must agree to the basic requirements and share the Black and Pink analysis, but are otherwise free to move about in their own way

Basic requirements of a chapter

• Agree with the Statement of Purpose and Analysis of Black and Pink

• All chapter members have a pen pal

• Local pen pal outreach with focus on connecting people with incarcerated Black and Pink members in close geographic proximity

• Starting number of 4 individuals to begin the chapter

• Monthly communication with free world leadership circle in Boston; submit updates to e-Newsletter

• Quarterly conference calls with chapters and sibling organizations

• 2 year commitment for the group

• Be in relationship with organizations doing local anti-prison work

Practical resources

• How to run a meeting resources

  • AORTA zine

  • Infiltration of oppression handout (pdf)

• Facilitation resources

  • AORTA Anti- Oppressive Facilitation (pdf)

• Intro to organizing

  • FIERCE organizing model (pdf)

  • Project Reach Glossary (good background)

• Fundraising

  • Fundraising Resource from Kim Klein