“Making room” isn’t enough: a new resource to center underrepresented voices in LGBTQI+ projects
Within LGBTQI+ communities, some voices remain less heard than others. Women, trans and non-binary people, youth, people living in rural areas, Indigenous people, or even people with criminal records are often faced with additional barriers to fully participating in initiatives that affect them. How can we ensure that projects don’t just include them, but truly place their leadership and expertise at the heart of decision-making?
Developed by the Working Group of the Act Together for Inclusion Fund (ACTIF), this new “Centering Underrepresented Voices in LGBTQI+ Projects: Lessons Learned and Best Practices” tipsheet compiles insights from Canadian organizations and their partners in the Global South who are committed to advocating for the rights of LGBTQI+ people.
The tipsheet encourages organizations to move beyond a mere inclusion mindset and adopt an approach that truly centers underrepresented voices from the very beginning, including when defining objectives, designing activities, and assigning roles and responsibilities. The resource presents ten good practices for fostering meaningful participation and a more equitable sharing of power. In particular, it addresses the importance of amplifying a diversity of voices, recognizing internal tensions within communities, reducing linguistic and contextual barriers, respecting the autonomy of local organizations, building long-term relationships based on trust, and challenging established approaches so that underrepresented communities can exercise genuine leadership in the decisions and actions that affect them.
Whether you work in international cooperation, human rights advocacy, or partnership development, this tipsheet offers concrete guidelines for developing more equitable and sustainable projects.
Check it out now to shift your practices toward collaborations that fully recognize the leadership and expertise of underrepresented communities.
