Our Story
Since its inception in 2017, the Arkansas Black Gay Men’s Forum (ARBGM Forum) has deeply impacted the underprivileged and underserved in Central Arkansas. Its Black leadership has demonstrated how an equitable approach to providing and distributing resources can improve the quality of life for Black and brown members of the community.
By focusing our efforts on improving healthcare access and wellness outcomes for the most marginalized, the BGM Forum has created new pathways to better care for our core membership, Central Arkansas’, LGBTQ+ community.
Our Mission
We strive to build partnerships with organizations and individuals committed to the empowerment of black and brown people.
Economic Equity
We are committed to advocating for those values, vision, policies, programs, institutional changes, collaborations and resources that allow Black LGBT people to compete effectively in the marketplace.
Health Equity
We are committed to advocating for those values, vision, policies, programs, institutional changes, collaborations, and resources that allow Black LGBTQ+ people to thrive physically, behaviorally, environmentally and spiritually under the basic premise of public health that all people have a right to attain their full health potential.
Social Equity
We are committed to advocating for those values, vision, policies, programs, institutional changes, collaborations, and resources that allow Black LGBT to achieve fair access to livelihood, education, and resources; full participation in the political and cultural life of the community; and self-determination in meeting fundamental needs. Our definition of social equity encompasses principles related to the adopting of plans, policies, and regulations that are fair and achieve a vibrant community, diverse cultural assets and amenities, equal and adequate services and infrastructure, mix of affordable housing options, coalition building and economic opportunities.
