Widely varied in scope and in form, the RBMF's (Re)Vison events are unified by the philosophy that the arts provide us with spaces to rethink, contextualize, prevent and respond to injustice in our society. In this spirit, (Re)Vison events may take the form of poetry readings, art installations, film screenings, salons, book signings, theatrical performances or any other creative endeavor that might garner attention for the ongoing fight against social injustice.
 

With our Brighter Days events, the RBMF calls upon and celebrates the agency and progressive spirit that manifests when we come together under the guise of unity and acceptance. Queer and African-descended communities have longstanding traditions of proactively creating and appropriating their own safe spaces; nightclubs and bars among them. By identifying these spaces as viable sites to raise consciousness and build community, Brighter Days events confront and repudiate the stigmas attached to queer-identified and queer-friendly spaces. Further, by providing quality parties with a distinctly celebratory tone, the events also distinguish the vibrant legacy of Rashawn Brazell's life from the bleak shadow cast by his death.

This initiative aims to connect young scholars and budding activists to the range of resources available to support their academic pursuits, community work and personal growth. When possible, the RBMF organizes rap sessions, roundtable discussions, teach-ins and multi-media presentations about topics that engage students of all races, gender identities, sexual, religious and political orientations. To do so, we avail ourselves to high schools, community-based organizations engaged in youth outreach, and other youth-based agencies.

This initiative reflects the fund’s commitment to challenging the scholarly community to be both informed by and engaged in the ongoing organizing efforts taken up in our communities. Comprised of academic talks, lectures, tech-ins and panel discussions, Speak Out! events aim to bring together a variety of stakeholders in a forum that affords visibility to the ongoing work of scholars, activists and others interested in how issues of marginal identity and intersectionality are played out in the media, the legal system and the public. This networking will necessarily transcend vocational and disciplinary boundaries and minister to the disjointedness that currently acts as an impediment to social progress.