GRIOT Circle, Inc.

10/07/2025

In preparation for GRIOT Circle's 29th Anniversary Celebration and Reception,
this week we're spotlighting one of our trailblazing honorees.
Kenrick Ross.
Join us in person to celebrate him on
Tuesday, November 11th
from 6-8:30 pm @
The Loft Brooklyn
345 Adams St.
Purchase ticket today or make a donation!
http://bit.ly/4nFN2pe

GRIOT Circle is incredibly pleased to honor Kenrick Ross and Brooklyn Community Pride Center with the Changemaker Award for 2025.

For the past 15 years, Kenrick Ross has led social impact organizations and initiatives, launching new programs and guiding nonprofits through transformative change in staff, mission, services, and constituencies.

His leadership reflects his deep passions for social justice and entrepreneurship, civic engagement, intersectional diversity, equity and inclusion, and inclusive sports. Over the course of his career, he has held executive and director-level roles spanning program design and management, organizational and fund development, compliance, and operations.

Currently, Ross serves as Executive Director of the Brooklyn Community Pride Center, leading efforts to serve the nation’s fourth-largest LGBTQ+ community through two centers, digital platforms, and citywide partnerships.

Previously, he served as Executive Director of the National Q***r Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) and the Indo-Caribbean Alliance, and held leadership roles at the YWCA of Queens, The Leaguers, Inc., Brooklyn A, and Diaspora Community Services.

Beyond executive leadership, Ross has founded several organizations, produced two short films, presented extensively as a keynote speaker, panelist, and facilitator, and served on more than a dozen boards, including as current Chair of Diaspora Community Services. A passionate tennis player, he co-produced Queens at Court, a short documentary on LGBTQ amateur tennis screened at U.S. and Canadian tournaments, and has competed in more than 70 amateur tournaments, including the Gay Games in 2010 (Cologne) and 2014 (Cleveland).

Born in Guyana and raised in the New York City area,
Ross holds a BA in Politics from New York University and an MS in Urban Policy and Leadership from CUNY Hunter College.

He currently lives in Newark, New Jersey

10/06/2025

We're so very happy to share some incredible news!

After losing our space due to COVID in 2020, GRIOT Circle has moved to a new permanent location in Downtown Brooklyn!

And we're open!!!!!

This new home means the continuation of great things for GRIOT Circle. We will still offer the same innovative programs and vital services designed specifically for LGBTQ elders of color, but now with more space for our elders to build and enjoy community.

We invite you to come see us! Our doors are open Monday through Friday, beginning at 10:00 AM each day.

To view our full program schedule and plan your visit, please go to: www.griotcirlce.org

Finally, we want to thank the entire GRIOT family, especially our cherished members, for your patience, support, and resilience over the past few years. This achievement belongs to all of us!

10/01/2025

We are overjoyed to have our members come and see our new space at 25 Flatbush! Members had the opportunity to tour our new space, be in community with one another, and also enjoy some refreshments. We want to thank our amazing staff, supporters, volunteers, and of course, our wonderful members for continuing to support us throughout this amazing journey.
We will be starting programs on Monday, October 6th. If there are any questions about upcoming programs, please visit our website or join our newsletter for updates!

09/24/2025

In preparation for GRIOT Circle's 29th Anniversary Celebration and Reception,
this week we're spotlighting one of our trailblazing honorees.
Imani Rashid
Join us in person to celebrate her on
Tuesday, November 11th
from 6-8:30 pm @
The Loft Brooklyn
345 Adams St.
Purchase ticket today or make a donation!
http://bit.ly/4nFN2pe

Imani Rashid Bio-

Imani Rashid is an entrepreneur, educator, visionary, and Yoruba priestess of Sango, whose six decades of leadership have fortified the Black le***an,gay,trans, queer,non-binary, gender non conforming community life through culture, education, and intergenerational care.

A Harlem native raised in The Riverton, she began teaching in New York City public schools in 1962 and became known for innovative, student-centered learning that blended Arts, Aviation and West African traditions.
She was president of The Black Teachers Association in the early 70's. Imani Rashid brought the concept of Kwanzaa to her first meeting with Salsa Soul Sisters United for Societal Change.

Since then, 47 LGBTQ Kwanzaa Family centered cultural celebrations have taken place all over the city.
She is most proud of her work with The Kwanzaa Kids.
Iya Imani founded the Yoruba Cultural Center of New York in 1990, and produced the cable program “Imani Presents the Yoruba Cultural Center".

She studied drumming with master teacher Edwina Lee Tyler, after backpacking through West Africa in 1980 and was a founding member of The Ensemble of Women Drummers. Imani Rashid maintained close friendships and collaborations with cultural icons including Audre Lorde, for whom she officiated the memorial at Hunter College.

Rashid is the author of Kwanzaa in the Le***an and Gay Family and a longtime advocate for visibility and inclusion across Black nationalist, transgender, feminist, and LGBTQ spaces. The Imani Rashid Institute for Healing, in The Hamptons, has over the decades hosted many healing retreats for le***an and Trans women.

Across her life’s work, Rashid has modeled fearless authenticity, spiritual groundedness, and a deep commitment to exposing young people to culture and possibility. She continues to mentor generations of artists, educators, and organizers while advancing a legacy of love, courage, and community.

09/23/2025

Sharing from a community partner. Please attend and support!
Visibility Through Voices II, is a two-day, intergenerational conference recognizing and celebrating both International Le***an Day 2025 (October 8) and National Coming Out Day (October 11). This powerful convening will center the lives, stories, and leadership of Black le***ans, le***ans of color, and masculine-identified women, while creating brave, affirming space for reflection, celebration, and action.

The conference mission is to Center le***an leadership, histories, and lived experiences while also identifying new opportunities for leadership. Create and strengthen networks across generations and gender presentations to provide a strong foundation on which to advocate on issues impacting the community

We will educate, through moderated panel discussions, keynotes, and recognition ceremonies that empower and honor community as well as encouraging those new to this community to deepen their involvement.

The learnings from the conference will be used to create an action plan to address the needs identified by the community and initiate the necessary institutional collaborations essential for reform.

This gathering is more than a conference—it is a radical reclamation of voice, space, and visibility.

Visibility Through Voices: Eventbrite Registration Page Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visibility-through-voices-tickets-1647139872699

09/19/2025

Join us as we honor Kenrick Ross and the Brooklyn Community Pride Center, Imani Rashid, and Council Member Crystal Hudson for their extraordinary leadership in the LGBTQ+ community. Come celebrate with our members, supporters, and allies for a night that honors this year's theme: A Legacy of Love: 29 Years of Community and Connection.

This year's celebration will feature a signature cocktail crafted especially for the evening, a spread of hors d’oeuvres and hearty offerings, live performances that capture the spirit of GRIOT’s legacy, and inspiring moments of reflection, community, and celebration.

Date: Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: The Loft Brooklyn, 345 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Get Tickets or make a donation!
Visit us at www.griotcircle.org to get tickets or more information

09/10/2025

This year’s theme is A Legacy Of Love: 29 Years of Community and Connection.

It’s a day to honor and celebrate the GRIOT community, who have supported us throughout the years, helping to ensure that LGBTQ+ elders of color have a place they can truly call “home.”

The well-being of our community and GRIOT elders is paramount as we continue to offer a rich array of new programming and senior supportive services. These programs and services are a lifeline, helping to fend off isolation and nurture health, hope, and security for our members.

In the spirit of our founders, we will be honoring three individuals, City Council Member Crystal Hudson, Kenrick Ross and Brooklyn Community Center, Imani Rashid, who have demonstrated visibility and leadership in our communities through their work, words, and actions. The evening’s festivities will include extraordinary honorees, performances, food and drinks, and most importantly, an opportunity to support our elders and show them how much we care.
Purchase tickets or make a donation at griotcircle.org

09/08/2025

As we prepare for the 'soft' re-opening of GRIOT Circle, we extend our sincere gratitude to the dedicated volunteers from Home Depot. Their generous support made a significant impact on our center, as they helped paint and refresh our members' program room and other key spaces. Their team's uplifting spirit and hard work have created a beautifully renewed environment for the LGBTQ elders of color we serve. This project is a wonderful example of how corporate community engagement can directly benefit those who need it most.

08/28/2025

We're so excited to be nearing the finish line on our new space! We had an incredible team helping us get there, and we want to give a massive shout-out to the volunteers from Vevo for picking up a paintbrush and helping us paint our new home.

A special thank you to the local Brooklyn Home Depot for their generous donation of all the painting supplies. It was a true community effort!

We're so grateful for all the hard work and support. And of course, a big thank you to our staff for coordinating the day and making it such a success!

08/14/2025

Due to the generosity of a valued supporter, a donation was made to sponsor a trip for the members of GRIOT Circle to attend the Broadway production of "Purpose." This sponsorship also covered an after-show meal. The members not only loved the play but also cherished the opportunity to attend a powerful show as a group.

GRIOT Circle cannot express enough how impactful this support is. To the donor who made this happen, thank you beyond measure; you have made a difference.

08/07/2025