Brothers of the Desert 2024 Board Members (LtoR) Tony Lanier, Tim Vincent, Eric Davis, Martin Mitchell, Andre Carthen, Larry Kidd, Raymond Johnson

A new scholarship fund is paving the way for Black gay men in the Inland Empire to further their education. The Brothers of the Desert, a non-profit organization with a unique support network for Black gay men and their allies in the region, has joined forces with Inland Empire Community Foundation to create the Brothers of the Desert Scholarship Fund.

Applications will open in January 2025 for a $2,000 scholarship award, specifically designed to address the unique challenges faced by young men in the community. Awarded recipients may also apply for renewal in the subsequent academic year.

“It’s incredibly important for the Valley because I don’t think there’s ever been a scholarship that has been focused specifically on the intersection of Black identity and LGBTQ identity,’ said Tim Vincent, President of the Board of Directors of the organization. “It’s important for us to really make sure we’re reserving this support for a student that identifies in both of those places. It’s so important to change the dynamics that continue to happen to Black queer people.”

Founded five years ago, The Brothers of the Desert set out on a mission to “empower and uplift Black gay men and allies” through various initiatives. Many of those ideals are focused on philanthropy, volunteer service, mentorship, education, advocacy, and social networking. The goal is to transform the barriers that can spark feelings of isolation, disconnection, and inequity among Black gay men.

BOD members at Pride Parade

“One of the things when we organized as a non-profit that we wanted to do was support young people in their educational aspirations,” Vincent said. “Since we started, we’ve been raising or contributing to scholarship funds around the Coachella Valley that really are focused on either supporting Black students or supporting LGBTQ+ students.”

“In 2023, we felt like we wanted to do our own scholarship that addressed specific intersections, which is how this fund came to fruition,” he added.

As a nonprofit, Brothers of the Desert had previously received a grant from the Inland Empire Community Foundation through the IE Black Equity Fund and was inspired to connect with the Foundation to establish their own fund. John McGuirk, Charitable Giving Officer in the Coachella Valley said, “Education creates a pathway for the next generation to thrive and give back. We congratulate Brothers of the Desert for continuing to build its impact and legacy in the community through establishing this scholarship fund.”

Vincent says he is optimistic about the new fund.

“We all know it’s more than just giving people a financial leg up, but it’s about other things that I think get in the way,” he said. “As a group of a membership of over 80 men, we would love to offer support to anyone who receives a scholarship.”

Moving forward into 2025, he hopes locals know how dedicated the nonprofit is to empowering Black gay men and their allies throughout the Coachella Valley and beyond.

“We have a number of programs beyond the scholarship program,” he said. “I would really love people to know about our annual wellness summit. Our next one is going to be in March. It’s an incredible event that is open to everyone and it just brings together a range of public health experts and different people who talk about holistic wellness for our community.”

Students can explore this and many more scholarship opportunities on the IECF website.

Learn more and donate to the fund here.

This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, December 2024.

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