Blade Foundation announces fellowship on LGBTQ identity and race
The Blade Foundation this week announced the recipient of an inaugural reporting fellowship focused on covering stories at the intersection of LGBTQ identities and race.
Brandie Bland, a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Maryland, was selected from a group of applicants as recipient of the fellowship. “As someone passionate about telling stories at the intersection of culture and news, I am honored to have been chosen as a Blade Foundation fellow,” Bland said. “I look forward to expanding the horizons of my journalistic perspective and learning from those who have forged the path ahead of me as I explore the nuances, challenges, and joys of reporting on the LGBTQIA community.” The fellowship is funded by a grant from the Leonard-Litz Foundation. “This fellowship is an opportunity for us all to explore the vast and varied intersectional identities of the LGBTQ+ community,” said Colin Hosten, executive director of The Leonard Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation. “Our struggles are impossible to separate — quite literally for many people.
Let’s not forget, people of color were the ones leading the fight at Stonewall. At the Leonard-Litz Foundation, Racial Justice is core to our mission of helping LGBTQ+ people fulfill their potential.
We cannot build a whole future if we only tell half our history.” Blade Foundation Director Kevin Naff welcomed Bland this week. “We’re excited to work with Brandie,” Naff said. “She’s a talented young journalist who will bring readers a compelling range of stories during her fellowship.
