Our Commitment to the LGBTIQ+ Community
Since HIP's inception in 1983, we have been on a mission to strengthen the leadership and influence of Latinx who seek the creation of an egalitarian culture through an unwavering vision and strong commitment to social justice and prosperity for all people across the Americas. For this very reason, we have worked tenaciously on the construction and consolidation of fairer and more prosperous communities.
Within this commitment, we recognize that the realities experienced by Latinx are not homogeneous and that it is important to highlight the internal diversity of our community which includes ethnic origin, language, religion, socioeconomic background, nationality, and so much more. Above all, we consider the utmost respect for diversity as one of our central values.
As a result, HIP is emphatically declaring our commitment to the defense and advancement of the dignity and rights of all people of sexual and gender diversity both in continental Americas and the Caribbean.
These communities have been underserved by the bulk of philanthropic projects, approximately only 3% of the resources mobilized by philanthropy are dedicated to LGBTIQ+ communities. It should not come as a surprise, therefore, that projects focused on LGBTIQ+ Latinx people are very scarce.
HIP is clear that the challenges faced by LGBTIQ+ Latinx are complex and require increased advocacy for the defense of their human rights. This also includes the commitment to strategic approaches in the pursuit of economic, restorative, and participatory justice. This is how HIP can address the exclusion and marginalization these communities experience every day.
We understand that neither gender equality nor racial equality can be promoted if the needs of LGBTIQ+ Latinx are not addressed. Similarly, we should not ignore the fact that LGBTIQ+ people on the move are in especially vulnerable situations. We must build a culture of justice in which we advocate for the expansion of Latinx leadership to indisputably center the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex people, including non-Western identities that embody a range of sexual and gender diversities across the continent within communities as culturally and historically complex as the Latinx community.
Sadly, we are aware that Latin America is currently the region in which the most hate crimes against LGBTIQ+ people are committed. This does not mean that this issue is not equally urgent in the United States, since Latinx transgender communities are especially vulnerable to this type of violence. This explains not only the precariousness that LGBTIQ+ Latinx people face on a daily basis but also the underrepresentation in public opinion-building and decision-making spaces. Consequently, exclusion has become one of the most evident examples of the intersectional violence experienced by people of sexual and gender diversity throughout their lives. Family, school, work, and public spaces, as well as systems of government, appear as places where it is urgent to promote a culture of respect, equality, and non-discrimination that can translate into the consolidation of inclusive communities.
Our work truly speaks for itself, and we call on those within and beyond our collective corazón – our collaborators, be they funders, partner organizations, or policymakers – to assume this agenda as their own. As our President & CEO, Ana Marie Argilagos, has noted, “Philanthropy should be a democratic tool to help us build power, gather resources for our community, and broaden our sphere of influence. HIP will continue to track the impact of different foundations on our community: who they are, what types of initiatives they fund, and how they fund them – or don’t. We will continue to monitor these institutions and support philanthropic leaders who understand the impact of allocating resources toward specific issues in Latinx communities."
This is HIP's position and commitment. We invite everyone who in one way or another collaborates with us to join this work.