Mission
Black & Beyond the Binary Collective builds the leadership, healing, and safety for Black - African transgender, queer, nonbinary, two-spirit, and intersex (TQN2SI+) Oregonians.
Vision
We envision a future that gives power back to our communities, celebrates self-expression, and preserves the dignity, joy, and the future of Black queer and Trans communities living fully liberated lives.
Land and Labor Acknowledgment
We do our work on the stolen land of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Clackamas, Stl’pulmsh (also known as Cowlitz) and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River. This land is also home to the eleventh largest urban native population, still thriving despite daily attempts at state sanctioned genocide.
We live in a nation of wealth created by the subjugation of African people brought to Turtle Island through chattel slavery or the Maa’fa (which is Swahili for the great disaster). These peoples included Chamba, Wolof, Abron, Fulani, Mande, Fon, Bakongo, Igbo, Yoruba, Mbundu, and many other tribes from western and central Africa.
We uplift the original Indigenous peoples of this land and forced contributions of generations of Africans to build the wealth of this country. We ground our fight knowing that there is no Black liberation without Indigenous Sovereignty and there is no Indigenous Sovereignty without Black liberation. We fight for land back and reparations and refute settler-colonialism, xenophobia, anti-Black racism, and imperialism. This includes challenging the validity of imperially imposed borders and immigration laws, driving wars meant primarily to secure future generations of continued colonization.
Those who are not indigenous to this land and were not brought here as slaves are guests charged with working to end the genocide of Black & Native communities across Turtle Island.
Staff
Zubbi Azubuike
Executive Director
Pronouns: XeyXem/Xir
Zubbi is an African - Tsalagi, queer, two-spirit, disabled, femme. Xey are the Founder and Executive Director of Black & Beyond the Binary Collective and the Umoja Kijana Shujaa Program. Raised in a working-class household guided xir mother, the fight for liberation is nothing new to xem. Xey believe our collective healing, including healing the planet is key to liberation. Xir vision is guided by an abolitionist, pro-Palestine intersectional Black queer feminism.
Erin Waters
Director of Equitable Programs & Services
Pronouns: She/Her
Erin Waters is an advocate for the Queer community with a focus on supporting Black and Indigenous Identities. Her work has taken her from small federally qualified health centers to large scale corporate healthcare, universities, colleges, to government and legislative bodies. Including supporting the development of gender expansive and affirming care programs, creating community advisory councils, peer-based mentoring programs, and participating in coalition work dedicated to making the changes necessary for paving the way for the TQNI2S+ community to thrive. Erin has been invited to speak and teach at DEI conferences, community events, and many other opportunities educating doctors, academics, and professionals working to improve the lives of marginalized communities.
Erin was recognized by the Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest in 2019 as a Queer Hero in the Portland Community and in 2020 she received the David J. Lawrence Community Service Award from Kaiser Permanente. In 2022 ,she was honored to receive the Kathleen Saadat Community Advocate Award as an educator and advocate for queer rights.
Erin holds degrees in International Affairs and foreign languages from the University of Georgia and Georgia Perimeter College, respectively.
Issa Ubidia-Luckett
Housing Coordinator
Pronouns: they/them
Issa is an Afro-Latinx, disabled, non-binary, queer femme advocate for marginalized communities with a focus on Black and Brown queer communities. After beginning their journey into social work with children in the arts they served in multiple roles aiding youth and young adults towards decolonizing their minds and developing sustainable practices. Their work includes supporting houseless queer individuals from teens to adults, working with nonprofits in the arts and supporting the development of housing programs for young adults transitioning out of the foster care system.
Negasi Brown
Program and Events Coordinator
Any Pronouns
Negasi is a Trinidadian Black, gender queer, artist and organizer in Portland. Their experience as a creator informs her approach to liberation and revolution. His politics are rooted in sexual liberation, prison abolition, and radical love. They have been engaged in social work and community organization since high school, working as an advocate for Black queer people's education and sexual health. She now works as a theater creator and activist in the Portland area. They believe art and radical queer creativity is essential to uplifting Black and Brown queer people.
Shiloh divine Ayriz
they/them
intern@B3C
Shiloh is a Black Trans-fluid/nonbinary person with a learning disability who's personal dream is to be a Black Queer singer songwriter/ drag performer.. they have a passion to uplift unheard voices like their own through music, gender expression, creativity and community.
they started in B3C as a student in Umoja a year ago and because of Umoja, have youth leadership skills, event planning, outreach and teamwork and making communities like B3C "because only we can create are own spaces".
they are a advocate for more Black queer safe spaces and groups/events for Black queer people and youth to be queer and uncensored.
Board
Mireaya Medina
Board Chair
Pronouns: She/Her
Mireaya is a Portland native. Her Portland roots go back to her grandmother and mother living in Vanport, then being displaced. Mireaya is a treehugger, a student of sound healing, a nurturer, and Zumba enthusiast who loves serving her community.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Arts degree in Design and loves offering her designs to community orgs, shifting preconceived notions and narratives, while also spending time grounding in nature.
She has been serving community organizations in various capacities for over 15 years including Imagibe Black (fka PAALF-Portland African American Leadership Forum), American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Rock ‘N’ Roll Camp for Girls, Youth Organized & United to Help, Books Not Bars Oregon, SE Uplift, Black PFLAG-Portland Chapter, and is the current board chair for Black and Beyond the Binary Collective.
Thomas Milbourne
Board Secretary
Pronouns: He/Him or Ze/They, depending on the day.
Thomas is a 27 years wise Black, Trans, Queer man, born and raised on Long Island in NY. There, he served the Queer community as a Program Leader with the non-profit Pride for Youth. For them, he leads and co-created safer sex workshops for various high school Gay-Straight Alliances across Long Island. With them, he lobbied and testified for the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act during its first bid in 2010. He also helped to found the Gay-Straight Alliance at Manhasset Secondary School.
Thomas has lived in Portland for nearly 6 years, during which he has participated in Basic Rights Oregon's 'Our Families' Cohort, learning about strategic planning, organizing, and fundraising, and has served as treasurer on the board of Sankofa Collective Northwest. Thomas has attended various workshops on the matters of gender and sexuality, activism, grassroots organizing, and community fundraising. Thomas is currently enrolled in PCC and on his way to becoming an English professor.
In his spare time, Thomas enjoys the study of Numerology, Spiritual Energy, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator system, and Cognitive Personality Theory. He enjoys the company of his orange Tabby cat, Duchess, and writing poetry. Thomas takes great pride in and is honored by the opportunity to continue to serve his community through Black and Beyond the Binary Collective.
Jasmine Dean
Board member
Jasmine (she/her/They/Them) is a first-generation college and high school graduate of her family. She identifies as a Black Afro-Latina. Jasmine has lived in Portland Oregon for all of her life; her family immigrated from Cuba in 1980 and traveled from Miami to Portland in 1981.
Jasmine went to Western Oregon University where she joined the Student Hall Government and helped create community events and educational seminars with the student body. She then transferred to Portland State University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminology and criminal justice, with a focus on police reform and community engagement.
Jasmine works within the immigration field helping immigrants and refugees gain status and fight deportation. Jasmine has also hosted anti-blackness seminars and trainings on abolition and alternatives to safety within Oregon via policy changes, Jasmine also helped organize the first ever Black Existence March in 2020, along with calling for city councils across Oregon to defund the police and place the funds in alternative safety programs and back into the community.
Jasmine has continued to fight for Black liberation and the abolishment of police by testifying at city councils all around Oregon, she is currently gaining her paralegal certification where she hopes to start offering her skills to Black & Immigrant community members to help fight oppressive systems within our society.