Welcome to Rise Above Coffee! We are the LGBTQ+ Coffee that gives back, and each month we’d like to feature a non-profit doing exceptional work in the LGBTQ+ community. This month (February), we’re shining a spotlight on The Phluid Phoundation.
The Phluid Phoundation is a not-for-profit corporation with a mission to bring about positive social change. They uplift LGBTQIA+ communities by offering a variety of programs, resources, and services in support of LGBTQIA+-affirming organizations. Most importantly, they advocate for the least represented and most vulnerable in our communities, who are often transgender women of color and homeless queer youth.
Phluid Phoundation is associated with The Phluid Project, a brand working to make gender-free apparel and accessories available globally. They strive to amplify the voices of today’s youth, which often reject binary gender norms for a more inclusive world that allows people to wear what makes them feel good and better reflects who they really are.
The brand partners exclusively with other apparel and accessory companies whose products celebrate the non-binary, with an emphasis on queer, trans, black, latinx, and women-owned brands. The goal is to “give all people a chance to explore and express their truest selves without fear, judgment, or the limits of traditional gender identification.” Doing so encourages a world that is more equitable, empathetic, and compassionate to non-binary individuals.
In its efforts to empower marginalized communities, The Phluid Phoundation has worked with the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, the Homeless Black Trans Women’s Fund, No Justice No Pride, For the GWORLS, BTFA Collective, The Indya Moore COVID-19 Relief Fund, The Ali Forney Center, The Hetrick-Martin Institute, TGI Justice Project, The Ruth Ellis Center, TransSOCIAL, Brave Space Alliance, Black and Pink National, and many other organizations doing vital work in our communities across the country.
Why is this work so important?
- Nearly 50% of the trans population has experienced violence in their lifetime.
- The life expectancy of a trans woman in the U.S. is just 35 years.
- Among homeless youth, 45% identify as LGBTQ+.
- LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their peers.
These staggering numbers show the glaring safety gap that exists for trans women of color and LGBTQ+ youth, and just how much these communities need our support.
In that light, we’re introducing Respect as our February #coffeeforacause. During the month of February, buy Respect coffee and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Phluid Phoundation, which gives 100% of donations directly to those in need.
To learn more about The Phluid Phoundation, visit their website and follow The Phluid Project on Instagram and TikTok.