Forty-nine percent of Black LGBTQ adults say they have strained relationships with their parents.

The cycle ends here & now.

About us

We envision a world where LGBTQ+ people are

loved & accepted unconditionally by their parents & parental figures.

How to Support

Love Unlimited

A culturally-affirming nonprofit organization.

Our mission is to provide brave spaces for parents of Black & Brown LGBTQ+ persons as they learn to accept their children as they are, love them unconditionally, & advocate for their human rights.

Get Involved

Upcoming Events

How to Give

Meet Our Board of Directors

Cydne Nash (she/her)

Board Chair

Lisa Grymes (she/her)

Secretary

Paulette Lee (she/her)

Treasurer

Vernon Richardson (he/him)

Board Member

FOUNDER & board Chair

Cydne Nash

Cydne Smith Nash is a creative thinker and thought leader. Cydne has extensive experience as a nonprofit strategist having served as a program and grants leader in national and local nonprofit organizations. Her specialties include youth/families, parenting, education, and public policy. Cydne has a B.A. in history, an M.S. in educational policy, and a Masters in Social Work. Cydne has a passion for public service and has been elected to public office twice, as a school board member in Decatur, GA, and as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Washington, DC. However, her greatest joy is her son, who is currently a college student. In addition to their son, Cydne and her husband have nurtured and mentored countless young people.

Vice Chair & Youth leader

Amiri Nash

Amiri Nash is an activist, social justice advocate, and writer. The creative arts are his medium as he started his journey as a dancer, classical pianist, and photographer. Amiri blends his passion and interests together in writing, law, and journalism. Currently, he serves as the Co-Founder and Co-Editor-In-Chief of the Black Star Journal at Brown University, where he is a student. He is the recipient of an Arthur Liman Public Interest Law Fellowship, named the 2021 DC Youth Poet Laureate, and was chosen for the 2021 GLAAD/Teen Vogue 20 Under 20 List. To learn more about Amiri go to amirinash.com.

BOARD MEMBER

Tammy McBride-Loftin

Tammy McBride-Loftin is a highly motivated IT professional. She has extensive experience in project management, customer experience, relationship management, software development, process design and optimization, problem-solving, organizational change management, and IT change management. She enjoys giving back to her community by supporting and guiding young Black women to be their best selves, and mentors girls ages 8-17. Tammy is excited to be on the board of Love Unlimited because she understands the complexities faced by Black and Brown parents of LGBTQ+ children. Her greatest joys are her husband and two children, with whom she loves to spend quality time. When time allows, she also serves as a consultant to her son’s business, Myles Loftin Photography, LLC. McBride-Loftin graduated from Prince George’s Community College with an AA in Information Technology: Computer Specialist and from Bowie State University with a BA in Information Technology: Networking and a Master's Certificate in Project Management from the American University.

BOARD MEMBER

Vernon Richardson

Vernon Richardson, MSW is an experienced professional with more than thirteen years of experience in Grants Management, Faith-based and Non-profit Leadership. He specializes in creating and sustaining innovative and impactful programming through the attainment of grant funding. Vernon is passionate about outreach and advocacy within marginalized communities. His dedication to addressing social and political issues ranges from the social determinants of health and issues of equity that create barriers to accessing quality medical and mental/behavioral health resources to biases in adoption policies that restrict or negatively impact the eligibility of LGBTQA+ families and individuals.

Vernon, a native of Alabama received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of West Alabama and a Master of Social Work from Howard University. He will complete the Master of Arts in Religious Studies from Howard University School of Divinity in May 2023.

Paulette Lee

-Treasurer

Paulette Moore Lee was born during a season of giving (Christmas) and she hasn’t stopped yet. She was a long-time public servant holding positions in regulation enforcement, education, international trade, and diplomatic relations in federal and local governments. Feeling the need to bolster her experience with relevant education, Paulette worked her way thru undergraduate school while raising her daughter. She holds a BA in English with a minor in Educational Psychology and a J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. Believing in lifelong, intergenerational learning, Paulette has maintained strong alliances with Baby Boomers, Millennials, and GenZers. To nurture self-discovery and support the flourishing of motivation in others, Paulette shares strategies to empower and develop the confidence to live a life of purpose.

Lisa E. Grymes

-Secretary

Lisa Grymes has served as a District of Columbia Public Schools teacher for more than thirty years. As an English Language Arts instructor, she has collaboratively designed critical reading and writing curriculums for students in grades 6-12. In addition, she has served as an instructional coach and as a literacy lead. Ms. Grymes is passionate about clear and cohesive communication, and she has worked diligently to share her love for language with thousands of students and hundreds of colleagues throughout her career. What drives Ms. Grymes most of all, however, is her devotion to her two daughters and two grandchildren. Although her time with DCPS has been an honor, she looks forward to retiring soon and spending more time with her family relaxing and exploring the world.

Black members of the transgender community have an unemployment rate of 26%, twice that of the overall transgender community and four times the rate of the general population, according to a recent report from the National LGBTQ Task Force. –Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Black members of the transgender community have an unemployment rate of 26%, twice that of the overall transgender community and four times the rate of the general population, according to a recent report from the National LGBTQ Task Force. –Atlanta Journal-Constitution

KNowledge Hub

40% of all homeless youth are LGBTQ+,

of which 31% identify as African American.

Resources for Parents & Family Members

National Organizations

National Minority AIDS Council

nmac.org

The agency advances its mission by providing minority and minority-serving faith- and community-based organizations a variety of capacity-building assistance programs, online and classroom-based training, printed and electronic resources, grassroots organization, and political advocacy. These activities help these agencies deliver HIV/AIDS services more efficiently and effectively, ultimately helping to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in underserved and marginalized communities.

Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays-PFLAG pflag.org

A national support, education, and advocacy organization that offers resources for parents and other caring adults. On the website, you will find local chapters where you can meet with other family members of LGBTQ+ people. You will also find answers to frequently asked questions about LGBTQ+ identity, and tips on how to be supportive.

Human Rights Campaign

https://www.hrc.org/resources/communities-of-color

The goal is to ensure that all LGBTQ+ people, particularly those who are trans, people of color, and HIV+, are treated as full and equal citizens throughout the world. HRC has a special section for communities of color who face a unique set of challenges based on their experience at the intersection of two marginalized communities in our society.

The Family Acceptance Project familyproject.sfsu.edu/publications

An initiative that works to decrease health and related risks for LGBTQ+ youth in the context of their families. In addition to research and videos, the Family. Acceptance Project provides guides for how families can support their LGBTQ+ children

National Black Justice Coalition (National) nbjc.org/resources/reports-publications

The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is a civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, including people living with HIV/AIDS. NBJC’s mission is to end racism, homophobia, LGBTQ bias, and stigma.

State/Local Organizations

Zebra Coalition (Central Florida) - zebrayouth.org

Zebra Coalition is a local LGBTQ+ organization within Orlando that can provide mental health and support services to individuals and families. They offer counseling services tailored to benefit LGBTQ+ youth in strengthening their relationships and family bonds by providing an open and supportive environment.

*This information does not constitute an endorsement by Love U

How to Support LGBTQ+ Students with Concerns of Family Acceptance

• Ask students who share their identity with you if they have come out to their family. If so, ask in detail about the reactions. If not, offer support to help them do so if they wish.
  

• Respect the students’ decisions about whether, how, and when they choose to disclose their LGBTQ+ identity to parents, caregivers, and other family members.
  

• For LGBTQ+ youth who report family rejection, individual counseling can help the student deal with rejection, and referral to LGBTQ+ youth programs, including a school Gay Straight Alliance, can provide access to peer support.
  

How to Support Families Struggling

to Understand their LGBTQ+ Child

to Increase Family Acceptance

• Educate families on how acceptance or rejection can affect their LGBTQ+ child’s health such as suicide ideation, illegal drug use, depression, and HIV.
  

• Listen to the concerns of families and connect them to the necessary resources, training, or support groups that will help them to further support their child-including the resources on this page.
  

• Provide families with respectful language relevant to conversations about sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
  

JOIN US

Washington, DC

loveunlimted1@gmail.com

love-u.org

#LoveU