MoJAM Community Artists Fund:
Embracing Black & Brown LGBTQ Artists
Our work dismantles systemic barriers while nurturing individual talent, ensuring that authentic Black, Indigenous, and People of Color LGBTQ artist voices are not just heard, but celebrated and sustained. Every artist and their caregiver(s) we support becomes a beacon of possibility for others in their community. We create pathways for artistic excellence and community resilience.
Mission and Vision
Mutual Aid
Organizing money and people to support Black & Brown LGBTQ artists and their caregivers facing crisis situations, ensuring they can maintain their artistic practice and basic needs as they fight for their rights.
Advocacy and Legal Support
Organizing campaigns to mobilize resources (money, legal support, health advocacy) to ensure vulnerable artists and their caregivers have the necessary tools and resources to protect their rights, navigate discrimination, and access equitable opportunities in the creative industry.
Mental Health and Wellness
Organizing social cultural activities as a form of community care by reducing isolation and fostering cross-cultural connections and community building.
Professional Development
Organizing workshops, networking events, and mentorship programs that help artists build sustainable careers while maintaining their authentic creative voice and community connections.
The MoJAM Community Artists Fund is dedicated to embrace and uplift Black, Indigenous, and People of Color LGBTQ artists, ensuring they have the social, economic, legal, and mentorship resources and opportunities to thrive in their creative pursuits as they fight for justice in their lives.
Key Challenges Faced by Black & Brown LGBTQ Artists
Part One
Key Challenges Faced by Black & Brown LGBTQ Artists
Part Two
Transgender, gender-non-conforming and non-binary people or causes received around 17 per cent of all funding while gay/queer men were allocated four per cent and lesbian/queer women and bisexual people got less than one per cent, the research revealed. There was no allocation specifically for asexual people.
Black & Brown LGBTQ artists navigate a complex landscape of intersectional challenges that compound the difficulties they face as marginalized creators. These barriers include systemic discrimination within artistic institutions, limited access to funding opportunities, and the emotional labor of constantly proving their worthiness in predominantly white spaces.
Economic instability disproportionately affects this community, as they often lack generational wealth and face employment discrimination. Many struggle to balance survival jobs with their artistic practice, while dealing with family rejection and limited social support systems.
The art world's gatekeepers frequently overlook or tokenize Black & Brown LGBTQ voices, creating additional barriers to exhibition opportunities, grants, and career advancement. Artists must often choose between authenticity and accessibility, diluting their work to fit mainstream expectations.
Mental health challenges are intensified by the stress of living with multiple marginalized identities. The lack of culturally competent resources and representation in therapeutic spaces further isolates artists during their most vulnerable moments.
Story Timeline of the MoJAM Community Artists Fund
1
2020-2023: Foundation of Support
During the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Maurice Jamal recognized the urgent need for targeted support within the Bay Area's Black & Brown LGBTQ artist community. He personally provided mentorship to 15 artists, helping them navigate financial uncertainty, creative blocks, and social isolation during lockdown periods and during times of crisis.
2
April 19, 2023: A Life Transition
Maurice Jamal made his life transition, leaving behind a powerful legacy of compassion, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to uplifting marginalized voices in the arts. His passing marked not an end, but a transformation of his mission into something larger than any individual effort.
3
May 2023: Community Celebration
Family and friends gathered at Geoffrey's Inner Circle in Oakland, CA to celebrate Maurice's life and vision. This gathering became the catalyst for formalizing his work into a sustainable organization that could continue his mission of supporting Black & Brown LGBTQ artists for generations to come.
4
2024 - 2026: Expanding Impact
The MoJAM team expanded its impact to organize mentorship and coaching support to 20 Black & Brown LGBTQ artists and their caregivers. We're developing a study abroad program to create global connections and opportunities, ensuring Maurice's vision continues to grow and evolve with our community's needs.
"What your brother [Maurice Jamal] did was open doors"
"What your brother did was open doors, not only for the folks with whom he was directly working, but he opened doors of imagination of what was possible in this world."
~ MÁRQUEZ RHYNE
Liberatory Coach, Transdisciplinary Artist, and Cultural Strategist
Maurice's legacy lives on through every artist who finds their voice, every creative project that receives funding, and every young person who sees themselves reflected in the possibilities we create together. His vision opened pathways that continue to transform lives and communities.
Meet the MoJAM Team
Our Inspiration
Maurice Jamal
The visionary founder whose compassionate spirit and unwavering commitment to justice continues to guide our mission and inspire our daily work.
Creative Director & Secretary
Mary K. Elliott Lee
Bringing artistic vision to our operations while ensuring transparent communication and creative excellence in all our programming.
Advocacy & Community Engagement Liaison
Dr. Andrea Lee
Building bridges between artists and resources, advocating for systemic change while nurturing individual growth and community connection.
Chief Financial Officer &
Life Coach
Ammar Lee-Fowler
Ensuring fiscal responsibility while providing personal development support, helping artists build sustainable careers and healthy life practices.
President & Historian
Diana Marie Lee
Our organizational backbone, preserving Maurice's legacy while steering the fund toward sustainable growth and maximum community impact.
Our team combines professional expertise with lived experience, creating a support system that understands both the practical and emotional needs of Black & Brown LGBTQ artists. Together, we carry forward Maurice's vision with dedication, authenticity, and love.
MoJAM Community Artists Fund:
Embracing Black & Brown LGBTQ Artists
The MoJAM Community Artists Fund represents more than financial assistance—we are a movement of love, resilience, and creative power. By addressing the intersectional challenges that Black & Brown LGBTQ artists and their caregivers face, we create ripple effects of change that extend far beyond individual grants or programs.
Our work dismantles systemic barriers while nurturing individual talent, ensuring that authentic voices are not just heard, but celebrated and sustained. Every artist and their caregiver(s) we support becomes a beacon of possibility for others in their community.
We invite philanthropists, grantmakers, donors, allies and the fabulously diverse LGBTQ community to join us in this transformative work. Together, we can create an artistic ecosystem where Black & Brown LGBTQ creators and their caregivers don't just survive—they thrive, innovate, and lead the cultural conversations that shape our world.
Your support enables us to continue Maurice's legacy of opening doors of imagination and creating tangible pathways to artistic excellence and community empowerment.
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