Belinda Drake
#HaveYouHerd: Today’s #FridayFeature is on an LGBTQ+ community advocate that we all know and love, Belinda Drake. Belinda also serves as a Youth Development Project LEAD at Adult&Child here in Indy. To read more about Belinda and why she is so great, keep on reading.
Belinda Drake was born and raised in Gary, Indiana. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Belinda is a proud Lesbian who makes sure to stand for the LGBTQ+’s freedom. She has sat on many boards, such as the Board of Business and Neighborhood Services for Indianapolis and the Victory Fund Campaign Board. She mentors and coaches local youth, volunteers for the Indianapolis NAACP Young Adults Committee, and serves as the Racial Justice Coordinator for IN NOW (National Organization for Women). Belinda seeks to represent and serve the people with a bold, pragmatic vision to deliver accurate results for families and communities.
We asked Belinda what does being free to your mean, and she said, “For me being free means that I have the ability to exist as my full authentic self without judgment and restrictions on my ability to love, live, and thrive as a Black queer woman. Or as Meek Mill said, “Free is when nobody else can tell us what to be, free is when the tv ain’t controlling what we see...” When talking to Belinda, we found out something we thought was worth sharing: she played a season of Semi-Pro Basketball in Tampa, Florida. We think that is awesome!
Some advice Belinda has for younger LGBTQ+ members is to “understand that being gay does not make you any less of a human being and that they are deserving of true love, support, and resources to live their best authentic lives.”
Belinda is currently leading the efforts for a new program called Changing the Map in partnership with the Indiana Department of Health. Changing the Map is a free program that offers #WoWTalk Youth and Parent Cafes and Botvin LifeSkills Training to the community; it’s a lot of work, but we know Belinda can do it with ease.
Belinda Drake is a bright shining beacon in the community who stands for her community while also standing in her truth. To keep up with Belinda, you can follow her on Facebook (@BelindDrake), Twitter (@iambelindadrake), and Instagram (@believeinbelinda).