We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sean Ebony Coleman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sean below.
Sean, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
The mission of Destination Tomorrow is simple – to provide the tools LGBTQ+ community members need to be successful. For a long time, I watched nonprofit organizations that were supposed to be addressing the needs of their target community provide only the bare minimum. That often amounted to nonessential items; usually pizza, a metro card and a place to meet the following week. While these things are beneficial, they don’t provide the foundation needed to dramatically improve one’s life such as a living wage, safe/stable housing and the opportunity to expand once basic needs were met. At Destination Tomorrow, we want to see Black and Brown LGBTQ+ community members thrive. I understood that our mission had to be rooted in a deep understanding and love of the community. The mission had to be truthful, even at a time when folks were not talking about LGBTQ+ communities’ issues and how they are the same issues other New Yorkers were dealing with. In addition, the mission had to be one of celebration. Celebrating what’s to come and our future goals, hence the name Destination Tomorrow. Our destination is tomorrow, but we’re providing the tools TODAY.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am the founder and executive director of Destination Tomorrow, a national TLGBQ+ center with centers in the South Bronx and Atlanta serving the community through educational, financial, housing, health and personal support programs. This grassroots organization puts an emphasis on providing support to vulnerable members of the TLGBQ+ community that takes them off the path of requiring emergency care, emphasizing economic, social and mental empowerment on a holistic level. In 2021, Destination Tomorrow opened 16 apartment units that serve as transitional housing for TGNCGNB (transgender, gender non-conforming and gender non-binary) individuals who are victims of sexual violence or sex trafficking crimes, as well as a food pantry that provides nutritious meals.
As a nationally recognized leader in the Transgender community and the first African American of Transgender experience to operate a TLGBQ+ center in New York City, I advocate for policies that directly impact the lives of millions of TLGBQ New Yorkers.
I am also the founder and managing partner of Sean Ebony Coleman Consulting, where I specialize in DEI strategies for TLGBQ+ communities and work with the Transgender Strategy Center, a collaboration of Transgender led consultants. In 2022 alone, this company collaborated with companies including Unilever, Lululemon and Equinox on various campaigns. Through Gilead Science’s TRANScend Community Impact Fund, I am also the only Black Trans grantmaker in the country, providing crucial funding to Transgender and Gender Nonconforming-led grassroots organizations nationally.
In addition, community work is extremely important to me. I am an active part of the Bronx Community Board 1 and provides resources to those who, like myself, call the borough’s House and Ballroom scene home. In 2022, I was included on the Queens Powerlist, Bronx Power 100, Top LGBTQ Power Players by PoliticsNY and one of Crain’s Notable LGBTQ Leaders. I was previously named in the City and State Bronx Power 100 list in 2019 and 2021, Metro Sources’ LGBT People We Love list and have been featured in top media outlets including The New York Times, Forbes and the Advocate, among others.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I’m a 55-year-old Black Trans man from Brooklyn, NY, and every step of my journey illustrates my resilience. Creating a nonprofit out of thin air, when Trans folks were not seen, heard or represented is a testament to my resilience. Being the first Black Trans person to successfully run a nonprofit in NYC, with an operating budget that matches my white counterparts, illustrates my resilience. I think just surviving in a world that told me I didn’t have a place or any value illustrates my resilience.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
My advice for managing a team is simple – stay consistent. The best teams are those that trust each other and believe in the mission. To get results, you need the buy-in from your team just like you need from the community you serve. Make sure to include your team in decisions that impact the programs and services. Listen to their concerns and develop solutions that everyone can understand and support. Remember, your organization is only as strong as your team so work together for the betterment of the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://destinationtomorrow.org/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanebonycoleman/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dest2morrow?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Image Credits
The photo credit of his headshot is Desmond Picotte