Bright Spaces, Welcome Places is a project of Fierce Pride designed to increase LGBTQ+ access to mental health services, build partnerships between mental health agencies and LGBTQ+ communities, and promote training and organizational policies that will increase understanding and acceptance of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations.
In addition Bright Spaces, Welcome Places brings awareness of health inequities caused by the tobacco industry. More than half of LGBTQ+ people use tobacco. Bright Spaces, Welcome Places recognizes the root causes of tobacco use. Tobacco is used by people as a coping mechanism for stress and oppression. By linking LGBTQ+ people to mental health resources and by equipping mental health agencies with knowledge and training in LGBTQ+ issues and nicotine cessation resources, we hope to reduce the burden of tobacco on our LGBTQ+ community.