About Us
Mission
The mission of Brothers United is to enhance the health and wellness of our community, which includes those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and the people who live and work in our neighborhoods. Brothers United provides high quality, comprehensive prevention and service programs in a welcoming environment and seeks to improve the overall health of the Indianapolis community, through education and training, outreach and advocacy, prevention and research.
History of the Agency
A group of Men from the African American community in Indianapolis were alarmed about the impact HIV and AIDS were having on our community. Gatekeepers and other concerned men came together in the summer of 1998 for a discussion focusing on the lack of sexual health services targeted towards African American gay, bisexual, same-gender-loving and transgender persons. They named themselves Brothers United.
Brothers United set about the task of building awareness around the impact of HIV/AIDS on African American males living in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. The “basement discussion group” grew into a viable and reputable resource and lifeline for the community. With technical assistance from the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) Brothers United incorporated in 1999 with the mission of enhancing the health and wellness of our community, which includes those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and the people who live and work in our neighborhoods.
That same year Brothers United collaborated with the Indiana Minority Health Coalition (IMHC) to seek funding under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Funding Announcement 99091-A. The award was for direct HIV prevention and education to the African American Gay Community. Additionally in 1999, Brothers United received funding from the ISDH and the Marion County Health Department (MCHD) to provide HIV/STD prevention, education, awareness, and outreach.
