GRIOT Circle was founded in 1996 by LGBTQ individuals of color in order to respond to the social and psychological fragmentation caused by ageism, racism, sexism, homophobia, and poverty in the lives of LGBTQ elders of color. GRIOT Circle’s mission is to respond to and eliminate all forms of oppression, including ageism, racism, sexism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, poverty, xenophobia, and their intersections. We achieve this by providing health, wellness, advocacy, and leadership activities to remove isolation and fear, build community, as well as honor racial and ethnic traditions. GRIOT (Gay Reunion in Our Time) - meaning storyteller and keeper of oral history in West African culture – is officially recognized as a nonprofit 501(c) (3) and remains the only staffed organization in the country exclusively dedicated to serving the needs of LGBTQ elders of color.