| Birth place | Texas, United States |
|---|---|
| Occupation | CEO of The Trevor Project |
| Years active | 2024–present |
| Education | Colorado Technical University |
Jaymes Black is an American executive who has served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Trevor Project since July 15, 2024.[1] The Trevor Project is a nonprofit organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services specifically for LGBTQ+ young people.[2]
Early life and education
Jaymes Black grew up in South Texas in a conservative environment and has described their childhood as difficult due to their queer identity.[3] In their teenage years, they struggled with isolation and chose to leave high school after their relationship with a girlfriend was outed publicly.[4] Later in life, Black completed a bachelor's degree at Strayer University and then completed an MBA from Colorado Technical University.[5]
Career
Before joining The Trevor Project, Black's career included both corporate and nonprofit sectors. They held a senior leadership role at Charles Schwab before transitioning to nonprofit leadership.[6] In 2021, Black became President and CEO of Family Equality, an organization supporting LGBTQ+ families. There they led efforts in advocacy, community building, storytelling, fundraising, and overseeing operations.[7]
On July 15, 2024, Black became the Chief Executive Officer of The Trevor Project, marking several firsts as the organization’s first Black, first nonbinary, and first openly queer CEO.[8] In early 2025, they improved the organization's U.S. crisis services. This plan included increasing staff focused on direct support, optimizing operations, and expanding their technology.[9]
In June 2025, the U.S. federal government decided to end funding for the LGBTQ+ “Press 3” option on the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a service provided in partnership with The Trevor Project.[10] The change was set to take effect on July 17, 2025.[11] Black strongly criticized the decision as “devastating” and called it a politicization of suicide prevention, emphasizing the harm it could cause LGBTQ+ youth.[12] They urged Congress to act to preserve the service and stressed that The Trevor Project would continue its 24/7 support independently.[13]
In May 2026, Black was named to the 2026 Time 100 Philanthropy list.[14]
References
- ^ "Trevor Project announces new CEO, Jaymes Black, to helm the LGBTQ suicide prevention nonprofit". NBC News. 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ "The Trevor Project Names Jaymes Black as New Chief Executive Officer". The Trevor Project. 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ "The journey of an LGBTQ+ rights advocate: Jaymes Black tells their story". www.advocate.com. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ Owen, Greg. "America devalues queer families. Jaymes Black is lifting them up.". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ "Jaymes Black". Unleashed LGBTQ+. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ "The journey of an LGBTQ+ rights advocate: Jaymes Black tells their story". Yahoo Life. 2024-07-30. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ "The 2024 Out100: Jaymes Black". www.out.com. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ Tammye (2024-07-10). "Jaymes Black named new Trevor Project CEO". Dallas Voice. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ "Transforming The Trevor Project". The Trevor Project. 2025-01-17. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ Jones, C. T. (2025-06-18). "Trump Administration Cuts LGBTQ-Specific Care From Suicide Hotline". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ Singh, Kanishka (2025-06-18). "US to end LGBT suicide prevention service, says general hotline sufficient". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ Svirnovskiy, Gregory (2025-06-18). "Trump administration to end LGBTQ+-specific crisis hotline". POLITICO. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ Ables, Kelsey; Cox, John Woodrow; Blaskey, Sarah; McClain, Matt; Hax, Carolyn; Allison, Natalie; Bogage, Jacob; King, Colbert (2025-06-19). "Trump administration will shut LGBTQ youth-focused suicide prevention line". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-06-21.
- ^ Friess, Steve (May 14, 2026). "TIME100 Philanthropy: Jaymes Black". Time. Retrieved May 14, 2026.