Black History Month: Celebrating Notable LGBT African Americans and their Struggle for Equality

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Although February has been marked by LGBT marriage victories in California and Washington, lets not forget and more Importantly take time to recognize the LGBT African-Americans who have fought and struggled for Equal Rights and Human rights not just because of their sexuality, but because of their ethnic background.  They have in so many ways paved the way and blazed the trail which we follow today.  Take time out to respect those who put their lives on the line so that we have the right to fight our battles in court, protest on the street, and lobby for change.  Harvey Milk exhorted LGBT’s to follow the path of the African-American Civil Rights leaders of the 50′s and 60′s…

Harvey Milk once said “The blacks did not win their rights by sitting quietly in the back of the bus. They got off! Gay people, we will not win our rights by staying quietly in our closets… We are coming out! We are coming out to fight the lies, the myths, the distortions! We are coming out to tell the truth about gays!”

FAMOUS AND NOTABLE LGBT AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE

Alice Walker: author, poet, and advocate

Alvin Ailey: choreographer and advocate

André Leon Talley: editor-at-large for Vogue magazine, current contributing editor

Angela Davis: political advocate, scholar, and author

Audre Lorde: author and advocate

Bayard Rustin: chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, advisor to Martin Luther King Jr.

Bessie Smith: blues singer

Bill T. Jones: artistic director, choreographer and dancer

Countee Cullen: poet

Darryl Stevens: actor

Don Lemon: reporter for CNN and news anchor

Doug Spearman: actor

E. Denise Simmons: mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, during the 2008-2009 term, first openly lesbian African American mayor in the United States

E. Lyn Harris: author

Emil Wilbekin: former openly gay Editor-in-Chief of Vibe Magazine, current managing editor of Essence.com

Felicia “Snoop” Pearson: actress

Glen Burke: Major League Baseball player

Isis King: America’s Next Top Model contestant

James Baldwin: author

Jasika Nicole: actress

Jean-Michel Basquiat: artist

John Amaechi: former NBA player

Josephine Baker: dancer, singer, and actress

June Jordan: author

Kevin Aviance: female impressionist and entertainer

LZ Granderson: ESPN.com columnist

Langston Hughes: poet and social advocate

Laverne Cox: actress, producer and transgender advocate

Lee Daniels: film producer and director

Linda Villaros: author, journalist and public speaker

Ma Rainey: blues singer

Maurice Jamal: filmmaker and director

Meshell Ndegeocello: singer

Paris Barclay: television director and producer

Patrik-Ian Polk: director, producer, screenwriter, singer and actor

Roy Simmons: former NFL player

RuPaul: actor, drag queen and singer-songwriter

Sheryl Swoopes: WNBA player

Stacy Ann Chin: author and poet

Tracy Chapman: singer

Wanda Sykes: actress and comedian

via Black History Month Resource Kit | GLAAD.

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• Seven LGBT African-Americans Who Changed The Face Of The Gay Community (queerty.com)
• Don Lemon: Being black and gay is ‘about the worst thing you can be in black culture’ (thegrio.com)
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• Black History Month | NBJC Creating Change & LGBT White House Briefing (oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com)

Human Rights Day 2012: Where do we go from here?

“I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people. … But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, to make room at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people.”

~Coretta Scott King

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Human Rights Day 2012: Where do we go from here?.

Matt Barber: Gays are the Real Bullies

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Utah Legislative LGBT Town Hall Meeting Recap

2011 LGBT Legislative Townhall

 

The 2011 Utah Legislative LGBT Town Hall meeting held Tuesday night was a great success.  Local LGBT rights organizations, activists, bloggers, legislators and concerned citizens met to discuss what the upcoming year has in store and celebrate some early successes.  Leaders and citizens alike discussed a wide range of topics which included: bullying, equal housing and employment protection, immigration, Pride Center endeavors, local activism, lobbyist training, civility, writing for change, communication, and legislative transparency.  The two hour discussion proved  both informative and invigorating.  During the meeting, two new successes were shared: Midvale City passed an ordinance banning housing and employment discrimination and Park City passed Anti-Bullying rules. 

As the year progresses I hope these organizations consider follow up Town Hall meetings to share successes, failures, learnings and community resolve on a regular basis.  Thanks to all of these fine groups and organizations for taking charge and leading the community towards equality and fairness for all Utah citizens.

This is a great opportunity to kick off the new year and become involved with organizations that have your interests at heart. These are local chapters and organizations committed to helping achieve equal rights for the LGBT citizens of Utah. Attend, listen, learn and act! As Martin Luther King Jr. once stated:

“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

Each of these organizations are committed to helping fight the cause of unjust discrimination and inequality in the state of Utah. They’re here to help, but they can’t do it alone. They’re here to educate, support, and rally the states individuals into action. In the end however, it’s up to us as individuals to fight for our rights and use the resources available to us to accomplish those goals.

As a LGBT citizen of the State of Utah, if you want equal rights under the law, the freedom to marry the love of your life, adopt a child and not run the risk of being denied housing or being fired for your orientation YOU need to fight for those rights. YOU need to support organizations who support you, YOU need to show our legislators and civic leaders that YOU are not invisible and that YOU will not be discriminated against.–Phil Black

via Search Results townhall « Release Dorothy!.

PRIDEinUtah

ACLU-Utah

Utah Pride Center

Equality Utah

 

 

 

Equality Utah, the ACLU of Utah, the Utah Pride Center and us here at PRIDEinUtah are co-hosting a townhall meeting for the LGBT community for everything going down this legislative session!

via PRIDE in Utah » Utah Legislative LGBT Town Hall Meeting! Mark Your Calendars!.

via http://releasedorothy.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/action-utah-legislative-lgbt-town-hall-meeting-announced/

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• ACTION: Utah Legislative LGBT Town Hall Meeting Announced (releasedorothy.wordpress.com)
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• EqualityUtah Sponsors Citizen Lobbyist Training (releasedorothy.wordpress.com)
• Change.org Names Equality Utah a “Gay Rights Hero of 2010″ :: Release Dorothy! (releasedorothy.wordpress.com)
• ACTION ALERT: Rally against Bigotry At The Utah State Capitol ::PRIDE in Utah (releasedorothy.wordpress.com)
• Study Finds That LGBT Utahns Need Employment Non-Discrimination Protection (lezgetreal.com)
• Why a Formerly Homophobic Utah Resident Is Starting the “Pride Empathy Line” (gayrights.change.org)
• Utah LGBT Activists- GET OFF YOUR ASS! (releasedorothy.wordpress.com)
• Segregation Is Part & Parcel of the LGBT Experience (bilerico.com)
• The Gay Rights Heroes of 2010 (gayrights.change.org)

ACTION: Utah Legislative LGBT Town Hall Meeting Announced

This is a great opportunity to kick off the new year and become involved with organizations that have your interests at heart. These are local chapters and organizations committed to helping achieve equal rights for the LGBT citizens of Utah. Attend, listen, learn and act! As Martin Luther King Jr. once stated:

“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

Each of these organizations are committed to helping fight the cause of unjust discrimination and inequality in the state of Utah.  They’re here to help, but they can’t do it alone.  They’re here to educate, support, and rally the states individuals into action.  In the end however, it’s up to us as individuals to fight for our rights and use the resources available to us to accomplish those goals. 

As a LGBT citizen of the State of Utah, if you want equal rights under the law, the freedom to marry the love of your life, adopt a child and not run the risk of being denied housing or being fired for your orientation YOU need to fight for those rights. YOU need to support organizations who support you, YOU need to show our legislators and civic leaders that YOU are not invisible and that YOU will not be discriminated against.–Phil Black

via Release Dorothy!.

  

Equality Utah

Utah Pride Center

ACLU

Pride In Utah

 

Equality Utah, the ACLU of Utah, the Utah Pride Center and us here at PRIDEinUtah are co-hosting a townhall meeting for the LGBT community for everything going down this legislative session! Want to know what’s happening, where and who? Be there!

This should be a great event, highlighting everything we need to know about this leg session. From bills being run by us or against us, to which legislators need to hear from you, to what events are being held. Come show up, ask your questions, get informed and let’s show the Utah Legslature that This Is Our Voice!!

Tuesday, Jan 18th from 6:30pm-8:30pm

Moot Court Room at the SJ QUinney College of Law at the University of Utah

332 South 1400 East (University Street)

Salt Lake City, UT

via PRIDE in Utah » Utah Legislative LGBT Town Hall Meeting! Mark Your Calendars!.

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• Utah LGBT Activists- GET OFF YOUR ASS! (releasedorothy.wordpress.com)
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