African American Gay Elected Officials and LGBT Movement Leaders Gather for OUT on the Hill Black LGBT Leadership Summit in Nation's Capital to Organize Around National Policy Measures Affecting Black Communities
September 20, 2010. Dozens of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT ) people gathered in the nation's capital for the National Black Justice Coalition's ( NBJC ) Inaugural OUT on the HillBlack LGBT Leadership Summit, a convening of top African American LGBT thought leaders, faith leaders, philanthropists and activists who are organizing to empower their communities while educating Congressional leaders, the Obama Administration and federal agencies about Black LGBT public policy concerns.
OUT on the Hill, held September 15-18, featured a White House Briefing, which included presentations from key White House officials and representatives like Michael Blake, the Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement about African American Administration Initiatives, andJeffrey Crowley, Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy on the national HIV/AIDS strategy. The session was led by Brian Bond, the LGBT Liaison and Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. Executive decision-makers from the Department of Justice's Community Relations Service also discussed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
At the White House briefing, Bond commented on the important role that the National Black Justice Coalition plays in the broader African American LGBT community, noting that NBJC represents the unique intersection of race and LGBT equality.
"This, our first convening of OUT on the Hill, exceeded every expectation. Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender leaders from major cities around the country came to our nation's capital to organize around public policy priorities that have the ability to move Black communities to a conversation that includes all of its brothers and sisters, specifically the Black LGBT community. Our presence was strong, our voices were heard by Congressional leaders and the Obama Administration, and we received critical information that will be disseminated to our constituents. This is only the beginning of our quest to strengthen Black families by creating safer and more inclusive environments for Black LGBT people," stated NBJC Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks.
State and local elected officials who attended included Georgia State Representative Simone Bell, Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh, and Berkeley ( CA ) City Councilman Darryl Moore; all are openly gay leaders in their respective communities. The Honorable Darryl Moore also serves as the chair of the board of directors for NBJC.
Also in attendance were veteran activists Mandy Carter, a founding board member of NBJC and a founder of Southerners on New Ground ( SONG ) ; Rashad Robinson, Senior Director of Media Programs for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ( GLAAD ) ; Donna Payne, Associate Director of Diversity for the Human Rights Campaign and an NBJC founder and board member; Dr. Juan Battle, Professor of Sociology, Public Health, & Urban Education at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York; and Darlene Nipper, Deputy Executive Director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
In addition to OUT on the Hill activities, attendees participated in the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 40th Annual Legislative Conference ( CBCF-ALC ) . As a means of exposing CBCF-ALC attendees to LGBT equality, NBJC had an exhibit booth that featured both NBJC and ally materials from organizations like the Human Rights Campaign's Historically Black College and Universities Program, GLAAD, GLSEN, and Lambda Legal.
OUT on the Hill attendees contributed to the CBCF-ALC's workshops by participating in robust discussions about issues that impact their lives daily. One workshop of note included "Breaking Down Barriers: Creating a Progressive Black Agenda for the 21st Century." Hosted by the Arcus Foundation, this panel featured an interactive dialogue focused on building an African American progressive social justice agenda for the 21st Century. The session was moderated by national TV commentator Marc Lamont Hill; Congresswoman Maxine Waters made a guest appearance; panelists included Clayola Brown, Executive Director, A. Phillip Randolph Institute;Chanelle Hardy, Executive Director, National Urban League Policy Institute; Jasper Hendricks, Senior Strategist for Public Engagement, National Black Justice Coalition; Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, Chief Executive Officer, Green for All; and Roz Lee, Senior Program Officer, Arcus Foundation.