A Public Service Announcement - National Black Justice Coalition Summit

This is not another Pride celebration, but is instead an event that you can take pride in and become involved in a substantive grassroots movement to insure the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered brothers and sisters. (See agenda) And in case you don't know, Keith Boykin is President of the Board. Given the current atmosphere of homophobia and religious conservatism in the black community, don't wait until they come for you. Be involved! Shem hotep!

Tying The Wisdom Knot:
Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil Rights Group Discusses State of the Nation Washington, DC 2005

On September 21-23, 2005 the National Black Justice Coalition will host its first Black Leaders Summit. The title of the Summit is "Tying the Widsom Knot: Bringing Together Our Leaders to Strategize for the Future."

The Summit will begin with a Welcome Reception on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 6:00 pm and is hosted by Service Employees International Union.

The following two-days of workshops and plenary sessions will focus on a range of policy issues of significance to Black SGL/LGBT communities including strategies to combat homophobia and HIV/AIDS, the upcoming marriage battles and how to win fairness for same-sex families. Additional topics include the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act and sessions on how to build local voter registration and get-out-the vote campaigns. The plenary sessions include: roundtable discussion and open dialogue with the chief executives of the nation’s leading LGBT organizations; a panel of top African American political strategists to discuss the politics and LGBT civil rights and marriage; and a Prayer Breakfast with important progressive religious activists and ministers to discuss homosexuality and the church . The Summit will end with a gala awards dinner with a special appearance by the NBJC Ensemble Gospel Choir and Broadway veteran and recording artist Billy Porter.

Confirmed speakers include elected officials from Palm Springs, California, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Organizational leaders representing NAACP, SEIU, Black AIDS Institute, HRC, Freedom to Marry, GLAAD, Victory Fund, PFLAG, Equality Maryland, Equality Florida, Showtime, Viacomm and many others will also participate as both panelists and attendees.

“Black America stands at an important cross roads,” said NBJC Executive Director and CEO, H. Alexander Robinson. “...voices of bigotry are on the rise and all too often they are disguised as saviors of the Black family. Our families, Black same gender loving families, are being caught in the middle. This Summit is about breaking the silence and finding our collective national voice.”
"The Leaders Summit is an excellent opportunity for NBJC to gather some of the best and brightest minds in the lgbt community. We want to establish an open dialogue between LGBT organizations, elected officials and our African American brothers and sisters." We expect this event to be very beneficial as we develop our strategic goals for the upcoming months, said Ray Daniels, NBJC Communications Director."

The Summit is free, but requires pre-registration for all participants. For more information visit http://www.nbjcoalition.org/ or call 202-349-3755.

Hotel Reservations may be made by calling the Washington Court Hotel directly at 800-321-3010.

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