NBJC Celebrates Third Birthday

By Keith Boykin, in sexuality
Friday, December 8 2006, 12:05AM

It all started three years ago today. That's when a new group calling itself the National Black Justice Coalition held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to announce a "national campaign to generate support for the civil rights of LGBT people, and to call upon African American civil rights organizations and political leaders to take a strong position against the proposed discriminatory Federal Marriage Amendment." The leaders announced a major fundraising drive and a targeted ad campaign to generate African American support for marriage equality.

In the beginning, NBJC was just a post office box in New York and a loosely connected group of activists spread across the country. But in three short years, it has become a national advocacy organization with a small full-time staff and an office in Washington. Today, as NBJC celebrates its third birthday, I thought it would be a good time to ask a few questions to the man in charge. So here now is my interview with NBJC CEO H. Alexander Robinson.

Ten Questions For Alexander Robinson

1. How long have you been with NBJC?

H. Alexander Robinson: I joined NBJC since its inception having attended the first press conference. I became a consultant in 2004, and then joined the staff as the full time CEO in May 2005.

2. What did you do before NBJC?

H. Alexander Robinson: For the 3 years prior to joining NBJC, I ran a small political communication consulting firm. I started the firm after having spent more than a decade as a lobbyist, first with the American Civil Liberties Union Gay and Lesbian Rights Project and then with the AIDS Projects and the Drug Policy Foundation. Prior to that I worked with several AIDS organizations including the National Minority AIDS Council and the DC Inner City AIDS Networks.

3. What does the future look like for black LGBT issues?

H. Alexander Robinson: Like the rest of the African American community we face many challenges, the most urgent of those of course is the continuing HIV/AIDS epidemic. So despite the epidemic’s devastating impact we continue to make social, cultural and political advancements. In addition to addressing the economic and health challenges associated with AIDS, the continued anti-gay sentiments that lead to hate crimes and its isolation must be aggressively addressed. I remain hopeful, because there has been a resurgence of art, political and social commentary, community mobilization and political engagement by Black SGL people and organizations.

4. Will things get much better now that we have a Democratic Congress coming in office?

H. Alexander Robinson: A Democratic Congress certainly offers opportunity for a change from issues dealing with racial justice, taxation and health care. The Democrat’s political ideology supports the kind of policy that could make a difference for our community. While I am confident that we will see some advances, the current Congress and administration has done a great deal of damage to our efforts to address AIDS, poverty and to educate our youth. It will take much more than a change of political leadership in Congress for our community to have adequate access to quality health care, opportunities for higher education and protection in our workplaces, homes, and neighborhoods.

5. NBJC has an active religious affairs program. How has it been working with black ministers, and have you noticed any changes?

H. Alexander Robinson: I am very proud of the work we have done. We’ve had long over due conversations with many African American ministers; those who support the rights of same-gender-loving people and those who have been outspoken opponents. Although we have a long way to go, I do see glimmers of hope.

I am looking forward to our second Annual Black Church Summit in Philadelphia, Saturday March 10, 2007. Once again we will bring together African American clergy, biblical scholars and church leadership to discuss and share their experiences of creating affirming congregations, addressing HIV/AIDS and confronting homophobia in the church.

6. You've worked in the HIV field as well as the LGBT field. We often tend to connect black LGBT/SGL issues with HIV/AIDS issues. What are the pros and cons of doing that?

H. Alexander Robinson: In working with African American organizations and community leaders, our discussions about HIV/AIDS are often the portal to real conversations about the impact that homophobia has on the lives of Black LBGT people. However, we risk stigmatizing black same-gender-loving men if we only discuss our lives in terms of the impact of HIV/AIDS. At this point in the epidemic HIV/AIDS and the condition of Black same gender loving community are inseparable so the conversations must happen simultaneously. Our job is to make sure that we don’t stop there and that we also discuss the need for respect for our families, protection in the workplace and for our rightful place as leaders in African American community.

7. NBJC recently added the term "SGL" to its mission. Can you talk about that?

H. Alexander Robinson: The terms Lesbian and Gay are often identified by people in our black community as labels that define a white gay cultural experience. If you look at an analysis of where black same sex couples live it becomes clear that black same-gender-loving people live and work in black communities and share the black cultural experience. And in our larger cities we have even created a black-same-gender loving ecstatic. Recognizing this and our desire to represent the voices, experiences and needs of diverse African American SGL people, the board and staff have made a commitment not only in words but through our programs and policies to promote and represent this vibrant part of out constituency.

8. What are your goals for NBJC?

H. Alexander Robinson: First and foremost that we are able to be effective advocates for the community that we seek to represent. That we build strong alliances with others who support the right of people living with AIDS. It is my personal goal to build NBJC as a sustainable institution which is able to effectively address racism and homophobia.

9. What can people in the community do to support NBJC?

H. Alexander Robinson: NBJC needs the financial support and active engagement of Black LBGT/SGL people. I encourage everyone to make a financial donation at NBJC, https://secure.ga3.org/01/nbjc_donate. We need your support.

I also encourage supporters to become a member of NBJC and encourage their families and friends to join us as well. As a community our survival depends upon our willingness to become vocal and visible advocates. We encourage our supporters to organize their local communities and to become involved and engaged. This will support the work of NBJC. We also publish a quarterly magazine so we are always looking for new voices that represent the leading edge thinking on issues of racial and social justice, ending heterosexism and combating HIV/AIDS. Our supporters and members can contribute to our community’s understanding of our lives by offering their time and talent to this endeavor as well.

10. In addition to supporting NBJC, what would you like to see black LGBT people doing more often in the future?

H. Alexander Robinson: I believe it is important that we support our other black civil rights and labor organizations as well. We should become members of the NAACP, the National Urban League, the Southern Christian Leadership Council, and the Black Aids Institute. These organizations would greatly benefit from our active participation. At the same time our engagement with them as out SGL people would go a long way in combating homophobia. The reality is that attacks on affirmative action, public school integration and our families can only be defeated through out collective action.

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