Diversity Rules Magazine

November 2011 Building Stronger Bridges An Interview With Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks By Jim Koury, Editor Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Offi- cer of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black lesbian, gay, bi- sexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. JK: Tell me about yourself and your back- ground and what drives you. SL-H: I have been the Executive Director since October 2009 – my second anniversary with the NBJC. I am married to Alvin Hicks, who is retired military – an Iraqi war veteran. I am committed to LGBT equality and the inter- section of racial justice. I was the Executive Vice President for People for the American Way. I worked for great minds like Norman Lear who taught me the fundamentals behind religious liberty and free speech. He instilled in me a greater vision of life and how to advocate for freedom in a bold and strategic way. He introduced me to the right-wing obsession of demonizing marginal- ized communities for the sake of politics, like the LGBT community. The right wing has also tried to co-opt the black church to be adversaries to LGBT equality is- sues. They have tried to use the black church as a weapon, especially regarding marriage equality. There has been a void in the LGBT commu- nity in terms of recognizing the vast talents and contributions of black LGBT people. By link- ing the intersection of race and LGBT equality, it can be a vehicle to black America and chang- ing perceptions of what it means to be LGBT. It fosters the concept that we're black too when dealing with the African American community. Part of my mission and commitment to LGBT equality is to build stronger bridges to the black community with an authentic alliance. JK: What is the origin of the NBJC? SL-H: The NBJC has its origins in the fight for marriage equality back in 2003. We have since expanded our social justice agenda to include all pertinent issues impacting Black LGBT people at the intersection of race and LGBT equality. JK: The rainbow tent philosophically embrac- es all queer people. How do we bridge that chasm between what the LGBTQ community says it embraces versus what it actually does? SL-H: The reality is that the black LGBT movement must be seen as a bridge to the black community to have real value strategically in the greater LGBT equality movement. The black community has always had strong ties to family and NBJC seeks to strengthen the black family inclusive of black LGBT people. Being black and LGBT puts a person in two distinct communities with two distinct struggles, but an individual does not, and should not, have to give up either identity to be included or rel- evant in each community. Race has to be dealt with and it can't be run away from. The challenge is to overcome ra- cial and cultural barriers to foster greater har- mony within the LGBT movement. JK: Your website states, "Without authentic, meaningful representation and active participa- tion from the African American LGBT com- munity, LGBT equality cannot be positioned effectively within the broader civil rights con- text that it deserves." Can you explain that fur- ther? SL-H: There has always been a constant stand-off in terms of civil rights and the LGBT movement. Some people frown on linking the two together. Black LGBT people are better messengers to the black community because we can speak authentically from a position of racial identity as well as deliver the message on LGBT equality. A black person cannot deny a black LGBT person's right to the civil rights struggle of the past. Moreover, black LGBT people suffer from the past challenges of race in this country and black-on-black crime of de- nial and oppression within the black commu- nity around issues of LGBT equality. There is no conflict of "privilege" if we embrace real tactical strategies to bridge two dynamic com- munities for long-term relationships. The objective must be to strengthen the LGBT Four

• Cover