Subject: Cornel West, Alice Walker Reach Out to Black Gays and Lesbians
From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 20:38:44 -0500 (EST)

NEWS  RELEASE

For Immediate Release					Contact: Monique Meadows
March 11, 1997				 	   	       (202) 483-6786

Cornel West, Alice Walker, Dr. Joycelyn Elders Reach Out 
To Black Lesbians and Gays At Historic Conference

Washington --  Nearly 1,000 black lesbians and gays gathered in Long Beach,
California for an historic Tenth Anniversary Conference of the National Black
Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum last month. 

The Conference brought together a number of prominent African-Americans,
including Dr. Cornel West, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker, former
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders, and writer and poet June Jordan.

"The participation of so many high-profile leaders in the black community
represents the important role of black lesbians and gays in the larger black
struggle, " said Keith Boykin, Executive Director of the Leadership Forum.
"We plan to build on this momentum, and we expect that other prominent
African Americans will become much more vocal in their support of the black
lesbian and gay community," he said.

The conference brought together grassroots organizers and scholars from
around the country to discuss vital issues concerning the black lesbian and
gay community and to work toward building national coalitions.  The four-day
conference featured a variety of activities including Womyns' and Men's
Institutes, an AIDS Institute, and two days of skills building workshops.  

The Forum also presented awards to seven individuals who have made
outstanding contributions to the black lesbian and gay community.  The award
recipients were:

*  Jacqueline Woodson - Black Quill Audre Lorde Award -  Ms. Woodson , author
of ten books for children and young adults, wrote From the Notebooks of
Melanin Sun, the first young adult novel on lesbian/gay experiences to be
published by Scholastic P.     

*  Brian Freeman - Black Quill James Baldwin Award - A long time gay activist
and playwright, Brian Freeman brings images of black gay life to theater and
film through his performing arts group Pomo Afro Homos  and collaborative
work with the late Marlon Riggs.

*  Joan Garner - Mable Hampton Lesbian Services Award -  Joan Garner is the
Executive Director of the Fund for Southern Communities.

*  Rev. David Lewis - Bayard Rustin Political Activism Award -  Rev. David
Lewis, assistant pastor of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, is an advocate
for persons living with AIDS and gay rights.

*  Unity, Inc. - Harriet Tubman Organization Award - As Philadelphia's
largest organization of Black gay men, Unity, Inc. meets the educational,
cultural, and social needs of this community with a special emphasis on
HIV/AIDS issues.

*  George Bellinger, Jr. - Frederick Garnett Memorial AIDS Award - Activist
George Bellinger, Jr. has worked as a volunteer for many years at HIV/AIDS
and gay and lesbian organizations.

*  Rev. Alma Faith Crawford and Karen Hutt - Bishop Carl Bean Spirituality
Award - Co-founders of the Church of the Open Door in Chicago, they minister
to black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered based on the principles of
social justice.

The Conference took place February 13-17, 1997 at the Long Beach Hilton Hotel
in Long Beach, California.

The National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum is the only national
organization dedicated to the nation's two and a half million
African-American gays and lesbians.  Established in 1988, the Forum works to
empower black lesbians and gays by developing their leadership skills,
increasing their visibility, and building bridges between their various
communities.

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