Fulfills Earlier Promise and Starts Dialogue
October 12, 2005 - Washington, DC - In an unprecedented first, Minister Louis Farrakhan asked NBJC Board President, Keith Boykin to address the attendees of the Millions More Movement. The invitation was a direct result of months of correspondence between the National Black Justice Coalition and the Nation of Islam and Movement organizers.
On Wednesday, in downtown Washington, DC, NBJC board members Boykin, Vice-President Donna Payne and Executive Director & CEO H. Alexander Robinson met for 75-minutes with Nation of Islam leader the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. Members of Minister Farrakhan's immediate family and Rev. Willie Wilson, executive director of the Millions More Movement were also in attendance. This was the first time that Minister Farrakhan has met face-to-face with openly gay and lesbian leaders.
"I am honored to be asked to speak at the Millions More Movement March, and I strongly support the Movement's goals of unity and inclusion of our entire community. I have met Minister Farrakhan previously, but this is the first time I have met with him privately," said Boykin. "This dialogue is long overdue; we were only able to scratch the surface. Future conversations will involve more substantive discussions about our ideological differences."
"It is our most sincere hope that this portends a new chapter in the story of how we liberated our community from the prison of homophobia," said Robinson. "This chapter is about reconciliation, education and acceptance of the gifts and talents that gay people of African descent have and will continue to contribute to the quest to lift up our people."
Donna Payne, NBJC Board Vice-President, said "We are all committed to healing the wounds of the past and building alliances to meet the challenges we will confront together."
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About the National Black Justice Coalition
The National Black Justice Coalition is a civil rights organization of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and our allies dedicated to fostering equality by fighting racism and homophobia. The Coalition advocates for social justice by educating and mobilizing opinion leaders, including elected officials, clergy, and media, with a focus on Black communities.