Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks

We’re not going to pretend this was an easy topic for Black Enterprise to consider. Let’s face it—the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is one of which our society whispers, mocks, ignores, and, in extreme cases, vehemently rejects. For Black members of this community, the emotional backlash can be even more intense. Editor-at-Large Carolyn M. Brown and I spent months producing this feature. Due to the topic’s controversial nature, we had some difficulty finding subjects. Even some of those who agreed to participate in our cover story, “Black and Gay in Corporate America,” felt some trepidation about how revealing their sexual orientation would affect relationships with family, friends, and associates outside the workplace.

Who is the gay Black professional? If you were to rely on media images, they are overtly flamboyant and dramatic male hairstylists and fashion designers. Depictions are often skewed comedic renderings of members of a community who in real life too often lead separate lives to buffer themselves—and their families—from ridicule. “Many professionals are out in their community but private in the world,” says Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks, executive director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights organization that seeks to empower the African American LGBT population. “There’s a healthy Black, educated professional class of the gay, lesbian, and transgender community in this country. But there’s no recognition of their existence. There’s no protection for their rights—for silent or overt discrimination. Black people in general treat the existence of gays and lesbians and transgender people in the African American community like ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’” the former U.S. policy governing homosexuality in the military.

That code of silence has been the mode in which many LGBT employees have operated for decades. It’s one of the reasons we structured our 40 Best Companies for Diversity differently this year. In addition to listing companies based on the percentage of African American and ethnic minority employees, senior managers, and board members, and on the procurement spend with Black and minority firms, we identified those corporations that also made the Human Rights Campaign’s Best Places to Work list for LGBT employees. It’s an indication that these firms believe in the power of full inclusion, and also that they’re choosing not to overlook an $800 billion-plus market.

What also drove the development of our feature is the growing number of professionals who have decided to share with the world their true selves (see sidebar on CNN anchor Don Lemon). Advocacy is never an easy journey, particularly when an individual has been thrust into such a position. The need to live behind a protective shield is very real to those who have suffered rejection, embarrassment, humiliation, and sometimes even violence. Sometimes, however, it becomes evident that coming forward with a personal testimony and an example of success could help improve the lot of others. We developed this feature to communicate that anyone can make a significant contribution. They just need to gain the opportunity to stand up and be counted.

More at www.BlackEnterprise.com/BlackLGBT. - Black Enterprise

We’re not going to pretend this was an easy topic for Black Enterprise to consider. Let’s face it—the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is one of which our society whispers, mocks, ignores, and, in extreme cases, vehemently rejects. For Black members of this community, the emotional backlash can be even more intense. Editor-at-Large Carolyn M. Brown and I spent months producing this feature. Due to the topic’s controversial nature, we had some difficulty finding subjects. Even some of those who agreed to participate in our cover story, “Black and Gay in Corporate America,” felt some trepidation about how revealing their sexual orientation would affect relationships with family, friends, and associates outside the workplace.

Who is the gay Black professional? If you were to rely on media images, they are overtly flamboyant and dramatic male hairstylists and fashion designers. Depictions are often skewed comedic renderings of members of a community who in real life too often lead separate lives to buffer themselves—and their families—from ridicule. “Many professionals are out in their community but private in the world,” says Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks, executive director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights organization that seeks to empower the African American LGBT population. “There’s a healthy Black, educated professional class of the gay, lesbian, and transgender community in this country. But there’s no recognition of their existence. There’s no protection for their rights—for silent or overt discrimination. Black people in general treat the existence of gays and lesbians and transgender people in the African American community like ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’” the former U.S. policy governing homosexuality in the military.

That code of silence has been the mode in which many LGBT employees have operated for decades. It’s one of the reasons we structured our 40 Best Companies for Diversity differently this year. In addition to listing companies based on the percentage of African American and ethnic minority employees, senior managers, and board members, and on the procurement spend with Black and minority firms, we identified those corporations that also made the Human Rights Campaign’s Best Places to Work list for LGBT employees. It’s an indication that these firms believe in the power of full inclusion, and also that they’re choosing not to overlook an $800 billion-plus market.

What also drove the development of our feature is the growing number of professionals who have decided to share with the world their true selves (see sidebar on CNN anchor Don Lemon). Advocacy is never an easy journey, particularly when an individual has been thrust into such a position. The need to live behind a protective shield is very real to those who have suffered rejection, embarrassment, humiliation, and sometimes even violence. Sometimes, however, it becomes evident that coming forward with a personal testimony and an example of success could help improve the lot of others. We developed this feature to communicate that anyone can make a significant contribution. They just need to gain the opportunity to stand up and be counted.

More at www.BlackEnterprise.com/BlackLGBT. - Black Enterprise

OP-ED: In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), the nation's largest black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, reflects on King's legacy as we continue to demand justice for Robert Champion Jr.

Champion, a gay drum major at Florida A&M, died as a result of a hazing ritual aboard a band bus on Nov. 19, 2011. NBJC is urging the U.S. Justice Department to investigate whether his death was a possible hate crime. Our call to action, coming on King's birthday, is tragically timely.

Only two months before Champion's death, Shannon Washington, a basketball standout who had transferred to Florida A&M, was stabbed to death by her girlfriend. Both deaths are unfortunate reminders that we need proactive measures to foster inclusive environments for all students, like NBJC's initiative that seeks to promote LGBT competency at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

"The shape of the world will not permit us the luxury of gradualism and procrastination," King wrote in 1963 about achieving racial justice. "Not only is it immoral, it will not work."

It is with this same sense of urgency that King would summon the LGBT community to act if he were alive today. He would question whether HBCUs are equipped to serve LGBT students who are victims of anti-gay harassment or domestic violence. He would rally young people and administrators to take action before we lose another black life.

Noting that we are inextricably linked through our common humanity and our fight for equality, King stated, "Eventually the civil rights movement will have contributed infinitely more to the nation than the eradication of racial injustice. It will have enlarged the concept of brotherhood to a vision of total interrelatedness."

NBJC is calling on both the civil rights and LGBT communities because King's words continue to ring true as we propel this movement forward. We must remind ourselves, like King did, why we cannot wait, why the time to have these conversations and the time to act is now.

In memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sign the petition and urge the Department of Justice to begin an investigation of Robert Champion Jr.'s death today. - The Huffington Post

OP-ED: In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), the nation's largest black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, reflects on King's legacy as we continue to demand justice for Robert Champion Jr.

Champion, a gay drum major at Florida A&M, died as a result of a hazing ritual aboard a band bus on Nov. 19, 2011. NBJC is urging the U.S. Justice Department to investigate whether his death was a possible hate crime. Our call to action, coming on King's birthday, is tragically timely.

Only two months before Champion's death, Shannon Washington, a basketball standout who had transferred to Florida A&M, was stabbed to death by her girlfriend. Both deaths are unfortunate reminders that we need proactive measures to foster inclusive environments for all students, like NBJC's initiative that seeks to promote LGBT competency at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

"The shape of the world will not permit us the luxury of gradualism and procrastination," King wrote in 1963 about achieving racial justice. "Not only is it immoral, it will not work."

It is with this same sense of urgency that King would summon the LGBT community to act if he were alive today. He would question whether HBCUs are equipped to serve LGBT students who are victims of anti-gay harassment or domestic violence. He would rally young people and administrators to take action before we lose another black life.

Noting that we are inextricably linked through our common humanity and our fight for equality, King stated, "Eventually the civil rights movement will have contributed infinitely more to the nation than the eradication of racial injustice. It will have enlarged the concept of brotherhood to a vision of total interrelatedness."

NBJC is calling on both the civil rights and LGBT communities because King's words continue to ring true as we propel this movement forward. We must remind ourselves, like King did, why we cannot wait, why the time to have these conversations and the time to act is now.

In memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sign the petition and urge the Department of Justice to begin an investigation of Robert Champion Jr.'s death today. - The Huffington Post

OP-ED: My husband is a proud member of the United States Air Force. A military career man. While he was stationed in Iraq, the moral support that helped him survive came through our letters, our calls, our communications, our connection. He had something magical to hold onto as he moved through every moment uncertain that he would live to see the next. Without our mutual support of one another, the daily uncertainty about his safety and well being would have been more debilitating than any human should have to endure.

In all of America's wars, men and women have relied upon partners back home to keep their spirits up, to keep their sanity intact, to remind them that they are loved dearly, and to inspire them to conquer the inconceivable.

But what if I were a man and we were a gay couple? How could I then reach out across the miles to offer comfort and support? He would have to conceal our correspondence for fear of being outed and then fired. Sometimes we'd be forced to forgo speaking to one another for his own security.

This is the reality of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), a U.S. military policy that bars openly gay men and women from serving in the armed forces. The thought of not being able to talk to my husband--or for him not to be able to communicate with me because of an unjust military law--is unconscionable. Brave men and women who are gay and lesbian are being pressured to suppress their identity and to compromise their personal integrity under DADT. They are barred from discussing their family life and their partners.

They are required to lie about who they are every day in order to protect and serve their country, and this act would take a tremendous toll on anyone. Adding insult to injury, the Department of Defense (DOD) has issued an offensive survey to spouses of servicemembers to determine the impact on our desire to be in social settings with gay men and lesbians serving openly, i.e., honestly, in the military. Personally, I don't see what all of the excitement and concern is about. I can't wait to welcome my gay and lesbian servicemembers and their spouses over for dinner.

Seriously, we are all concerned about the mental health of our servicemembers. Too many have returned with post-traumatic stress disorder or worse, resorting to suicide as a means of coping. But what about the traumas that are being inflicted by our own government against people who have boldly chosen to defend this country? For gay and lesbian servicemembers, there is the added stress and psychological damage from living a lie, serving in fear that they will be discovered, outed, and then fired for who they are. And if they tell the truth, there is hell to pay--loss of employment, benefits, career, status, and possibly something even more injurious, loss of faith in America.

So where is the humanity in DADT? My husband hung on my every word, spent hours in the internet cafe connecting with me, looked at my photo as much as possible just to get through each day. What if I were a man? He would have been forced to duck into corners to talk to me and to sometimes forgo any form of communication to protect his job. Isn't it enough to endure the stress of war? Should our servicemembers also have to endure the stress of government-sanctioned identity suppression?

When the military integrated to include women, they figured out how to accommodate bathrooms for men and women. When the military integrated to include Blacks, they figured out how to house everyone together. Surely, the Department of Defense can find a way to support the integrity of men and women who have already enrolled in the armed forces without sending out offensive surveys.

We worry about terrorists and meanwhile some of us think it's appropriate to require those who defend this country to suppress and lie about who they really are.

How dare any of us rob our active duty brothers and sisters of mental and emotional support from family, loved ones and spo - The Huffington Post

OP-ED: My husband is a proud member of the United States Air Force. A military career man. While he was stationed in Iraq, the moral support that helped him survive came through our letters, our calls, our communications, our connection. He had something magical to hold onto as he moved through every moment uncertain that he would live to see the next. Without our mutual support of one another, the daily uncertainty about his safety and well being would have been more debilitating than any human should have to endure.

In all of America's wars, men and women have relied upon partners back home to keep their spirits up, to keep their sanity intact, to remind them that they are loved dearly, and to inspire them to conquer the inconceivable.

But what if I were a man and we were a gay couple? How could I then reach out across the miles to offer comfort and support? He would have to conceal our correspondence for fear of being outed and then fired. Sometimes we'd be forced to forgo speaking to one another for his own security.

This is the reality of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), a U.S. military policy that bars openly gay men and women from serving in the armed forces. The thought of not being able to talk to my husband--or for him not to be able to communicate with me because of an unjust military law--is unconscionable. Brave men and women who are gay and lesbian are being pressured to suppress their identity and to compromise their personal integrity under DADT. They are barred from discussing their family life and their partners.

They are required to lie about who they are every day in order to protect and serve their country, and this act would take a tremendous toll on anyone. Adding insult to injury, the Department of Defense (DOD) has issued an offensive survey to spouses of servicemembers to determine the impact on our desire to be in social settings with gay men and lesbians serving openly, i.e., honestly, in the military. Personally, I don't see what all of the excitement and concern is about. I can't wait to welcome my gay and lesbian servicemembers and their spouses over for dinner.

Seriously, we are all concerned about the mental health of our servicemembers. Too many have returned with post-traumatic stress disorder or worse, resorting to suicide as a means of coping. But what about the traumas that are being inflicted by our own government against people who have boldly chosen to defend this country? For gay and lesbian servicemembers, there is the added stress and psychological damage from living a lie, serving in fear that they will be discovered, outed, and then fired for who they are. And if they tell the truth, there is hell to pay--loss of employment, benefits, career, status, and possibly something even more injurious, loss of faith in America.

So where is the humanity in DADT? My husband hung on my every word, spent hours in the internet cafe connecting with me, looked at my photo as much as possible just to get through each day. What if I were a man? He would have been forced to duck into corners to talk to me and to sometimes forgo any form of communication to protect his job. Isn't it enough to endure the stress of war? Should our servicemembers also have to endure the stress of government-sanctioned identity suppression?

When the military integrated to include women, they figured out how to accommodate bathrooms for men and women. When the military integrated to include Blacks, they figured out how to house everyone together. Surely, the Department of Defense can find a way to support the integrity of men and women who have already enrolled in the armed forces without sending out offensive surveys.

We worry about terrorists and meanwhile some of us think it's appropriate to require those who defend this country to suppress and lie about who they really are.

How dare any of us rob our active duty brothers and sisters of mental and emotional support from family, loved ones and spo - The Huffington Post

OP-ED: When I first became the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), the nation's leading organization advocating for black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, I was often asked why I had chosen to accept the position. I am a straight woman who was raised in suburban Florida with a military husband from urban Detroit, Mich., a family with strong Christian values and an upbringing that included attending one of America's Historically Black College and Universities. At first, I was deeply focused on black churches and far-right activists' anti-gay rhetoric. Then I tried to engage people and share with them the stories of everyday people who couldn't find work or suffered from workplace discrimination because of their gender identity. Even worse were the horror stories of teenagers being attacked, bullied, and even murdered, because people suspected they were gay. This journey caused me to question how we, as a society, have come to define "community."

At NBJC, we work at the intersection of race, orientation and gender identity. Daily, we are standing in support, solidarity and commitment to building safe communities, families, schools, churches, and places of employment for everyone, inclusive of our LGBT brothers and sisters. And while it is incredibly rewarding to know that we are helping to make the world a better place for all people, the challenges of this work have resonated with me, as a wife, stepmother and advocate, deeply.

Together, my husband and I are helping to raise nieces, nephews, unofficially adopted sons and daughters we love and look after like our own. While we try our hardest to create a haven within our home for their many talents, quirks, and big personalities, we unleash them into the world hoping for the best. As adults we have come to know all too well the importance of creating safe spaces in our schools so that all our children can thrive. But how can our young people meet their full potential when they are being harassed, teased and rejected for who they are?

Just last month, NBJC, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) released data from Injustice at Every Turn: A Look at Black Respondents in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, which found that half of the respondents who attend school expressing their transgender identity or gender non-conformity reported incidents of harassment. And it doesn't stop there.

According to research from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 85 percent of African-American LGBT students say they hear anti-gay language at school. Too often these same students don't even end up making it to school. About a quarter of those same students said they've missed class at least once or missed at least one full day of school in the past month because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable, compared to just 6.3 percent of all black youth and 3.5 percent of all white youth.

These alarming statistics and the very real faces behind them have led NBJC to join the "be a STAR" alliance, a coalition committed to creating a positive social environment for everyone regardless of age, race, religion, or orientation through education and awareness. In conjunction with the National Education Association Health Information Network, "be a STAR" has created an anti-harassment toolkit for students, teachers and parents to foster an environment in which tolerance and respect for all people is the norm.

Bullying and violence have no place in our schools. When our children are the targets as a result of their orientation, perceived orientation, gender identity or gender expression, it is critical that there are adults they can turn to. It is imperative that their allies be visible so that they won't have to be invisible. This is our responsibility to not only our black LGBT youth but every child.

It is going to take a village to change the culture of bullyin - The Huffington Post

OP-ED: When I first became the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), the nation's leading organization advocating for black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, I was often asked why I had chosen to accept the position. I am a straight woman who was raised in suburban Florida with a military husband from urban Detroit, Mich., a family with strong Christian values and an upbringing that included attending one of America's Historically Black College and Universities. At first, I was deeply focused on black churches and far-right activists' anti-gay rhetoric. Then I tried to engage people and share with them the stories of everyday people who couldn't find work or suffered from workplace discrimination because of their gender identity. Even worse were the horror stories of teenagers being attacked, bullied, and even murdered, because people suspected they were gay. This journey caused me to question how we, as a society, have come to define "community."

At NBJC, we work at the intersection of race, orientation and gender identity. Daily, we are standing in support, solidarity and commitment to building safe communities, families, schools, churches, and places of employment for everyone, inclusive of our LGBT brothers and sisters. And while it is incredibly rewarding to know that we are helping to make the world a better place for all people, the challenges of this work have resonated with me, as a wife, stepmother and advocate, deeply.

Together, my husband and I are helping to raise nieces, nephews, unofficially adopted sons and daughters we love and look after like our own. While we try our hardest to create a haven within our home for their many talents, quirks, and big personalities, we unleash them into the world hoping for the best. As adults we have come to know all too well the importance of creating safe spaces in our schools so that all our children can thrive. But how can our young people meet their full potential when they are being harassed, teased and rejected for who they are?

Just last month, NBJC, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) released data from Injustice at Every Turn: A Look at Black Respondents in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, which found that half of the respondents who attend school expressing their transgender identity or gender non-conformity reported incidents of harassment. And it doesn't stop there.

According to research from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 85 percent of African-American LGBT students say they hear anti-gay language at school. Too often these same students don't even end up making it to school. About a quarter of those same students said they've missed class at least once or missed at least one full day of school in the past month because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable, compared to just 6.3 percent of all black youth and 3.5 percent of all white youth.

These alarming statistics and the very real faces behind them have led NBJC to join the "be a STAR" alliance, a coalition committed to creating a positive social environment for everyone regardless of age, race, religion, or orientation through education and awareness. In conjunction with the National Education Association Health Information Network, "be a STAR" has created an anti-harassment toolkit for students, teachers and parents to foster an environment in which tolerance and respect for all people is the norm.

Bullying and violence have no place in our schools. When our children are the targets as a result of their orientation, perceived orientation, gender identity or gender expression, it is critical that there are adults they can turn to. It is imperative that their allies be visible so that they won't have to be invisible. This is our responsibility to not only our black LGBT youth but every child.

It is going to take a village to change the culture of bullyin - The Huffington Post

As President Obama takes a history-making stance, supporters of marriage equality applaud his effort

"My president is so awesome that, with everything at stake, he's willing to put justice and human dignity over political expediency,” National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks told EBONY.com. NBJC is the nation’s leading Black LGBT civil rights organization. “We're one step closer to standing as one people in these United States of America.” - EBONY Magazine's EBONY.com

As President Obama takes a history-making stance, supporters of marriage equality applaud his effort

"My president is so awesome that, with everything at stake, he's willing to put justice and human dignity over political expediency,” National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks told EBONY.com. NBJC is the nation’s leading Black LGBT civil rights organization. “We're one step closer to standing as one people in these United States of America.” - EBONY Magazine's EBONY.com

VIDEO - NBJC Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks' shares her analysis of the Newsweek Obama cover: "The reality is that the President is being revered for representing a community that has longstanding oppression. This cover honors his excellence, his leadership, and his courage on behalf of the LGBT community." - FOX 5 Morning News - Washington, DC

VIDEO - NBJC Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks' shares her analysis of the Newsweek Obama cover: "The reality is that the President is being revered for representing a community that has longstanding oppression. This cover honors his excellence, his leadership, and his courage on behalf of the LGBT community." - FOX 5 Morning News - Washington, DC

Sharon Lettman-Hicks, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights group dedicated to empowering black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, says that his new position goes beyond politics.

“This was a moment of personal conviction, a moment of trying to help the country get beyond itself,” Lettman-Hicks told The Root. “It’s clear that the president realizes the noise is not going to go away, and that responsible leadership was needed at this critical time.

"I would rather support a person who can stand up for others despite the political risks. I’m proud that, at a time when there is so much anxiety over the advancement of LGBT equality, my president would exude courageous leadership to recognize that there is nothing more important than human dignity.” - Washington Post's The Root

Sharon Lettman-Hicks, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights group dedicated to empowering black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, says that his new position goes beyond politics.

“This was a moment of personal conviction, a moment of trying to help the country get beyond itself,” Lettman-Hicks told The Root. “It’s clear that the president realizes the noise is not going to go away, and that responsible leadership was needed at this critical time.

"I would rather support a person who can stand up for others despite the political risks. I’m proud that, at a time when there is so much anxiety over the advancement of LGBT equality, my president would exude courageous leadership to recognize that there is nothing more important than human dignity.” - Washington Post's The Root

NBJC’s Sharon Lettman-Hicks discusses work, motivation and a lesson from Transgender Day of Remembrance
by John Riley

At first glance, Sharon Lettman-Hicks doesn’t seem like your typical LGBT activist.
For starters, she’s a straight woman. She’s married to a military husband. She proudly says she was raised with ‘’strong Christian values.’’ But LGBT people, especially those of color, would have a hard time finding a more passionate advocate who demands nothing less than their full equality and freedom to express their identity.

Just don’t call her an ally.

‘’I hate the word ‘ally,’ because I don’t consider myself an ally,’’ she says. ‘’I consider myself a sister in a movement, because to me it is a family affair and black LGBT people are my brothers and sisters.’’

Currently serving as the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering black LGBT people by fighting racism and homophobia, Lettman-Hicks describes her involvement as a fierce advocate for LGBT equality as part of a ‘’natural migration’’ resulting from her own experiences facing discrimination from within the African-American community.
Growing up as the dark-skinned child of Hispanic immigrants, Lettman-Hicks says she often faced discrimination from both the Latino and African-American communities, who were unsure of how to deal with her. A personal battle with obesity during adolescence also made her a target for discrimination.

‘’It’s very cultural for me,’’ she says of the struggle of black LGBT people to gain acceptance, particularly within the African-American community. ‘’It’s very much a part of my DNA. And how dare anyone, especially within our cultural community, deny another black person the right to be whole after all we’ve overcome after generations and centuries as a people?’’

In October 2009, after eight years working for People for the American Way Foundation, Lettman-Hicks joined NBJC, where she began working on initiatives to engage the black church community on LGBT issues. At times, she wages a two-front effort on behalf of the black LGBT community to earn recognition and respect as a potential partner from both LGBT and black organizations.

‘’My first responsibility is to remove the black-on-black crime against black LGBT people within the black community,’’ she says. ‘’I coin it, ‘We are black, too.’ And it’s also to build more inclusion of recognition of the beautiful black talent within the LGBT community.’’

But she says there are some significant hurdles to those goals.

‘’As far as I’m concerned, black people still live by ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ Culturally, it’s not a social issue that we talk about, because of some of the overt homophobia – and at the same time, not wanting to take on mommy, daddy, uncle, aunty. It starts in the family. And then it’s in the schools, in the community.’’

To begin addressing some of those issues, including the bullying of black LGBT youth in schools and violence against LGBT people, NBJC has begun an outreach and education campaign to a number of black media outlets, including Black Enterprise magazine, Essence magazine and the Tom Joyner Morning Show.

‘’I think people can count on the National Black Justice Coalition to be on the forefront of bringing awareness of black LGBT issues, challenges and triumphs to the black community in a much more deliberate way,’’ says Lettman-Hicks.

With Nov. 20 marking the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, Lettman-Hicks says it can – and must – move beyond simply memorializing victims lost to anti-transgender violence or bias, which has recently increased to a level Lettman-Hicks characterizes as a ‘’crisis situation.’’

‘’I think this is going to be the time where the ‘urgency of now’ will prevail. I think that this particular anniversary is not just about remembrance, but about how the level of violent crimes against the transgender community has escalated - Metro Weekly

NBJC’s Sharon Lettman-Hicks discusses work, motivation and a lesson from Transgender Day of Remembrance
by John Riley

At first glance, Sharon Lettman-Hicks doesn’t seem like your typical LGBT activist.
For starters, she’s a straight woman. She’s married to a military husband. She proudly says she was raised with ‘’strong Christian values.’’ But LGBT people, especially those of color, would have a hard time finding a more passionate advocate who demands nothing less than their full equality and freedom to express their identity.

Just don’t call her an ally.

‘’I hate the word ‘ally,’ because I don’t consider myself an ally,’’ she says. ‘’I consider myself a sister in a movement, because to me it is a family affair and black LGBT people are my brothers and sisters.’’

Currently serving as the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering black LGBT people by fighting racism and homophobia, Lettman-Hicks describes her involvement as a fierce advocate for LGBT equality as part of a ‘’natural migration’’ resulting from her own experiences facing discrimination from within the African-American community.
Growing up as the dark-skinned child of Hispanic immigrants, Lettman-Hicks says she often faced discrimination from both the Latino and African-American communities, who were unsure of how to deal with her. A personal battle with obesity during adolescence also made her a target for discrimination.

‘’It’s very cultural for me,’’ she says of the struggle of black LGBT people to gain acceptance, particularly within the African-American community. ‘’It’s very much a part of my DNA. And how dare anyone, especially within our cultural community, deny another black person the right to be whole after all we’ve overcome after generations and centuries as a people?’’

In October 2009, after eight years working for People for the American Way Foundation, Lettman-Hicks joined NBJC, where she began working on initiatives to engage the black church community on LGBT issues. At times, she wages a two-front effort on behalf of the black LGBT community to earn recognition and respect as a potential partner from both LGBT and black organizations.

‘’My first responsibility is to remove the black-on-black crime against black LGBT people within the black community,’’ she says. ‘’I coin it, ‘We are black, too.’ And it’s also to build more inclusion of recognition of the beautiful black talent within the LGBT community.’’

But she says there are some significant hurdles to those goals.

‘’As far as I’m concerned, black people still live by ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ Culturally, it’s not a social issue that we talk about, because of some of the overt homophobia – and at the same time, not wanting to take on mommy, daddy, uncle, aunty. It starts in the family. And then it’s in the schools, in the community.’’

To begin addressing some of those issues, including the bullying of black LGBT youth in schools and violence against LGBT people, NBJC has begun an outreach and education campaign to a number of black media outlets, including Black Enterprise magazine, Essence magazine and the Tom Joyner Morning Show.

‘’I think people can count on the National Black Justice Coalition to be on the forefront of bringing awareness of black LGBT issues, challenges and triumphs to the black community in a much more deliberate way,’’ says Lettman-Hicks.

With Nov. 20 marking the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, Lettman-Hicks says it can – and must – move beyond simply memorializing victims lost to anti-transgender violence or bias, which has recently increased to a level Lettman-Hicks characterizes as a ‘’crisis situation.’’

‘’I think this is going to be the time where the ‘urgency of now’ will prevail. I think that this particular anniversary is not just about remembrance, but about how the level of violent crimes against the transgender community has escalated - Metro Weekly

President Obama’s historic announcement endorsing marriage equality stands as perhaps the most prominent example of straight ally support for the LGBT rights movement. But there are many allies working hard to advance equality, from U.S. senators to ministers to community volunteers. Here, we introduce a few straight allies making a difference...

SHARON LETTMAN-HICKS

Sharon Lettman-Hicks, executive director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition, chooses her words carefully. She prefers to think of herself as a “sister of the movement,” and says the word ally is, for her, a misnomer. She’s also very clear about what she sees as her role at the helm of the large black LGBT political organization she oversees.

“I don’t see it that I’m fighting to help straight people understand,” she says. “I feel I’m teaching non-LGBT people to see the errors in their judgment. I don’t feel I have the license to speak on behalf of my brothers and sisters in that way, but to be a mirror for non-LGBT people to show them the conduct they should be affording my brothers and sisters. I think it’s a very nuanced way of looking at it and I don’t feel that LGBT people should have any necessity to explain why they should be treated equally.”

In practical ways, she understands being dubbed an ally is one way to look at it, but she prefers words that resonate more deeply with black Americans. And she’s not afraid to be blunt.

“From a business perspective, yes, I’m an ally, but culturally speaking, black people understand family, so when I’m speaking as an ally, it sounds like a cultural transaction. You’re doing something for me and we should be grateful. But I don’t think any LGBT person should feel grateful for getting respect. We should demand it. Thank you for accepting me? How dare you? Get out of my way. You don’t legislate people. Don’t think I’m going to let your rhetoric go unchallenged. I see my role as educating people on why their thought process of discrimination, homophobia and judgment is misplaced, inappropriate and unwelcome.”

Lettman-Hicks, who joined the Coalition in 2009 after eight years with People for the American Way, says the discrimination she felt as a child — she describes herself as an “Afro-Latina who was relatively obese for much of my life” — has informed her activism. Her work at People for the American Way and also some LGBT people she knew personally whom she says “were struggling,” was also a catalyst for her work, which she said in time, she has recognized as “a calling.”

“I started to think, ‘OK, what is my social responsibility here,’” she says. “It became kind of a matter of, ‘OK Sharon, step up to the plate or get out of the game’-type situation for me. ‘I know you’re not going to just accept the status quo and sit back and see this stuff going on.’ I grew up in an era where black liberation was a do-it-yourself kind of mindset but we could never ignore that there were many allies in the struggle for civil rights. I don’t consider myself an ally for black LGBT equality, but a sister of the movement, because it’s very much a black family affair, of righting the wrongs that black people have put on our own children, neighbors … I see it as people for whom society has seen as an invisible community and I am honored to be on the front lines of helping my brothers and sisters live authentic lives.” - Washington Blade

President Obama’s historic announcement endorsing marriage equality stands as perhaps the most prominent example of straight ally support for the LGBT rights movement. But there are many allies working hard to advance equality, from U.S. senators to ministers to community volunteers. Here, we introduce a few straight allies making a difference...

SHARON LETTMAN-HICKS

Sharon Lettman-Hicks, executive director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition, chooses her words carefully. She prefers to think of herself as a “sister of the movement,” and says the word ally is, for her, a misnomer. She’s also very clear about what she sees as her role at the helm of the large black LGBT political organization she oversees.

“I don’t see it that I’m fighting to help straight people understand,” she says. “I feel I’m teaching non-LGBT people to see the errors in their judgment. I don’t feel I have the license to speak on behalf of my brothers and sisters in that way, but to be a mirror for non-LGBT people to show them the conduct they should be affording my brothers and sisters. I think it’s a very nuanced way of looking at it and I don’t feel that LGBT people should have any necessity to explain why they should be treated equally.”

In practical ways, she understands being dubbed an ally is one way to look at it, but she prefers words that resonate more deeply with black Americans. And she’s not afraid to be blunt.

“From a business perspective, yes, I’m an ally, but culturally speaking, black people understand family, so when I’m speaking as an ally, it sounds like a cultural transaction. You’re doing something for me and we should be grateful. But I don’t think any LGBT person should feel grateful for getting respect. We should demand it. Thank you for accepting me? How dare you? Get out of my way. You don’t legislate people. Don’t think I’m going to let your rhetoric go unchallenged. I see my role as educating people on why their thought process of discrimination, homophobia and judgment is misplaced, inappropriate and unwelcome.”

Lettman-Hicks, who joined the Coalition in 2009 after eight years with People for the American Way, says the discrimination she felt as a child — she describes herself as an “Afro-Latina who was relatively obese for much of my life” — has informed her activism. Her work at People for the American Way and also some LGBT people she knew personally whom she says “were struggling,” was also a catalyst for her work, which she said in time, she has recognized as “a calling.”

“I started to think, ‘OK, what is my social responsibility here,’” she says. “It became kind of a matter of, ‘OK Sharon, step up to the plate or get out of the game’-type situation for me. ‘I know you’re not going to just accept the status quo and sit back and see this stuff going on.’ I grew up in an era where black liberation was a do-it-yourself kind of mindset but we could never ignore that there were many allies in the struggle for civil rights. I don’t consider myself an ally for black LGBT equality, but a sister of the movement, because it’s very much a black family affair, of righting the wrongs that black people have put on our own children, neighbors … I see it as people for whom society has seen as an invisible community and I am honored to be on the front lines of helping my brothers and sisters live authentic lives.” - Washington Blade