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A pretty groundbreaking meeting of the minds took place today on Capitol Hill. For the first time, the Congressional Black Associates met with the LGBT Congressional Staff Association in partnership with the FIRE Initiative of the Center for American Progress.
The subject on the table? Black LGBT Americans.
More after the jump.
The panel discussion is titled: “Invisible Lives: conversations on the experiences, struggles and triumphs of Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Americans.”
According to the New Civil Rights Movement, Aisha Moodie-Mills, director of CAP’s Fighting Injustice to Reach Equality says, “this is the first time [Congressional] black staffers have engaged on LGBT issues, which is exciting. [By participating] they are expanding the dialogue in the black community.”
At this point the Congressional Black Caucus has not formally endorsed marriage equality, but they have a proven record of progressive voting in support of LGBT civil rights. One could speculate that President Obama's support of marriage equality has also helped open the door to conversation between the two groups.
Moderators and speakers for today's panel included: Jonathan Capehart, The Washington Post, Hilary Shelton, NAACP, Darlene Nipper and Stacey Long, National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, Dorian Warren, Columbia University professor and Roosevelt Institute fellow, Sharon Lettman-Hicks, National Black Justice Coalition and Pastor Delman Coates, Mt. Ennon Baptist Church among others.
Head here for the panel discussion topic lineup.
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