Black gay group
reaches out to clergy

The National Black Justice Coalition is calling on black gay activists and clergy to unite against homophobia. The group is holding a summit on the subject at Atlanta's First Iconium Baptist Church to counteract opposition to same-sex marriage, TheAtlanta Journal-Constitution reported Friday. The event is open to clergy--especially those who are against same-sex marriage. "We don't want this to be preaching to the choir," Sylvia Rhue, director of religious affairs for the coalition, told the newspaper. Among others, NBJC invited the Reverend Bernice King, daughter of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., but got no response. Still, about 100 participants are expected to attend, including the Reverend Al Sharpton, who recently announced a campaign to try to end homophobia in the black church. According to the Journal-Constitution, black churches have largely ignored the issue of homophobia. However, as HIV/AIDS ravages the black community, many churches have begun talking about the issue. "We wouldn't even have had a summit like this 10 years ago," said Pernessa Seele, cofounder of the Balm in Gilead, a New York-based group that works with black communities of faith to provide AIDS education. (Advocate.com)