Black gay advocacy group comes together

The National Black Justice Coalition on Thursday announced its official board members, becoming the first national black gay advocacy organization to follow the demise of the 14-year-old Black Leadership Forum last August. The coalition will focus its work on breaking down the barriers of prejudice in black and lesbian, gay, transgender, and bisexual communities through education, advertising, and other activities. The ad hoc group of black community leaders, public figures, and activists plans to raise over $100,000 for a nationwide campaign to generate black support for gay marriage and to battle the recently proposed Federal Marriage Amendment. The board members are Keith Boykin of New York; Jasmyne Cannick of Los Angeles; Mandy Carter of Durham, N.C.; Roddrick Colvin of New York; Maurice Franklin of New York; Donna Payne of Washington, D.C.; Frank Roberts of New York; and Sonya Shields of New York.