Alicia Skillman
has been named executive director of Michigan's Triangle
Foundation, the first woman, and the first woman of
color, to lead the organization.
The Detroit-based
Triangle Foundation is Michigan's largest LGBT
organization. Skillman is also involved with a group called
Project Harmony, an initiative of the Family Equality
Council that engages LGBT families of color on issues
of homophobia and racial and economic injustice.
"What a great
moment for Michigan," said Jennifer Chrisler,
executive director of the Family Equality Council, in a
release. "Alicia Skillman is a seasoned advocate whose
passion and experience have touched the lives of many
people in many communities. As an African-American
lesbian, she refused to accept the notion that black
cannot be gay and gay cannot be black."
Says Skillman in
a release: "There is an inspirational strength within
families of color. Often that strength is challenged when a
member of a family comes out as LGBT. It is my hope
that I can facilitate dialogues across identity and
racial lines to show LGBT families are strong,
inspiring, and capable of bettering our world." (Neal
Broverman, Advocate.com)
