Today, NBJC joins communities across the nation and world to recognize International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR). Annually on this day, we pause to honor the lives of transgender individuals who are no longer with us due to senseless acts of hate violence. We remember our transgender and gender nonconforming family whose deaths often go unspoken and are not properly covered by mainstream media. We recognize that hate and biased violence permeates the lives of many transgender people, especially transgender women of color. According to a 2014 report by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), 72 percent of LGBTQ homicide victims in 2013 were transgender women and 89 percent of those victims were people of color.

For almost five decades, I have marched, mobilized, and advocated on behalf of my Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and same-gender-loving (SGL) community. As a southern Black lesbian and a social justice activist, I have witnessed, firsthand, how Black LGBT/SGL people are too often left out of our national agenda, and I have worked tirelessly to carve out a significant space to address our needs. In 2003, I co-founded the National Black Justice Coalition when the radical right was exploiting African American religious and civil rights leaders to oppose marriage equality. 

Starting today, NBJC will embark upon a vigorous empowerment campaign to highlight the defining moments of our movement and rally our constituents to provide the support it needs to continue fighting for equity and equality on behalf of the Black LGBTQ/SGL community. The launch of the Emancipation Campaign is our way of breaking free from the sole reliance of foundations and turning to our community for uplift and self-sufficiency.

On Saturday, May 10, 2014, Michael Sam became the first openly gay player drafted into the National Football League by the St. Louis Rams. By proclaiming his truth, Sam has broken down a huge barrier for not only Black LGBT athletes who dream of playing professional sports, but all LGBT people, young and old, who seek to live openly, honestly and safely in their neighborhoods and communities.