Media Releases

WASHINGTON, August 19, 2013 — A coalition of national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organizations, led the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, today issued the following open letter: 
An Open Letter in Support of 50th Anniversary of March on Washington
Over the past year, our community has celebrated tremendous wins in the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality and justice.
We have collectively cheered the first ever Senate committee markup of an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), the Social Security Administration’s modernization of its gender marker policy, and U.S. Supreme Court wins on marriage equality in the Windsor and Perry rulings. But we remain frustrated that ENDA is still not the law of the land and we’re angered and deeply disappointed with the Court’s decision to turn back critical parts of the historic Voting Rights Act in Shelby.

NBJC STATEMENT:

"For decades, the Voting Rights Act combated racial discrimination at the polls. While much has changed over the last fifty years, we as a nation still have a long way to go. Legacies of racism live on. Just this past election, we witnessed firsthand how states attempted to disenfranchise Black voters. With the Court striking down such a central part of the Voting Rights Act, countless Americans will be subject to further discrimination. The Supreme Court's decision is a grave disservice to our community and our nation as a whole."

- Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks, Executive Director, National Black Justice Coalition

 
Clarksdale, MS - Thursday, May 9, 2013 - In response to the autopsy results of the late Marco McMillian, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), Parks & Crump law firm, and the McMillian family demanded a federal investigation at a national press conference held this morning. NBJC secured Parks & Crump, the Trayvon Martin family attorneys, to represent Patricia and Amos Unger, parents of the deceased Black, gay mayoral candidate. Both were present at today's press conference, which was held at the family's home in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

 
In response to today’s announcement of the planned reintroduction of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act of 2013 (ECDF), NBJC Executive Director Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks released the following statement:
 
On behalf of the Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, I am proud to stand with Congressman John Lewis, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, in addition to our lead ally organizations Family Equality Council and PFLAG, as they announce the planned reintroduction of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act (ECDF), a powerful move in affording LGBT families across the nation the dignity and recognition they deserve.