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Testimonials |
The NBJC Comes to Iowa
03 May 09 12:00 AM CDT |
May 3, 2009 - Robinson to Visit 4 Iowa Cities, Announces Special Daily Journal for NBJC Supporters|
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But this is not 1930s. There are clear signs of hope, and Iowa is at their center. While I am there I hope to listen and to learn.
A study by the Pew Research Center showed that the 2008 elections mark the first time that African Americans had the highest voter turnout rate of any racial or ethnic group among people ages 18 to 29. African Americans had their sharpest increase in voter participation in more than a decade, with 15.9 million casting ballots to make up 12.1 percent of the electorate. Black women had the highest rates of participation among all voters at 69 percent. Consequently, if we are to sustain the recent victories for LGBT equality, it is imperative that we increase support among African Americans everywhere—and Iowa in no exception.
For the past five years, NBJC has been in the forefront of the LGBT movement. We have worked with Black legislators--who as a group support LGBT equality--to ensure they know that their votes and leadership on behalf of LGBT Americans are needed and appreciated. NBJC has collaborated with Black institutions and organizations to encourage them to see the undeniable connection between LGBT civil rights and the cause of justice for all Americans. We have fearlessly challenged those who would use religion to deny us equality and those who hold on to race-based prejudice and perpetuate economic and social injustice.
And you made it all possible.
That is why I am so pleased that I will have the chance to share my tour though Iowa with you. Over the next week I will take you with me as I meet with allies, opponents, the media and elected leaders in the state. My hope is to build on the tremendous work done by the LGBT community in the state, to make new friends, and to convert some opponents. In the end, we must sustain our wins in this bellwether state and throughout the nation.
Thanks for being a companion on this journey. We will see you in Iowa!
May 4, 2009 - Hello Iowa
Day 1: I arrived at baggage claim in the Des Moines International Airport at 1:00. Ed Fallon—one of the principles of I’m for Iowa, and one of my primary hosts for the week —met me there. Ed served in the Iowa legislature for 14 years and ran for Governor in 2006 and Congress in 2008. Ever the shopper, I needed to stop by a office supply store and Ed took me to his spot where everyone knew his name.
A short ride later and we arrived at the Hotel Fort Des Moines. Being a gracious host, Ed helped escorted me to my room, which was the hotel’s prime suite. I got the full history; this is where Mandy Carter stayed while she was in town and the site of the founding of the Iowa African American Roundtable. This is a group working for LGBT rights in Iowa that I hope to find out more about later this week. It is also the suite where John Edwards stayed while he campaigned here. As I sit at the grand old desk I am reminded of how much more space there is for people to spread out here in the Midwest.
My first meeting was with Abraham Funchess. We met at the Village Bean, a tony coffee shop in the East Village the other side of the Des Moines River from my hotel. It was a pleasant 14-block walk and self-guided tour of the capital city’s downtown. Brad Clark from One Iowa joined us for this meeting.
Abraham L. Funchess, Jr. is the Division Administrator for the Iowa Department of Human Rights. An African American minster, Funchess is supportive of LGBT equality. I wanted to meet him in hopes that we could enroll him in our efforts to move his colleagues on the issue of marriage. I also wanted to know what the top issues of concern are for African Americans in Iowa. Without hesitation, he shared that criminal justice issues and the fact that Iowa has the highest per capita incarceration rate of African Americans in the nation was a top issue for the community. Fueled by mandatory minimum sentencing requirements, advocates have sought for years to get reforms though the state legislature to reduce incarceration rates. Education and the criminalization of students also present major challenges for Black Iowans. Suspensions, expulsions, and the fast tracking of Black boys into the criminal justice system have created an education gap for Black men and boys in the state and harmed the community.
Funchess expressed some frustration with what he saw as misdirected energy on the part of those who have organized to try to undue Iowa’s Supreme Court decision on marriage. In his view, the Black community faces so many other challenges, and in his words, “the issue of civil marriage is about human rights.”
Already running late, we promised to be in touch before I left, and to work together to talk with some of the Black leadership in the state.
Next, it was back to the hotel for dinner with Ed and Lyn Heuss, the other partner in I’m for Iowa, and Phyllis Stevens from Equality USA Iowa. We had a great meal at Django Restaurant (named for Jean Django Reinhardt—a great Parisian jazz musician, and among the first people in France to appreciate the music of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie).
Then it was on to the welcome reception. We met at the Des Moines Social Club. This venue had served as the campaign headquarters for the Obama campaign. YES WE CAN is still painted in bright red and blue on the walls of this gallery, community center, and entertainment spot. Here I met two members of the African American Roundtable (more on that later this week). Also in attendance were local activists from One Iowa, Planned Parenthood and Capital City Pride.
Finally, I am back in my room. Tomorrow is a long day; we are scheduled to leave here at 7:00 AM and headed to Fort Dodge (population 25,493; 4% African American) for a public forum. Then it is on to Waterloo (population 66,483; 14% African American) and Cedar Falls. Tuesday evening I am the keynote speaker at a forum on civil rights in Iowa City (population 25,493; 4% African American).
It has been a very good day. Everyone has been gracious and welcoming. Of course, I have only had friendly audiences so far. The Des Moines NAACP president has refused to meet with me, but I have 3 days…and I am not one to take no for an answer.
I am looking forward to the next few days. I hope you are too.
Alexander
May 5 2009 - Day 2
Another early day, we set out at 7:00 AM for Fort Dodge (population 25,493; 4% African American) about 68 miles of Des Moines.
On the way, I have a radio interview with host Michael Devin 1400 AM in Fort Dodge. The interview was excellent. Devin is clearly a supporter and asks all the right questions. He focuses on questions that have been raised by Iowans about marriage being imposed by the courts, the opposition from some key African American leaders in the state and how marriage equality for lesbian and gay couples might affect the community. It is a good lead in for our morning discussion and he pitches the 9:00 forum several times.
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The forum was held at the Fort Dodge Senior Center, and co-sponsored by the Fort Dodge Human Rights Commission. Out of the dozen attendees, there is one Asian American but all are interested in both marriage and racial justice. During my presentation, a photographer from the Fort Dodge Messenger kept moving back and forth between the audience and me. I hardly noticed but several individuals told me he was a distraction but they were impressed with how unfazed I seem to be and how I kept my cool. I just love it when I do something right without trying. The question and answer period was lively.
One of the attendees mentioned that he was with Iowans Against the Death Penalty. As some of you may know, I serve on the Board of Directors of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. After the panel, Ed O’Leary (who is about with the Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency) discussed what a difference the occupant of the White House could make in how certain matters are handled. Iowa does not have a death penalty, but is about to execute two individuals. Convicted of a heinous murder, the Bush Department of Justice prosecuted, sought and got the death penalty. The executions are likely to happen in Indiana. Ed shared that Attorney General Reno had sought the death penalty in federal cases in states where there was no state law calling for capital punishment.
From there we were off again, this time headed for Waterloo (population 66,887; 14% African American). I have been looking forward to this stop since I saw it on the schedule. Waterloo is one of the few cities in Iowa where there are neighborhoods where almost everyone on the street is Black.
The Waterloo Commission on Human Rights hosted the Waterloo forum, and David Meeks is the African American director of the Commission. Again, there were about a dozen people in attendance, including LGBT activist Pat Harper with the Iowa ACLU plus the staff of the Human Rights Commission. After I shared my story, I again asked about the issues that were most pressing for Black Iowans—and again the 25% incarceration rate for African Americans was raised a major issue. I asked about Black LGBT people in the state and after lots of hesitation the consensus seem to be that while there were gay and lesbian African Americans in Waterloo, they were not leaders in the LGBT community or particularly vocal about their sexual orientation or LGBT rights.
I am now in full search for Black Gay Iowa.
John Molseed (a reporter with the Courier) attended the forum in Waterloo and asked for a short interview. Like others, he wanted to know about Rev. Keith Ratliff. Ratliff is a prominent African American minister in Iowa who has been an outspoken opponent of marriage equality and has called on the state legislature to put a Constitutional marriage ban on the ballot. I reach out to Ratliff, who is a member of the NAACP National Board of Directors, plus the regional director for Nebraska and Iowa. I still hope that he will agree to meet when I am back in Des Moines on Thursday.
Next, it was off to KBBG 88.1 FM, the state’s only Black radio station. As we drove, we crossed a wide street and the scene changed. We have reached the Black side of town. Early during the forum it had taken some real pressing to get the attendees to go beyond some superficial statements and really talk about the challenges and priorities for Black Iowans. Even the African Americans seemed reluctant to engage in such an overtly racial discussion. Nevertheless, after several false starts, Commission members began to speak of the racial segregation in Waterloo and the history of racial unrest. We were now on the “East side” of town which everyone pointed out was really the north side of town. “Black people live on the East side and white people live in the West side. That is just how it is,” said Robin Means, an African American fair housing advocate with the Commission.
Two days in Iowa and I have met several African Americans but only one who identifies as lesbian or gay. However, there are private meetings with Black LGBT students planned for Wednesday and Thursday. I find it curious and a matter of some concern that so few have show up for the widely published meetings. Is it the time of day, the nature of the event, a lack of sufficient outreach? I hope to get some answers soon.
The radio interview went well with a friendly interviewer. It was not a call-in show so I have to wait to hear from the station manager about the response. As an aside, the radio studio was impressive and I was happy to see that a Black owned media enterprise seemed to be doing so well here in Iowa in these difficult economic times.
Finally, there was a chance for a break. We arrived at the beautiful guesthouse outside of Cedar Rapids where I am spending the night and writing this post. Set on several acres, it is peaceful and the owner is delightful. The first asparagus were ready and she cooked the three spears for me…how wonderful.
We had dinner in Iowa City (population 62,887; 4% African American) about 25 miles from Cedar Rapids. Iowa City is a big college town. With lots of good restaurants and young people, it was clean and inviting. Tonight’s forum was at a local hotel near the campus. This LGBT group was eager to hear about NBJC and our work. They were concerned about how to keep right to marry and what the national LGBT movement was saying about Iowa. The gathering of about 30 people included a few people of color and two Black gay men. Both expressed an interest in getting involved with groups that were active on issues. They shared with me that though there were some social groups and student organizations that were primarily or exclusively African American, there was little in the way of organized political activism. I was encouraged to hear of the social networks. We exchanged contact information, I hope to be in touch, and they promised to get folks to be at my next stop in Iowa.
After telling my story and talking about NBJC all day, I have locked myself away in my room away from my hosts. They are wonderful but I am tired and tomorrow promises to be another long day.
Join me in Dubuque, Clinton and Davenport as I continue to look for Black LGBT Iowa and to spread the word that justice is for all of us.
Alexander.
May 6 2009
Black and gay hard to do
BY SCOTT RAYNOR | MAY 06, 2009 7:30 AM
The Daily Iowan
Alexander Robinson knew he was different during his first day of grade school.
He chose to wear bright yellow pants with a similar color shirt, and as he walked into the girls’ coat room with his friends — all of whom were girls — he was openly made fun of by his teacher.
“She said, ‘Alex thinks he’s a girl,’ ” Robinson told a group of roughly 50 people Tuesday night.
Robinson, now in his 50s, spoke about his experiences as a black gay man and activist at hotelVetro, 201 S. Linn St. His stop in Iowa City was part of his statewide tour to support the Iowa Supreme Court decision to lift the ban on same-sex marriage.
“I am here in Iowa to play a role in making sure we don’t have a setback here and that the victory we won is a victory we will sustain,” he said.
May 6 2009 - Day 3
Good morning friends and family. Congratulations to Maine and New Hampshire.
After a very long and productive day, we arrived back in Des Moines late last night but I was not ready to write about the day. After a good night rest, I am ready to share my thoughts about my travels and the wonderful people I met on Wednesday.
My day started in Cedar Rapids. As I noted, we stayed at a beautiful bed & breakfast outside Cedar Rapids. The proprietor—a completely delightful and exuberant woman—had fresh fruit waiting for us. OK, so she only had instant coffee and being the complete morning caffeine addict I gave in and had a cup. It is amazing how the little things will make you appreciate home.
We heard stories and saw photos of the flood that devastated parts of Cedar Rapids and large areas of the state. We talked about the dysfunctions of government and long-term impact to the local economy and the lives of many families in the area. I was reminded of just how unresponsive government can be and the consequences of anti-government sentiments in good times.
We said our goodbyes and headed for Dubuque (population 57,798; 1% African American) about 60 miles from Cedar Rapids. We arrived at the Pepper Stout, a coffee shop in a historic section of town. There, members of the local PFLAG chapter met us. I should note that PFLAG members have been the most consistent attendees at the local forums. These parents are proud of their LGBT children and are active in LGBT issues. It has been heartening to witness.
About 20 people attended the Dubuque forum. In addition to PFLAG, there were representatives from Planned Parenthood, the local Postal Workers Union, Dubuque Human Rights Department, Dubuque Parks Commission, and reporters for Radio Dubuque and the Telegraph Herald. Two non-gay African Americans who were “concerned citizens” and supporter also joined us. By far, the majority of African Americans attending these events have not been LGBT. Today I am meeting with members of the newly formed African American Roundtable (an ad hoc LGBT group) and I hope to get some ideas about why there seems to be so little Black LGBT involvement. I suspect that like so many other LGBT people in Iowa, it has something to do with not being willing or not feeling able to be out.
Again, the discussions centered on the segregation and isolation that some African American Iowans feel. I am reminded of my childhood in Richmond, Virginia where there the racial tensions were often disguised by superficial politeness. One attended suggested that in Iowa there is an 11th commandment: “Thou shall not be rude”, which masked racialist tensions.
Everyone was eager to know how to engage more African Americans in the cause for justice of LGBT people. Paul (not his real name), an African American steelworker who recently retired from John Deer expressed frustration with what he saw as delayed progress in addressing the challenges of race and discrimination. “We talk and talk and talk,” he said, “and so little seems to change.”
How is this possible? This from the state that launched the campaign of our first African American President, Barack Obama, and by most accounts Iowans are proud of that distinction. Yet among Blacks and Whites alike, there would appear to be some unease with the state of race relations or lack thereof.
Least I leave you with the impression that there was no joy; everyone seemed upbeat. Iowa’s population is manageable. There is nothing of the overcrowding, traffic and high crime experienced in nearby Chicago. Life in the cities I have visited seems less stressful, but still things could be better.
Form Dubuque we headed to Clinton (population 27,772; 1% African American). Clinton seems something of a sleepy town. Clinton is home to Ashford University and Clinton Community College. Clinton is also home to the Clinton LumberKings, a Class A minor league baseball team affiliated with the Texas Rangers that plays in the Midwest League. In Clinton, our forum was co-hosted by the local YWCA and Planned Parenthood. The issues were the same. Everyone seemed excited by the recent court decision, eager to know how they could help keep marriage in place and willing to work together. I was even invited to move to Iowa.
From Clinton it was on to Davenport (population 98,845; 9% African American) about 64 miles from Cedar Rapids. In Davenport, we met at the Metropolitan Community Church. The first thing one notices is the plethora of wedding decorations. Pastor Rich Hendricks describes the almost Las Vegas wedding chapel-like scene of dozens of weddings in one day. Everyone is all smiles. I am invited back for their Pride Week and Carol—an African American lesbian—wants help convincing her friends to hold a Black Gay Pride picnic during the celebration. “We might have to hold it in someone’s big back yard,” she says. “People are concerned about being seen.” I recount to her that not so many years ago, when I served on the committee that organized the first Black Pride in Washington, DC the same thing was true. I encouraged her to go for it. The journey starts with the first step.
From Davenport we headed to Cedar Rapids for dinner and an evening forum at an open and affirming church. There, about 20 local activists gathered and again, the African Americans in attendance were not gay nor did they suggest that they had LGBT family members. They had heard about the forum through email or in the Iowa Bystander (a Des Moines African American newspaper) and joined to show their support.
Back on the road, we returned to Des Moines. We had travelled over 700 miles since Tuesday.
Today I meet with One Iowa, Rev. David Reasby a Black pastor here in Des Moines, and two of the leaders of the African American Roundtable. Then there is another in-studio radio interview. Tonight is the closing event of my tour. For the first time, there will be a widely published panel of African American support of LGBT equality.
I have not fully given up on meeting with Linda Carter Lewis, president of the Des Moines NAACP; her husband, Rev. Irv Lewis and president of the Ministerial Alliance, which has take a position against marriage equality; or Rev. Keith Ratliff. We have emails and calls out to both of them. Now that Iowa has marriage equality, the NAACP’s opposition to amending Iowa’s constitution should be clear and we want to engage the local and state NAACP leadership in making that known.
So far, it has been a very educational experience and I have loved every minute of it (all right already, not so much love for the instant coffee). I’m For Iowa, Marriage Equality USA Iowa, and Equality Iowa have been great hosts.
I am certain that when I return home and have time to reflect on all that I have heard and seen, I will have more insights. Nevertheless, for now Iowa is the paradox that is America. At once progressive and forward looking yet not fully recovered from our history of prejudices and racialist tendencies.
Alexander.
May 7, 2009
Speaker: Advocate same-sex marriage
A human rights activist discusses ways for supporters to change opponents' views.
BY MARY RAE BRAGG
THONLINE STAFF WRITER
A gay black man who supports an end to capital punishment, Alexander Robinson has no problem with advocating for multiple causes.
"In my life I sit at many tables," Robinson said. "You're not going to get all blacks to agree on everything, but it's important to stand up as an advocate."
Robinson, executive director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition, spoke Wednesday to about two dozen people in Dubuque. On a whirlwind tour of eight Iowa cities sponsored by various human rights groups, Robinson discussed ways same-sex marriage supporters can bring others to see their point of view.
Focus on being a justice movement, Robinson urged the people at the Naughty Dog Coffee Bar & Deli.
Opponents have been successful in driving a wedge between the lesbian/gay community and the black community because of the large number of blacks who regularly attend church, "And the more people attend church, the less inclined they are to support marriage equality," Robinson said. "This is why it is so important to stress this is about civil union.
May 7 2009 - Day 4
After a bruising schedule of early morning meetings and forums, my final day in Iowa began at a slower pace. I had time to catch up on emails, get in a workout at the hotel gym (it needs an upgrade but the sauna and spa are nice features) and have breakfast with the morning newspapers.
Two of the local newspapers have stories about my trip here and this is a point to note. With all the talk of failing newspapers and the end of an era, Iowa’s local print media seems to be thriving. Almost every town we visited has at least one paper and they cover a range of stories of local interest. There is also a vibrant college press. This all adds to the sense of community and it is really too bad that so many of our major cities are at risk of losing this tool from their communication toolkit.
My first meeting of the day is with the executive director and deputy field director of One Iowa, the state’s most prominent marriage advocacy organization. We discuss my observations from my travels throughout the state and I share my new contacts in hopes that they will recruit them to help with their advocacy efforts. They point out the landmarks that can be seen from my 11th floor window and we part company pledging to be in touch and exchange pleasantries about the forum being held later tonight.
Next, it is on to 98.3 WOW-FM and a talk radio interview. This is a first for me. Though I have been on any number of radio call-in programs this was one of those with a fast-talking hosts and many regular listeners who call in with all manner of opinions. There were the usual pleas, “can’t you call it something other than marriage,” and “if we approve gay marriage what’s next?” and “marriage is about children.” However, my favorites were the new twists, “…first you have socialism, then gay marriage takes over.” I am not sure about the logic of that one—my guess is that there is not any. Then there was this jewel, “…we are all born without clothes. So if we are going to allow two men to get married can we all go naked?”
We also covered topics including: what is the truth about the Black vote of California’s Prop 8, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and gay men, Black pastor’s marriage, amending the Iowa constitution and how NBJC got started.
We left the radio station and headed for a coffee shop in downtown Des Moines where rainbow flags hung from the shops façade. I was introduced to the lesbian owners and had tea and a vegan peanut butter cookie. My meeting was with a local lesbian couple who are interested in starting an NBJC chapter in town. We talked about what that would take and how we might work toward that goal. We discussed the upcoming Pride activities and committed to working to host an event for the Black LGBT communities. They shared their frustrations in their search for an open and affirming church home and a Black LGBT social and political network outside of the college groups. We exchanges ideas and possibilities and have plans to work together over the next few months.
A meeting with Rev. Keith Ratliff quickly followed dinner at one of my host's favorite restaurants. As I left the group of about dozen people who had joined me for dinner, including my fellow panelist for the evening forum, everyone wish me well and expressed their hopes that my meeting with the good reverend would reap rewards.
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To no one’s surprise, I did not convince Rev. Ratliff that his opposition to marriage equality and his advocacy for a constitutional amendment to undo the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision was wrong-headed and discriminatory. I do believe he understood that for many LGBT Americans his notion of sexual orientation as a choice was a flawed and inaccurate assertion. We also discussed the fact that the NAACP has clearly stated its opposition to state constitutional amendments that would write discrimination into the constitution. There was some debate on this fact, but I thought it more word play than disagreement.
I shared with him my view that his outspoken advocacy and his position as a state leader of the NAACP blurred the lines and make the NAACP position unclear. Rev. Ratliff assured me that he always made it clear that he was speaking for himself as a pastor and not for the NAACP on this issue. I asked for (but did not get) his agreement to work to make the NAACP position clearer to those in Iowa. I am sure you will hear more about this from me in the near future.
On a final note, Rev. Ratliff did say that he was not a homophobe (an accusation I had not made), and that he supports the rights of LGBT people to be free of discrimination in the workplace and housing and that we deserved to be protected from anti-gay violence. I asked that if he found that he must continue to speak out in opposition to our full equality, that he be just as willing to freely share his views about basic civil rights protections. We parted company with a commitment to keep in touch and noted that we would likely see each other again at upcoming NAACP meetings.
The final event of my trip was a first for Iowa. The panel of local Black leaders who spoke out in favor of LGBT rights and marriage included Yvonne Jones, a local realtor and Black lesbian mother, Rev. Abraham Funchess, the Division Administrator with the Iowa Department of Human Rights, Tim Tutt, an educator and Black gay activist, and Kitty Knauer, a retired professor, school principle and local activist. The lively panel shared personal stories and talked about the range of issues facing LGBT Iowans. There was considerable media coverage and the community turned out for this important forum.
I am still processing all that I have seen and heard of the past for days. I promise one more installment—a summary, if you will—however, I am on the plane now and the doors are about to close. I am headed home.
Alexander.
H. Alexander Robinson is Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition.
