National Black Justice Collective, AARP Honors Legendary Black LBTQ+ Women Elders With Award Ceremony
CONTACT: Jordan Wilhelmi | jordan@unbendablemedia.com
Audre Lorde Wisdom Awards to Celebrate Accomplishments and Experiences of Trailblazing Black LBTQ+/SGL Women
WASHINGTON – On Friday, May 16th, at 1:00 PM EST, the National Black Justice Collective (NBJC) will virtually host the fifth annual Audre Lorde Wisdom Awards, honoring the late icon and writer, and commemorating National LGBTQ+ Elders Day. This annual event is an opportunity for our community to give flowers to Black Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+/Same-Gender Loving (LBTQ+/SGL) women and femme elders, and to celebrate the process of aging while sharing the wisdom they’ve accrued. This year, we honor Black women who have blazed trails in their careers, communities, and the LGBTQ+ liberation movement.
The award ceremony will premiere live on NBJC’s website, YouTube, and Facebook. This year’s honorees include:
- Rev. Debra Hopkins is a Spiritual Leader, Ordained Minister, and Founder of There’s Still Hope. There’s Still Hope is a trans-led nonprofit that actively supports and advocates for transgender and nonbinary individuals experiencing homelessness, providing them with mentorship and education. She is known for her online ministry, Essentials for Life Ministry, which promotes relationships with God across all identities. Her memoir, Not Until You Have Walked in My Shoes, chronicles her journey of gender identity and exploration, resonating with many who seek to understand themselves. Her engagement in ministry and advocacy, including the successful fight to repeal North Carolina’s anti-Black, anti-trans, anti-worker, and anti-environment law HB2, reflects her deep commitment to inclusivity and empowerment of all individuals.
- Michelle Parkerson is an award-winning Filmmaker and Activist. With over 40 years at the forefront of African American lesbian and gay activism, Michelle is an acclaimed filmmaker whose works amplify the voices and stories of marginalized groups. She directed the impactful documentary A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde, which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Michelle has engaged in significant cultural collaborations, helping to create and promote spaces for artistic expression among Black LGBTQ+ artists. Her creative endeavors include producing performances and exhibitions that challenge societal norms and foster a deeper understanding of the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality. As an educator, she has contributed to programs at institutions like Temple University, inspiring a new generation of filmmakers and artists committed to social justice.
- Pat Martin is the CEO of HarlemYES Inc., a community-based organization that works to identify and serve the needs of marginalized populations through empowerment and education. Her activism is particularly noted within the LGBTQ+ community, organizing successful programs servicing community youth and seniors, such as NYC Black Pride’s Women’s Forum. She currently serves on the Executive Board of the Arturo Schomburg Democratic Club, where she chairs the LGBTQ Committee. There, she promotes initiatives that advocate for community and political engagement. Through her grassroots efforts, Pat has established significant programs, including the Harlem Youth Entrepreneurial Summit, which aims to foster economic opportunities for local youth and programming centering masculine of center lesbians. Her commitment to community building and activism has solidified her leadership role in East Harlem and throughout the country.
- Senator Pat Spearman is a Politician, Cleric, Pastor, and Veteran. Sen. Spearman is the first openly lesbian member of the Nevada Legislature. Elected in 2012, she is known for her strong advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and social justice. She has introduced significant legislation to achieve equal pay for women, support veterans, and kick off the modern fight to make the Equal Rights Amendment the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. As a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel with nearly 30 years of service, Senator Spearman combines her military experience with her commitment to public service, focusing on issues that affect vulnerable populations. Senator Spearman earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Doctorate in Business Administration. She remains active in various legislative committees that address crucial issues, such as healthcare, labor, and veterans’ affairs.
- Rosalyn Taylor O’Neale is a Speaker, Author, and a corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion leader. She has nearly 50 years of experience promoting corporate environments, prioritizing equity and cultural understanding. As the former Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Campbell Soup Company, MTV Network, and in a similar role at what is now Hewlett-Packard, she implemented pioneering strategies that set benchmarks for inclusive practices in the corporate sector. Rosalyn founded her consulting firm, the R. T. O’Neale Group, where she advises organizations on developing and executing effective Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Her extensive speaking engagements and workshops have educated audiences on the importance of intersectional awareness in race, culture, and sexual orientation. Recognized as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America, Top Executives in Diversity, 100 Top Executives in America, and the Top 100 Most Influential LGBT People, Rosalyn continues to advocate for equity and justice within corporate spaces.
- Ruby Sales is a Social Activist, Educator, and Organizer. She is renowned as a courageous and dedicated civil rights activist, having served in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) as a freedom fighter during the civil rights movement. In 1991, she founded Women of All Colors, a nonprofit focused on improving the lives of women of color and their communities. She is also the founder and CEO of the SpiritHouse Project, which works to achieve social and economic justice while fostering spiritual growth in marginalized communities. Her work, particularly on race, class, and equity, positions her as a significant advocate for historically excluded groups within broader societal frameworks. Ruby’s impact has been recognized through various awards, including receiving the keys to the city of Selma, AL, for her lifetime of advocacy. Ruby also wrote the history-correcting record of Southern Black same-gender loving women trailblazers, from the Harlem Renaissance era, in the landmark essay Keeping It Real: Our Southern Sisters Loving Each Other.
- Sonya Shields is a nonprofit developer, strategist, and long-time social justice advocate with over 30 years of executive experience advancing equity through fundraising, communications, marketing and leadership development. She is the President of Shields Consulting 333, where she partners with mission-driven organizations to build visibility, raise resources, and expand impact. Sonya has held senior leadership roles at the National LGBTQ Task Force, Anti-Violence Project, Astraea Foundation, and Brooklyn Community Services. In recent years, she was the COO at Getting Out Staying Out, SVP at Children’s of Promise, and Executive Director at Cause Effective. Sonya has raised millions and led transformative growth for multiple organizations. A co-founder of the National Black Justice Coalition, Sonya also serves on the board of the American LGBTQ+ Museum. Her work also spans coaching, program design, and thought leadership, with a commitment to elevating BIPOC leadership and driving systems-level change. Through every role—whether consultant, coach, trainer, or executive—Sonya brings a bold, justice-centered vision to strengthen organizations and inspire collective social change.
- Dr. Sylvia Rhue is a Writer, Social Justice Activist, Religious Intellectual, Filmmaker, and Producer. She is a trailblazer in human sexuality and LGBTQ+ advocacy, being the first Black recipient of a Doctorate in Human Sexuality. She co-created the transformative documentary All God’s Children, focusing on LGBTQ+ rights and issues within the Black community. As an early member of the Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, she led several initiatives to advance rights for LGBTQ+ individuals. In 2003, she became the Director of Religious Affairs at the National Black Justice Coalition, further supporting the intersection of faith and social justice for Black LGBTQ+ individuals. Her extensive career includes serving as the Assistant Director of Counseling at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, where she worked on policy advocacy, and as a manager for the California Freedom to Marry Coalition to defeat Proposition 8.
“Black LBTQ+/SGL elders are the keepers of our history and the proof of our resilience. They’ve built movements, challenged systems, and carved out space for us to exist authentically in a world that often tries to erase us,” said Dr. David J. Johns, Executive Director & CEO of the National Black Justice Collective. “The Audre Lorde Wisdom Awards celebrate that legacy—a moment to honor the strength, wisdom, and love that have sustained our communities across generations. We owe it to our elders to make aging an act of liberation, not a quiet fading into the margins. We all deserve to grow old with dignity, to be cherished and celebrated at every stage of life, and to know that the next torchbearers will carry forth our contributions.”
“The Audre Lorde Wisdom Awards are about more than just recognition. They remind us that the path we walk today was first cleared by those who fought in the shadows, demanded visibility, and spoke truth to power long before it was safe. Many invested their money without a salary or benefits to build a movement that now properly employs thousands. Due to those sacrifices, too many of them never had a retirement or healthcare plan beyond Social Security and Medicare, which is now under attack,” said Victoria Kirby York, MPA, National Black Justice Collective Director of Public Policy and Programs. “This celebration is a chance to honor our elders and learn from their experiences. It’s about making space for the knowledge and inspiration they can provide the next generation, and continuing their fight to keep pushing for a better tomorrow while fighting for their right to age with dignity, respect, and resources.”
MORE ON THE AUDRE LORDE WISDOM AWARDS HERE: https://nbjc.org/audre-lorde-wisdom-awards/
In addition to celebrating the accomplishments, experiences, and wisdom of Black lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer+, and same gender loving women (LBTQ+/SGL) elders, the event will also advocate advancing policies that:
- Protect Black LGBTQ+ Seniors and their dignity as they age in families, elder care facilities, senior living communities, and more;
- Prevent budget cuts to Medicare, Disability healthcare through Medicaid, and Social Security; and
- Work to decriminalize and remove the stigma of being Black, LGBTQ+, and elderly, and halt the attempted erasure of our history by encouraging our elders to make their histories a public record through oral history projects, podcasts, video interviews, and published books.
Throughout May, NBJC will honor elders and pioneers of the Black LGBTQ+/SGL movement on its Facebook, Threads, and Instagram social media platforms. You can learn about additional pioneers via NBJC’s Ubuntu Biography Project at http://www.beenhere.org.