Black gay coalition broadens mission beyond marriage

[JI7]

<One year ago, the National Black Justice Coalition emerged on the gay rights scene to show how families headed by same-sex African-American couples are hurt by a legal system that prohibits gay people from marrying.

Last week, leaders of the coalition announced plans to broaden their mission to tackle other issues that have an impact on black gays, including health care, parenting, adoption, education and “spirituality.”

Jasmyne Cannick, a Los Angeles public relations executive and member of the coalition’s board of directors, said the coalition would link the gay marriage issue with other family-related issues to inform the mainstream African-American community that denying marriage equality hurts black gay families.

Cannick expressed concern that an undetermined number of African-American voters joined their white counterparts in November to vote for ballot initiatives banning same-sex marriage that passed in 11 states. She said the NBJC would continue its efforts to educate the African-American community on why it should oppose gay marriage bans.

“When African Americans vote against marriage equality, they are also voting against other African Americans,” Cannick said.>

http://www.newyorkblade.com/2005/2-11/news/national/black.cfm