Courtesy of Black Enterprise
On the same day President Obama announced his nomination of Staci Michelle Yandle as the first Black LGBT federal judge to be appointed in 20 years, he also made public his intention to appoint an LGBT civil rights advocate to his Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans.
Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks, executive director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition, is one of 15 newly-appointed members. Since 2009, Lettman-Hicks has headed NBJC, a national civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. NBJC’s mission is to end racism and homophobia. The Washington, DC-based organization was started at a press conference on December 8, 2003. Today, it is a leading national voice on behalf of LGBT persons of color.