Lambda Legal and You
From OF COUNSEL ON CAMPUS Vol 1, No 4
By Caesar Morgan, 2008 Tyron Garner Memorial Fellow
Published 05/30/08
This year marks the fifth anniversary of Lawrence v. Texas. To me the Lawrence case means that the struggle for civil rights is not over. In 1954, the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision ended de jure segregation, yet today many inner city schools still suffer from de facto segregation and economic inequity. Similarly, the anniversary of Lawrence v. Texas reminds me that as LGBT advocates we must view the decision in light of the struggles that are still to come.
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, statement that, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," has inspired me to advocate for the rights of LGBT individuals everywhere, and as the first Tyron Garner Memorial Fellow, Lambda Legal has given me that opportunity. This fellowship was established to honor the memory of Tyron Garner, one of the men we represented in the Lawrence case, and to expand Lambda Legal's work in the African-American/Black LGBT communities. My duties at Lambda Legal allow me to serve as an advocate for the needs of the African-American/Black LGBT community. As such, I am working on research for cases including Logan v. Gary Community Schools Corp., involving an African-American student who was barred from his prom for wearing a dress; on efforts to build coalitions between African-American/Black LGBT civil rights groups and Lambda Legal; and on efforts to provide insight on the legal issues facing Black/African Americans with HIV.
Although my efforts pale in comparison to civil rights pioneers such as Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Bruce Nugent, and Langston Hughes, I hope that I have made an impact on advocacy for LGBT Black/African Americans everywhere....reminding all that the LGBT civil rights movement, of which we are a part, owes its life to the efforts of the historic civil rights movement and that its original goal of inclusion for all individuals, everywhere must be continued.
I strongly encourage all people of color to make your voice heard by supporting the efforts of Lambda Legal whether through pro bono advocacy, fellowship, internship, or simply volunteering — you'll be happy you did!
