Events Hosted Across the Country to Commemorate Landmark Anthology In the Life
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Johnnie Kornegay
johnnie.kornegay@counternarrative.org
(678) 390-5209
ATLANTA, GA - On November 2, 2016, the Counter Narrative Project, a national black gay men's advocacy organization, in partnership with a number of community organizers, cultural workers, activists, and artists from across the country, will commemorate the 30th anniversary of In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology (#ITLAt30).
This landmark work, In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology, published in the fall of 1986, was one of the earliest collections of black gay men's writings. The text served as inspiration and blueprints for a generation grappling with racism, homophobia, and the AIDS epidemic. Though there are many important contributions this towering work provided to the racial justice, LGBT, and HIV justice movements, perhaps the greatest impact of In the Life was that it helped make a previously marginalized and invisible community visible. In 2016 there is still a notion that black gay men remained silent during the 1980s, that HIV activists were for the most part, white gay men. In the Life masterfully counters that narrative, and is an important part of our collective movement history. "Considering the impact that In the Life has had and continues to have on our lives, on our community, and on our movement, we felt that it was critical that we commemorate this work," says Charles Stephens, Counter Narrative Project Executive Director.
To observe the anniversary of the publication of In the Life, the Counter Narrative Project, in partnership with artists, activists, and scholars will host a series of events across the country to observe the anniversary of the book's publication. Participating cities include: Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, Oakland, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. For more information please contact Johnnie Kornegay, Director of Network Engagement at johnnie.kornegay@counternarrative.org.
#ITLAt30 Participlating Cities: https://goo.gl/Y7oWjD
More about the Counter Narrative Project: www.thecounternarrative.org
More about In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology: http://www.redbonepress.com/products/in-the-life-ed-by-joseph-beam
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