Audre
Lorde Scholarship Fund:
2003 Audre Lorde Scholars
Below are those who were granted awards from the Audre
Lorde Scholarship Fund in the year 2003. For descriptions
of the awards and their sponsors, see
Named Awards.
For information on applying, see Scholarship
Application. To donate, see Contribute
to the Fund
Kendra G. Mann, the recipient of the Sadiqua Bey Memorial
Award, is a student of the University of Phoenix and will
graduate in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management.
After graduation, she plans to pursue a Master's degree in Health
Management. Mann currently serves as Business Services Manager
for Planned Parenthood, a non-profit organization committed to
women's interests. Her role in the organization has been pivotal
in helping to close the gap on issues related to sexual orientation.
Mann relocated from Detroit to California in 2001 and lives with
her partner of four years and some of their children (both have
three boys), a family some refer to as "The Gay Version of the
Brady Bunch." Her purpose in life is to lead by example and educate
people along the way. Consequently, she's been chosen to speak
to new employees about diversity, of which she says, "I take this
challenge on with great pleasure, as I know that the Creator has
work for me to do."
Hagar Pleasant-Bey, the recipient of the Hannah Guishard
Award, is a senior at Trinity College in Washington, DC. Pleasant-Bey
is a Mathematics major who continually demonstrates an ability
to balance academics with community involvement. For nearly three
years, she has worked with the Fresh Air Fund, an organization
that serves at-risk youth, where she brings a spirit of empowerment
to the youth and motivation to her peers. Pleasant-Bey has received
numerous academic awards, plays soccer and lacrosse, and has served
as the Vice President of the on-campus Lesbian/Bisexual Alliance.
Being from a large Muslim family, Pleasant-Bey maintains that
her activism has been neither traditional nor conventional. On
her role in the process of making a difference, she comments,
"the most productive way that I can bring about change is by being
comfortable with myself."
Cristel Serena Miller, the recipient of the Sherry
Turner Award, is a junior at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
Miller was recruited to Rice as a Texas Minority Student Scholar,
a select group that represents students who excel both academically
and socially. As a freshman, she was part of the Century Scholars
Program, which places intellectually outstanding students in areas
of research. She is a Psychology/Studio Arts (Film) major, who
sits on the Rice University President's Council on Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Transgender Committee. Miller also serves as Vice
President of the college's Gay Student Alliance, as well as the
Gay Pride Organization. Upon graduating from Rice University,
she plans to pursue a Masters of Fine Arts degree in film production.
When speaking to high school student audiences made up mostly
of minorities and African-American girls, Miller uses every opportunity
to stress the importance of education, of which she says, "I have
strong opinions on "the education of women around the world so
that they can have the tools to make informed decisions."
Clarice Thompson and Sharon Thomas are the recipients
of the Ruth Ellis Award.
Clarice
Thompson is the visiting Instructor/Music Director at Brown
University-Africana Studies in Rhode Island. She serves as the
Ethnomusicologist, specializing in African-American music, and
is pursuing a Doctor of Music degree from the University of
Mississippi. In her capacity as faculty member, Thompson is
a mentor to many lesbian, gay, bi-gender and transgender students
of African descent. She and her partner typically open their
hearts and homes to counsel and serve as role models. Thompson
currently supervises the student's research in the area of transgender
male-to-female persons, with a focus on entertainers. As a talented
musician, Thompson has been able to reach many people while
serving in roles ranging from composer, arranger, director,
and producer of various productions and performance pieces.
Her productions on campus have succeeded in bringing together
individuals with differing sexual orientations across racial
lines. Through music and theatre, Thompson affirms, "My art
will always speak from the mouths of people of all backgrounds."
In
the fall of 1997, Sharon Thomas left her comfortable
job of 20 years as a Computer Aided Drafter to go back to school
at age 39. After being in school for two months, she suffered
a stroke that left her debilitated, without the use of her right
hand and incoherent speech. Through hard work and perseverance,
Thomas stayed in school and is now a graduating senior of the
University of Washington in Tacoma, pursuing a degree in Mass
Communications. It is in this arena that Thomas has realized
the power of the media and its impact on society's views on
race, gender and sexual orientation. She started a computer
technical center for lesbians, in which she still volunteers
as a tutor. In addition, Thomas also volunteers and is a member
of the Women's Funding Alliance Committee. Her thesis (How Far
Has Television Come in Portraying Gays, Lesbians, and African
Americans?) asks and aims to answer the question, "Just how
beautiful is being Black, gay, or lesbian in the television
media today?"
Louis Dixon, the recipient of the Keiron Williams Hero
Award, is a sophomore at Cal State University-Dominguez Hills,
pursing a degree in Human Services. While consistently serving
as a positive role model for the gay community, Dixon has served
as the spokesperson/model for the "HIV Stops With Me" campaign
in Long Beach, California. According to Dixon, the two things
that have most influenced his life are his HIV status and his
recovery from drugs and alcohol. He was instrumental in starting
the Unity Fellowship Church in California and assisted in the
formation of the Minority Aids Project. Dixon's goal is to eventually
work in a therapist capacity with young people via OASIS (Out
Adolescents Staying in School) while continuing to be a strong
advocate for HIV awareness and supportive services for gays and
lesbians. His course of action: "continue to do the footwork and
hope that somehow I can make a difference."
Andreka N. Brundage, the recipient of the Sha Mendon
Award, is a freshman entering Agnes Scott College in Decatur,
Georgia, pursuing an education in English and Women's Studies.
Since 2000, Brundage has served on the Board of Directors of Alphabet
Soup at VOX/Youth Communications, a non-profit organization for
youth that provides the space and encouragement to express themselves
through the arts (writing, photography, art, etc.). Upon joining
the LGBTQ & A (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Questioning
and Allies) group within Youth Communications, Brundage coordinated
a workshop that was presented at the National Black Lesbian Conference.
She currently serves as a volunteer at the Dekalb Rape Crisis
Center. In addition to pursuing a career as an English Professor,
Brundage intends also to continue to mentor young gay and lesbian
teens. Stressing the importance of supplementing her educational
experience with Women's Studies as a minor, Brundage says, "Women's
Studies is essential to my being equipped with the knowledge to
shatter myths"
Leslie Johnson, Crystal S. Wiley, and Tineka
Johnson are the recipients of the Sheryl Burke Award.
Leslie
Johnson left her hometown of Chicago, Illinois to enter
Stanford University as a freshman in the fall of 2000. Quickly,
Johnson found herself mired in many communities. She has even
been called a "Professional Lesbian" because of the extent to
which she is involved in the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender
community (LGBT). "Being out has come to mean a lot more to
me than just being visibly gay. It really penetrates almost
every realm of my life and I am comfortable with my sexuality
and what it means to other people," says Johnson. The Co- President
of Black and Queer at Stanford (BlaQS) for the past two years,
this year Johnson also spearheaded a new program, Café
Q, which is designed to build bridges between the LGBT community
and a diverse array of student organizations. According to Benjamin
Davidson, the Director of the LGBT Community Resources Center,
things have not been easy for Johnson at Stanford. As a Black
woman, a lesbian, an artist, a deeply religious person and an
athlete, she has been challenged to build a community in which
she can thrive as a whole person. Not only has Johnson taken
on that challenge but she has gone a step further and become
a role model and mentor to many younger students. Johnson expects
to receive her degree in Science Technology and Society in May
2004.
Crystal
Wiley is a graduating senior at Agnes Scott College in Decatur,
Georgia, and is a founding member of A.D.O.R.E. (Affirmed Daughters
of Ruth Ellis), a campus organization that supports lesbian
and bi-sexual women of color. Wiley, who will graduate with
a Political Science degree in 2004, is the President of the
college Judicial Board and a member of the college Supreme Court.
In these roles, she is called upon to demonstrate her fairness
and leadership skills while handling student relations. Wiley
was instrumental in A.D.O.R.E. hosting the first Queer Women
of Color Week at Agnes Scott College this year. In addition
to A.D.O.R.E., she has also been at the forefront in starting
Angry Citizens of DiverCity, an underground organization that
initiates radical acts such as distributing pamphlets that identify
individuals who have made problematic statements on campus.
The group recognizes and calls attention to instances of racism,
homophobia, and classism, among other issues. Of her revolutionary
stance, Wiley says, "I believe in doing everyday random acts
that alter the world I live in to make it a safe place for all
people…"
Tineka
Johnson describes herself as Black, as Lesbian, as Christian.
"I am comfortable with my sexuality. I am comfortable with me.
I am no different from anyone else and God does not love me
any less," affirms Johnson. As an out lesbian, living, working
and teaching bible study in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Johnson
decided two and a half years ago that she wanted to serve God
and her community by counseling Latina and African-American
"at risk" lesbian/ bisexual teenage girls. With her encouragement
and support, the teenagers have started their own chat sessions
where they discuss the intersectionalities of homophobia, racism
and sexism. Johnson emphasizes education, unity and self-love
to these young women and often uses her life as an example of
how hard work and perseverance can pay off. Johnson, raised
in a single parent household, begins medical school this fall
at Ross University in New Jersey and is the first member of
her family to graduate from college.
Skyler Jackson, the recipient of the Tony Daniels Ally
Award, is a junior at Stanford University in California, where
he has received academic awards for excellence. This year, Jackson
has provided leadership for two student organizations: President
of Querillas and Co-President of Black and Queer at Stanford (BlaQS).
Querillas creates and sustains queer activism by mobilizing, educating,
and empowering members of the Stanford community. As President
of BlaQS, he leads the group in affirming the advancement of lesbian,
gay, bi-sexual, transgender, questioning, and queer identified
students of African descent at the university. Jackson serves
the community via a variety of other organizations and channels,
including the National Conference for Community & Justice:
Anytown Youth Leadership Institute. This institute hosts a week-long
residential conference that provides youth leaders the space to
dialogue about all forms of oppression. As a Psychology major,
Jackson's passion and path combines philosophy and social sciences
with love and revolution. He believes that "reason and passion
create a way of life that is worth something greater than the
mere sum of its parts."
Melissa Gordon, the recipient of the Ronald Moore Humanitarian
Award, is a senior at Tennessee State University majoring
in Social Work. Gordon began her organizing and activism in high
school when she attempted to start a lesbian student union. Since
2001, she has devoted much of her time to Project Shine, a mentoring
program she founded to instill pride in and create opportunities
for black girls. Last academic year, Gordon managed to stay on
the Dean's List while volunteering with Food Not Bombs: preparing
and delivering bi-weekly vegetarian meals to the homeless. She
also volunteers with Just Crumbs helping them donate food from
organic gardens to those in need. Gordon is passionate about feeding
the poor, " As a true community activist, I should not wait until
social problems directly affect me. The fact that many families
go hungry does not set well with me". Gordon is trying to start
a lesbian organization at her school and also serves as an HIV
outreach volunteer for Nashville Cares and Bridging. This summer,
Gordon traveled to Belize with Bridging where she helped to implement
an HIV prevention program in the prison system. Currently, Gordon
is interning at the Nashville Peace and Justice Center where she
works on clemency for prisoners and the living wage campaign.
She also throws safer sex parties, "Strawberries and Champagne",
where she serves chocolate covered strawberries and champagne
and uses monologues and spoken word to educate others on HIV risk.
Gordon is also a poet and even finds time to play on a local rugby
team.
Shayna Robinson, the recipient of the Cherie Caldwell
Award begins her second year of college this fall at the University
of Maryland where she will study English. Robinson began her activism
as a high school student when she founded Spectrum, a student
run organization created to address issues dealing with race,
class and sexuality, while also serving as an HIV and AIDS Peer
Educator. Robinson spent her freshman year at Brown University
where she put in countless hours as Coordinator of The Next Thing,
TNT, a student group organized around combating homophobia, racism
and classism in communities of color and queer communities. Robinson
also used her talent as an actor at Brown to give voice to a highly
stigmatized community that is often rendered invisible when she
was cast in the lead role in a student written production dealing
with a lesbian relationship between two women of color. Robinson
is passionate and actively committed to doing what she can to
make the world a better place. "I want to be a voice that articulates
the specific issues that affect my community. I want to be an
educator and a student at all times. I am committed to social
justice and the liberation of all people and will fight for the
human rights of all people," asserts Robinson.
Charles Stephens, the recipient of the Marlon Riggs
Social Justice Award, attends Georgia State University in
Atlanta where he is one of the few men studying Women's Studies.
"I see myself as a cultural critic. I bear witness in the tradition
of the great folks of African-descent who were able to analyze
western cultural and plot its destruction. I will write, I will
teach, I will speak, and use every opportunity to plant seeds
of resistance wherever I go. The world is my pulpit and my ministry
is resistance, " declares Stephens. He is a founding member of
The Black Rainbow, a discussion group for young Black queer men.
He serves on the Board of Directors of the National Youth Advocacy
Coalition (NYAC), a national queer organization that supports
the efforts of grassroots queer youth organizations, and the National
AIDS Council. Active in campus organizing, Stephens works with
the Young Democrats Gay and Lesbian Caucus and has spearheaded
and participated in such forums as "All the Gays are White, All
the Blacks are Straight, But some of us are Proud" and "Dismantling
the Master's Tools". Recently, Stephens developed a column for
his campus newspaper promoting progressive politics and presented
a scholarly paper on Essex Hemphill and Marlon Riggs at the "Critical
Moments" conference at Emory University.
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