Collections by Michelle Brown WSG Robt Seda-Schreiber BRCSJ Board Announcements

Collections by Michelle Brown

Bayard Rustin was an African American leader in social justice movements for civil rights, nonviolence, and gay rights. He worked with on the March on Washington in 1941, to press for an end to racial discrimination in employment. He later organized Freedom Rides, and helped to organize the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Bayard Rustin was gay and, due to criticism over his sexuality, he usually acted as an influential adviser behind the scenes to civil-rights leaders. As a young activist, cutting my teeth in the civil rights and social justice movements, I did not hear about Bayard Rustin. I felt that I needed to suppress my sexuality in order to be effective in the movement. But then through books, involvement with LGBTQ organizations and the movie “Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin” I recognized the importance of bringing my full self to everything I was doing to truly create change. Along the way, I discovered other “Angelic Troublemakers” equally inspired by Rustin’s life and doing the work - one being Robt Seda Schreiber, From day one the mission and vision of the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice along with Robt's commitment and passion have been in sync with my core beliefs touching my spirit.