Victoria Kirby York, Director of Public Policy & Programs for the National Black Justice Coalition talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Since 2003 the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) has been America’s leading national civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black LGBTQ people including people living with HIV/AIDS through coalition building, federal policy change, research and education. Their mission is to end racism, homophobia, LGBTQ bias and stigma. NBJC supports Black individuals, families and communities in strengthening the bonds and bridging the gaps between the movements for racial justice and LGBTQ equity. Recently NBJC unveiled its Federal Policy Agenda for the 118th Congressional Term offering its recommendations for urgently needed action to address pressing public policy issues facing our Black LGBTQ community ensuring their freedoms and equal protection under the law. NBJC is prioritizing three policy pillars this legislative session addressing Awareness, Access and Accountability. Black LGBTQ Americans represent a significant subset of Black families with over one million people (3.7 percent of all Black Americans) identifying as LGBTQ. The community's challenges are compounded partly by the stigma and marginalization resulting from social constructions of race, normative gender and sexuality. NBJC will also continue to fight and campaign for the Equality Act, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the Student Loan Debt Relief Act, the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 2019 and several Biden-Harris Administration executive actions. We talked to Victoria about what she hopes to accomplish at NBJC and her spin on our LGBTQ issues. 

Victoria Kirby York is responsible for leading NBJC’s advocacy and action strategies to maintain the org’s position as a recognized public-policy leader especially concerning Black trans, queer and non-binary/non-conforming people, families and communities as well as other multiple marginalized communities. Previously she served as the Deputy Director for the Advocacy & Action Department at the National LGBTQ+ Task Force where she managed the policy, organizing and faith team to queer advocacy around faith, equity and democracy. For over 20 years Victoria has been working in a variety of capacities regarding a number of progressive issues and candidates as well as in the private sector. 

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