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Creating better inclusion for LGBTQ students at historically Black colleges and universities was the focus of the second annual "Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Leadership Summit on LGBTQ Inclusion for University Presidents and Senior Executives" hosted by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
HRCF, which focuses on advocating for equality for the LGBTQ community, brought together 12 HBCU presidents and senior executives to discuss and strategize on a wide range of issues that impact the LGBTQ campus community, from HIV prevention to transgendered families.
The highlight of the summit included testimonials from Hampton University alumna Dr. Keisha Michaels and Spelman College alumna Jodie Patterson, who are mothers of transgender children and shared their experiences of raising a transgender child. In addition, they both aspire to send their transgender children to an HBCU but expressed concerns regarding their safety and fears of isolation.
"I hear very complex conversations around gender at predominantly White institutions, and as a parent I need proof," says Patterson. "I need to see conversations and be a part of those conversations. I need proof that we are in it, that we are committed to...