Morgan State University News November 8, 2016 Morgan Professor Tapped to Lead HBCU LGBTQ-Equality Initiative Advisory Council The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC<http://www.nbjc.org/about>), the nation's leading civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people, has appointed Morgan's Anika Simpson<http://www.morgan.edu/college_of_liberal_arts/departments/philosophy_and_religious_studies/faculty_and_staff/anika_simpson.html>, Ph.D., as co-chair of the HBCU LGBTQ-Equality Initiative Advisory Council. Dr. Simpson, associate professor in Morgan's Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies<http://www.morgan.edu/college_of_liberal_arts/departments/philosophy_and_religious_studies.html> and coordinator of the University's Women's and Gender Studies program, was selected for the joint leadership role in part because of her accomplishments as a "distinguished feminist scholar" and her demonstrated commitment to the mission of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The other co-chair appointed by the coalition is Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Ph.D., founding director of Women's Studies at Spelman College. Under their leadership, the HBCU LGBTQ-Equality Initiative Advisory Council will provide guidance and strategies to fulfill NBJC's commitment to develop and implement public policies that foster environments at institutions of learning that ensure that all people are fully empowered to safely, openly and honestly participate in all aspects of their campus community, regardless of race, class, religion, disability, gender or sexual orientation. "I am very proud of our efforts at Morgan State University to advance equity for our LGBTQ students," said Dr. Simpson of the appointment. "I look forward to this opportunity to collaborate with NBJC as we address our nation's precarious intersection of race, gender, and sexuality." Dr. Simpson joined Morgan's Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies in 2004. SANDRA M. PHOENIX HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org/ sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org%3cmailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org>> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/