February 18, 2015
The
Portland Observer Black
PHOTO BY O LIVIA O LIVIA /T HE P ORTLAND O BSERVER
O’Nesha Cochran-Dumas (left) and her wife LaKeesha Dumas do
a traditional jump-the-broom ceremony as they get married last
May 19 at the Melody Ballroom, downtown. They were the first
African American same-sex couple to marry in Oregon after a
federal judge struck down the state’s ban on gay marriage as
unconstitutional.
Black History and Gay Rights
Advocates build
a community
of support
Community members are invited
to hear from a panel of long-time
civil rights organizers and activists
for people who are lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, and queer
(LGBTQ).
Portland’s black chapter of PFLAG
(formerly Parents and Families of
Lesbians and Gays) is hosting the
session as they remember black his-
tory and look towards building a fu-
ture for the gay rights movement.
A timeline of black LGBT activ-
ism in Oregon will be shared through
pictures, stories, and a video.
The event will be held on Thurs-
day, Feb. 26 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at
the Multicultural Center in the Smith
Memorial Student Union at Port-
land State University in downtown
Portland. Seats are free but limited
so those interested are encouraged
to RSVP at bit.ly/BLGBTQHM2015.
Refreshments will be provided.
History Month
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