Jumel Howard: Leading Howard County to Pride

Jumel Howard

So, check out this resume: MD Democratic Party LGBTQ Leadership Council Director, Vice President of PFLAG Columbia-Howard County, Membership Chair of PFLAG Columbia Howard County, HoCo Young Dems Sexual and Gender Minority Caucus Chair, 2^nd Vice Chair of the Community Advisory Council of the Howard County Public School System, Member of the Board of Directors of The Pride Center of Maryland, Chair of the Howard County Sexual and Gender Minority Community Center Planning Committee, and Board Member of The Helping Hands Fund (Maryland Legal Aid).

It’s quite an impressive catalog of community involvement and activism for anybody who may be middle aged or older. But this resume belongs to Jumel Howard, who is just 23 years-old.  Oh, and by the way, Jumel is also the HoCo Pride Planning Committee Chair.

In taking on that role, which he did over two years ago when the planning began for the first ever LGBTQ Pride in Howard County, Jumel had to figure out how to manage his increasingly busy schedule.

“This is definitely a work in progress,” Jumel explains. “I have a lot to learn in this sphere of life. At this point I just take my work everywhere. When I’m at brunch I’m checking emails, when I’m with friends just hanging out I’m updating budgets and reading various policy revisions. Bottom line I just work till I fall asleep,” he says half-jokingly.

Jumel Howard has a paying job on top of all these volunteer positions as a Paralegal for Maryland Legal Aid—a legal services organization for low income individuals and families in Maryland. He understands that prioritizing his work is, well, a priority.

“Anything I know that has a timeframe of a week or less comes next and finally anything that has more than myself working on it comes last. I’m pretty good at knowing when I need to take a step back to breathe so I don’t burn out but again it is all a learning process for me.” 

Right now, the big project on Jumel’s docket is HoCo Pride, which is slated for June 29 at Centennial Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  It is being co-hosted by Howard County Executive Calvin Ball and the Howard County chapter of PFLAG.

Lanky and soft-spoken Jumel Howard is leading a group of dedicated volunteers on the HoCo Pride Planning Committee in an effort to make this premiere event a success. Members of the committee who have worked with and have been guided by Jumel these past two years note the talents and determination that he brings to the table. He ardently seeks results while maintaining a calm demeanor.

"This is my home and it is high time we showed our Pride."

“Jumel is the driving force behind HoCo Pride, and his ambition has been matched by his ability to lead and inspire,” says Christopher Hefty, the Sponsorship Coordinator who also coordinates with vendors, and for good measure he is overseeing the event’s entertainment.

“His love for the LGBTQ+ community is so genuine. The most notable point of mention about Jumel is how he calls out hate and injustice in all forms. Whether it’s the racial divide in the LGBTQ+ community or anti-transgender hate, he snuffs it out with a vengeance. He is a man I have come to respect very much. With his energy I feel that HoCo Pride will be something truly special, and above all else, a uniquely HoCo event!”   

Hefty, who works at Eastern Coral in the Columbia Mall, designs and creates an array of Pride scarves and jewelry that can be purchased on the HoCo Pride website with the profits benefiting HoCo Pride.

“Jumel, is, in a word, a dynamo,” says Akbi Kahn, a progressive activist and local blogger who is also on the Planning Committee.  “After I first met him in his role as a Vice President of Howard County PFLAG, we became fast friends. He has also included me in several other projects aimed at LGBTQ+ rights advancement in HoCo, which I think shows how he lives the ideal of inclusivity.”

Adds Bob Ford, another volunteer on the Planning Committee and who is Chair of the Howard County Human Rights Commission, “There is a bunch of talented and motivated folks on the Planning Committee. I can say that I have been especially impressed by Jumel’s leadership and his vision for what he sees as a great outcome for HoCo Pride.  His attention to detail is amazing.”

Jumel Howard being flanked by then Councilwoman Jen Terrasa now
MD State Delegate and then Councilman Dr. Calvin Ball now
County Executive at the HoCo Pride launch party June 28, 2018.
Photo: Andrew Howard

Jumel grew up in the Oakland Mills Village of Columbia, Md. but his contributions to the success of organizations have extended beyond Howard County. He is a member of Board of Directors of the Pride Center of Maryland, formerly called the GLCCB, and his colleagues have also taken notice of his character and abilities.  

Says Merrick Moses, venerable community activist and Board President, “Mr. Howard is a tenacious member of our board. He has a true heart for our community and works hard to create a better reality for the neediest among us.”

The logistics, volunteer coordination, community listening sessions, creative fundraisers, and the partnership with Howard County government are all coming together for this much anticipated event a month away.

“This is a completely grassroots, all volunteer-led effort,” Jumel explains. “We have been planning for two years and our kick-off event last June 28 was a resounding success that gives us good feelings about what the turnout for the inaugural festival will be!”

With the theme of Remember/Resist/Rejoice, the celebration will mark the 50^th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.  As County Executive Dr. Calvin Ball put it, “At the 2019 Pride Festival, we will Remember those who fought for justice. We will Resist those who would turn back the clock on equal rights, and we will Rejoice because of the LGBTQ+ love we have in our community.”

Noting that Howard County has been in the forefront of LGBTQ advances in the state, Jumel asserts that the time is right for the county to celebrate LGBTQ Pride.

“It has been 50 years since Stonewall, why are we waiting? Jumel asks. “We are supposed to be a community of acceptance and inclusion. Not everyone wants to have to go to a big city to celebrate and see their existence acknowledged. This is my home and it is high time we showed our Pride.”

Jumel is pleased that HoCo Pride is different from many other similar celebrations in that there have been to this point no corporate sponsorships. “This event has been completely funded by individual donations and contributions from small business, government agencies, and organizations that are all local,” he points out.

“I will measure the success of this event by the smiles on people’s faces. I don't care if we get 2 people and make $6 in profit. As long as those people come and feel a sense of love, acceptance, and community I will count it as a win,” he says.

Based on what Jumel Howard has accomplished in his young life, he has already won.

10 Questions for GLCCB President Jabari Lyles

Jabari Lyles is a teacher, the outreach specialist at FreeState legal Project and co-chair and education manager at GLSEN-Baltimore.  Busy as he is, he has recently taken on an additional role: President of the Board of D

Jabari Lyles   Photo: Bob Ford

irectors for the Gay, Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB).

In doing so, Lyles becomes the fourth person to hold that position in the last 10 months.  He graciously agreed to be interviewed so that the community would be more acquainted with him and to allow him to address the rate of turnover at the GLCCB, the center’s purpose, its finances as well his vision for the center.

Steve Charing: What motivated you to join the GLCCB board and ultimately agree to be its president?

Jabari Lyles: I joined the GLCCB Board to work towards reifying its potential. After working in the local nonprofit and LGBTQ advocacy scene for some time, I became curious as to why, besides Pride, the GLCCB seemed nonexistent and hidden. It was particularly confusing, as a young, black, gay person in Baltimore, that I didn’t feel a connection to this center. I certainly knew this absence was not for lack of need.

Eventually, I learned about parts of the center’s history, the community concern it generated, and perhaps the reason why the GLCCB seemed to exist in the shadows. Instead of continuing to condemn the organization, I saw an opportunity to make change from within. To me, continuing to neglect the center was continuing to neglect the people it could represent. I decided to apply to join the Board, with a specific focus on the GLCCB’s transparency and inclusion, work with people of color, youth, and the transgender community.

I immediately took an active role on the board and became heavily involved in the center’s operations and direction. I became impassioned with the idea of a community center that is truly community held, community-serving and community-building—supported by an organization that has the trust and buy-in from the people we serve. To me, this is what a community center should always be. I agreed to be Board President because I believe in what the GLCCB can be, I believe in my community, and I believe that I can lead with hope, love, knowledge and courage.

SC: You have been working with several successful non-profits, such as GLSEN and FreeState Legal.  What has been your experience at these organizations that you can bring to the GLCCB?

JL: I have worked with GLSEN Baltimore for nearly 10 years now, and for several years under the tutelage of the late, great Kay Halle, longtime social justice advocate and community servant. There was a bit of love in everything that she did, and though small in stature, she was a force to be reckoned with. Although I am quite large, those who know me would agree that I approach my work with a nice balance of tenderness and intensity.

GLSEN is a fantastic organization that continues to show me the importance and impact of investing in young people, speaking up for the victimized, and refusing to negotiate safety and respect for all people. FreeState expanded my understanding of LGBTQ issues and encouraged a more intersectional approach to my work. From my work with FreeState, I learned how race, gender, class, all come into play as one navigates systems: education, legal, or health care. Both organizations are well run, consistent, and have a high sense of integrity and accountability to the community. All decisions are tied to the mission. Routines and expectations are firmly in place. I will bring all of these things, my approach and experiences to my work at the GLCCB.

SC: What do you see as your number one priority and why?

JL: My number one priority is identifying appropriate, reliable and stable leadership at all levels. Effective leadership will add value and credibility to our organization, has been sorely needed, and will begin the process of mending the GLCCB’s relationship with the community. This includes assembling a dynamic and well-resourced board that reflects the diversity of our community, hiring an Executive Director who has strong executive chops with an authentic understanding of the needs and interests of the entire community, and reviving a Community Advisory Board to look to the people we serve for direction.

SC: Over the course of the past 16 months there have been 4 different executive directors or interim directors serving in that capacity and 4 board presidents since November.  How can you reduce the frequent turnover and create stability and thus, generate more confidence in the GLCCB?

JL: We need to be much better at setting our leaders up for success so they are best poised to lead. That looks like: proper on-boarding and orientation, a reliable directory of resources, and open communication between board and staff leaders.  I feel the first step is stepping back and clarifying and perhaps recalibrating our mission and purpose. It’s time for us to reboot.

The GLCCB is due to ask itself: Why are we here and what do we do? Who do we serve? How do we serve? We will surely find stability in this renewed sense of purpose. What will be most important is how we listen to the community to answer these questions. At this critical junction in the center’s history, we are presented with an opportunity to recreate our organization in the community’s image.

My job will be to unify the right group of people who identify strongly with this mission who will realign and recommit, and who will move forward together with passion and cohesion. As your current President, I don’t intend on going anywhere so long as the people I serve will have me. I have a hands-on, bear-through-the-storm approach to this position; I don’t scare easily, and have advised a similar approach to my fellow board members.

SC: The GLCCB has often been criticized for virtually disappearing once Pride is over.  What can you and the board do to change that reputation?  In other words, please explain how the GLCCB can serve the community year round.

JL:  Honestly, before joining the board, I was probably one of those community members that wondered what the GLCCB did when Pride wasn’t happening. I now know of the many amazing, wonderful services and opportunities that the GLCCB offers year round, that many people take advantage of, but are not well-known by the community.

One of our longest running and most well-attended groups, Sistas of Pride (formerly Women of Color), meets nearly weekly. Mixed Company, another regularly well-attended group for LGBTQ young adults, provides weekly educational and networking opportunities. During this past summer, we hosted 20 Youth Works hires who developed their very own homelessness support program called Helping Hands, which attracts regular patrons. We are hoping to expand our programs and outreach strategies to better support the community’s needs and to keep the community better informed. For more information on current programming, visit www.glccb.org/programs. 

SC: During the past few years board members have assumed more of an oversight role rather than rolling up their sleeves to help in the operations of the center.  Will you encourage a more hands-on role for the board?

JL: Taking into account how much work has yet to be done, we simply cannot have it any other way. Willingness to get hands dirty is a requirement to join this board, and I’ve mentioned this during each interview with every new board member. We are certainly a working board in many respects; however, being a working board certainly does not absolve us of our governing duties.

Strategic delegation of tasks is how we will ensure strong action as a governing body, such as hiring a new executive director, and ways we act as individual working members, such as staffing an event. It is also important to note that I expect the duties and expectations of board members to vary as the needs of the organization change.

SC: Money problems continue to beset the Center.  What do you see as the best strategy to put the GLCCB on a better financial footing?

JL: The money problems that beset the Center are multifaceted, are the result of missteps of many people, and thus require a multifaceted, multi-person solution. We must strengthen our financial oversight. This includes taking a concentrated look at who spends, how much is spent and why, and, how records are kept. We must (re)establish the Finance and Audit committees on our Board, and enlist the help of financial professionals to improve our accounting practices.

We must empower the Board, as chief fundraisers of the organization, to work closely with our development coordinator on a fundraising plan. We must always consider financial decisions ethically, legally, and with the community’s best interests in mind. Most importantly, we must prove ourselves worthy of support from the community if we ever want individual giving to be a thing. 

SC: One of the biggest criticisms of the GLCCB has been its perceived lack of inclusivity of minorities and transgender folks in its governance.  How will you change that perception?

 Lyles addressing crowd at Pride  Photo:Bob Ford

JL: This entire year, I have observed the GLCCB making strides towards becoming an organization that authentically represents people of color mostly in its programming and outreach decisions. We will continue to move in this direction. As an outspoken, strong ally of the transgender community, I will say that the we have a bit more work to do on trans* inclusivity and representation.

As current chair of the Programs and Outreach committee, I plan to work diligently on how the center works with and for these communities. I am specifically interested in transgender representation on our Board and staff and investigating how we can work with existing trans-focused organizations, such as Sistas of the T, Baltimore Trans Alliance, and Black Trans Men, Inc.

SC: As the first African-American in decades to hold the position of GLCCB board president, how will you go about trying to improve race relations within the LGBT community?

JL: I firmly believe that my status as an African-American Board President offers nothing different or extra to improve race relations within the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ racists will not learn or believe anything different by this positioning, I cannot tell them anything that hasn’t already been said, and in the end it will be up to them to work towards changing their damaging mindsets.

Minorities in positions of leadership do not an anti-racist society make. President Obama is ending his second term in office, yet black churches are being targeted by terrorists and unarmed black people are being killed by police. What I will do, as a Board President that condemns racism and approaches all work with a social justice lens, is lead this organization in a direction that visibly recognizes and works against racism in all its forms, intentionally works to uplift those who are most marginalized, encourages and eventually leads conversations about oppression, intersectionality, and authentically serving communities of color.

SC: What would you like the community to know about Jabari Lyles?

JL: I am a passionate public servant who finds true happiness and endless energy in working for positive change. I have over ten years of combined experience as an educator, program manager, outreach specialist, and LGBTQ activist. My interests include STEM education, urban education, queer theory, gender and sexuality studies, and educational technology.

I am a proud Maryland native, and I currently live in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood of Baltimore City. When I’m not working, I’m usually cooking, dancing, or spending time with those I love. I am outgoing, extroverted and approachable. I believe in my city, my community, and the great things that come out of working together. I am excited to work and grow with the GLCCB.

The Summer Winds of Change are Blowing



No one can say this has been hum-drum summer in LGBT Baltimore.  Huge victories, such as the Supreme Court’s ruling that legalized same-sex marriages throughout the nation and the Boy Scouts of America officials voting to allow gay leaders grabbed the headlines.  This progress, unthinkable just a few years ago, were reasons to celebrate.

Taking it to the streets  Photo: Brian Gaither

Locally, other developments have taken place or occurring during the summer that are changing the LGBT landscape. This began prior to the summer when the iconic Hippo stunned the community by announcing its closing later this year after more than four decades of being a major LGBT institution in the city.

Another institution, Equality Maryland—a 25 year-old statewide civil rights advocacy organization that started out as Free State Justice—disclosed in June that financial difficulties stemming from declining revenues following the  passage of same-sex marriage among other factors led to the laying off of its executive director Carrie Evans. 

They recently vacated their Sharp Street offices to reduce overhead and gave away office furniture, old lawn signs from the marriage battles, and other such memorabilia.  On August 2, a new transitional board was established and decided the organization will remain open for the time being but with a scaled down operation.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) is constantly in a state of flux so that any changes this summer are almost to be expected.  The GLCCB is experiencing a staggering amount of turnover in their Board of Directors and at the executive director position.  Since December four individuals have served as the Board’s president, and in less than a year and a half, four have held the executive director or interim executive director’s post.

To be fair, other local organizations have also experienced changes in leadership or in key personnel this summer.  Examples include Hearts & Ears, Moveable Feast and Iron Crow Theatre.  In the spring FreeState Legal hired its new executive director Patrick Paschall.

A major departure from the norm, however, was the recent GLCCB-led Pride celebration that took place in July rather than its customary June spot during Father’s Day weekend.  Schedule conflicts with the city forced the dates to July 25-26, and it worked out well overall.  The separation from other area Pride festivities allowed the Center to increase its sponsorships and more importantly, it provided greater opportunities for potential Pride-goers from out of town to visit Baltimore instead of having to make choices during June’s congested Pride calendar.   

The two-day event in Baltimore drew sizable crowds and in theory should have provided critical revenue to the financially wobbly GLCCB.  For these reasons, if the GLCCB continues to operate Pride in the future, keeping it in July should be seriously considered.

An additional change during the summer has been a renewed brand of activism that is by-passing conventional models and is instead taking it to the streets.  This is significant in that it is not a seasonal event but potentially the beginning of a larger movement. 

#BaltimoreTRANSUPrising marching at Pride  Photo: Bob Ford

Inspired by the protests under the banner #BlackLivesMatter that followed a spate of police-involved killings of unarmed African-American men including Freddie Gray in Baltimore, transgender advocates banded together and formed a #BaltimoreTRANSUPrising movement to air a list of grievances. 

Much of their disquiet centers on police relations with transgender individuals and unsolved murders of transgender victims.  Other issues include homelessness among transgender people, better access to health care in general as well as trans-specific health care, and other forms of discrimination, particularly towards transgender people of color. Many trans folks believe that they have been ignored during the fight for marriage equality and their concerns have been brushed aside.  Now it’s time, they feel, to raise their voices and be heard.

One day before Pride, around a hundred vocal demonstrators marched through the streets of Old Goucher—an area where many transgender women have been harassed or harmed.  They ended up at Washington Monument Plaza for a rally whereby a series of demands were announced.

"...potentially the beginning of a larger movement"

The amount of individuals participating in the movement and the support it is receiving from the broader community could signal a new dynamic in the quest for overall equality.  Perhaps as a way to recognize this cause, Pride officials agreed that a contingent from the #BaltimoreTRANSUPrising group lead off all marchers in the Pride parade.  This is a rare phenomenon in recent Baltimore Pride events in that increased focus was given to a political initiative, and it’s welcome.

As older, established organizations are becoming less relevant today to a younger group of impatient activists, a new wave of leaders are emerging to try to create visibility and support to help reach the goal of equality for all. 

This may be the most significant result of a summer whose winds of change are blowing through the streets of Baltimore.

The GLCCB’s ‘Renaissance’ on Display

Only six months ago, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) was clearly at the nadir of the organization’s 38-year existence.  The Center’s officials were still reeling from a town hall meeting in July when they endured testy questions from angry members of the community on a range of grievances from not returning phone calls to a lack of transparency to accusations that minorities are not welcome.  The shift in June of the annual GLCCB-run Pride celebration to a new locale was unpopular, which didn’t help the mood.

Earlier in February, the GLCCB had moved to its new headquarters in the city-owned Waxter Center after a controversial sale of its longstanding grayish white four-story edifice on Chase Street that was in dire need of renovations and repairs.  However, the lease prohibited the GLCCB from making any cosmetic improvements to its new third floor suite at the Waxter Center.  The water was not potable; plumbing fixtures were not operational; and other deficiencies rendered the space unsuitable for an “open house” event that would allow the community members to see it as a new beginning for the GLCCB.

Far more grave was the financial situation.  Debt was accumulating from past years’ difficulties.  Income was slow to come in—less than needed to meet salaries and operating expenses.  Complicating that was the diminishing of the GLCCB brand that was partly caused by the Pride snafu.  Naysayers repeatedly characterized the Center as being in a state of “turmoil”.

Instability on the Board of Directors contributed to the increasing PR damage.  Members came and left with such frequency that one’s head would spin.  In 2014 alone the GLCCB had three executive directors—the latest of whom is Joel Tinsley-Hall who continues to hold down the fort after his appointment last October.  An amiable and soft-spoken fellow, Tinsley-Hall became the first African-American to hold that post at the GLCCB.

Around a hundred people with over half being people of color and/or women showed up to welcome back the Center—something that the relentless critics would not have predicted.

“Back in October when I was entrusted by the Board with being the executive director of the GLCCB I sensed not only among those closely connected with the Center but also in the community as a whole, a feeling that it would not be long before we became insolvent and would close the door on our long history,” he told me.

Undaunted, Tinsley-Hall reached out to other organizations and individuals in an effort to partner with them on a variety of programs that form the core of the Center’s mission.  He met with a diverse group of folks with the goal of alleviating concerns, repairing damage and restoring confidence in the GLCCB.  

A new era of transparency with support from the Board emerged, which began when Kelly Neel was interim executive director prior to the hiring of Tinsley-Hall.  The Center’s bylaws, board applications and financial statements are posted on glccb.org.  Also, monthly board meetings have been open to the public.  (It’s curious that similar demands for transparency are not made to other LGBT organizations that accept donations from the community.)

Soon after Tinsley-Hall arrived on the scene, a significant turning point occurred.  Paul Liller, a familiar face in the community and a former Pride coordinator, returned to the Center to once again perform that function.  This is a crucial development as revenues from Pride constitute the largest source of income for the Center. 

A highly motivated dynamo, Liller almost instantly garnered sponsorships for Pride, brought the celebrations back to its previous locales to the delight of community members and businesses, and has set up highly visible events and fundraisers to promote the big weekend of July 25-26.  He has since been hired to be the Center’s development coordinator in addition to his Pride-related duties.

Receiving two grants—from Brother Help Thyself and Gilead (a drug company that produces Truvada for the PrEP regimen designed to combat HIV) didn’t hurt either.  “The grant has allowed me to hire another staff person, and produce more programming for the Center,” explains Tinsley-Hall.

Ribbon cutting at the grand reopening on April 14, 2015

The GLCCB finally persuaded the city to allow at least some painting to take place on the walls of the new space.  That and a volunteer-powered clean-up allowed the Center to hold what was termed a “Grand Reopening” that took place on April 14.  

Around a hundred people with over half being people of color and/or women showed up to welcome back the Center—something that the relentless critics would not have predicted.  The guests were feted to food, wine, a DJ, drag performances and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  Those attending the free event also included a “who’s who” of local LGBT leaders, signifying the potential for cooperative efforts with the GLCCB.

“With these 100 people in attendance at our recent Grand Reopening I stated that the Center is going through a ‘renaissance’.  I would challenge anyone to recall the last time that many people were seen at the Center,” Tinsley-Hall said.  “The diversity seen in the crowd was also notable.  Various races, genders, socioeconomic statuses were represented, and I was very proud to stand before the community with my husband and daughter.  Our community is so diverse and that must be highlighted and appreciated.”

He credits this new spirit at the GLCCB to having a permanent, full-time executive director, an active Board of Directors with many new faces, new staff members and extraordinary volunteers.  “All of these people are bringing renewed passion, excitement and dedication to the Center and to the needs of our community.”

Gay Life, the monthly magazine published by the GLCCB under the deft guiding hand of editor Daniel McEvily, is more “cheerful, bright and gay,” as Gilbert O’Sullivan would sing.

Yet, Tinsley-Hall cautions that they are far from being out of the woods. “We still have many financial needs and many opportunities to expand services as needed to our community,” he says, “but we are definitely better off today than six months ago.”

Localizing for the Right Reasons

The news that a new equality center was planned for North Baltimore that includes the heavily LGBT-populated areas of Waverly and Charles Village was met by a subtle attempt to stir unnecessary controversy by our local mainstream newspaper.  The teaser tweets relating to their story read, “Former head of GLCCB creating her own LGBT services organization” and “Will Kelly Neel’s North Baltimore Equality Center be a GLCCB partner or rival?”

The implication is that Kelly Neel, who had resigned in October from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) as interim executive director and has proceeded to launch a new organization, North Baltimore Equality Center (NBEq), is motivated by her departure in an attempt to stick a finger in the eye of her previous employer.

This is simply not true.

To be fair, the environment at the GLCCB prompting Kelly’s resignation last October was, as she described, “tumultuous”.  She believed the Board members at the time did not communicate effectively with her, did not provide needed support, nor did they share her vision regarding the Center’s finances and event planning.  In turn, Board members were not fond of her job performance. 

The permanent job (assuming the word “permanent” is even appropriate) was clearly not going to be hers although her application would have been considered.  She read the handwriting on the wall, saw no chance of reaching common ground, and said adios.  Joel Tinsley-Hall was ultimately selected to fill the position.

Evidence of Kelly’s commitment to the community and not retribution towards the GLCCB was demonstrated by her actions immediately following her resignation.  Instead of leaving the Center bitterly and with her tail between her legs as others in that situation may have done, she meticulously provided a detailed blueprint and set of instructions for her successor to ensure as smooth a transition as possible.  I know Joel appreciated that.

Her biggest gripe as stated in an email blast to her friends and supporters that announced her resignation was not so much the GLCCB but the “culture of disconnect between the various organizations that provide services to our LGBTQ community.”  Kelly lamented the lack of communication and collaboration among the organizations causing some people to be unaware of available services.

If you know Kelly, you understand her passion for helping community members receive services and participate in programs, not trying to compete with other organizations including the GLCCB.  That is one of the reasons she wanted to start an Equality Center in North Baltimore, an area where she resides.  Simply put, Kelly wants to partner with other organizations to help the community.

 “There is a need in our community and I intend to work to satiate it, not to run other organizations out of the game,” Kelly Neel told me in an interview. “Programs are similar to that of the GLCCB because there is a need for these sorts of programs across the city, not solely in Mount Vernon.”  

Indeed, there are AA meetings held at the GLCCB, for example, but AA meetings exist all over the city.  No one entity has a monopoly on a program or service; organizations could and should work together.

“I have met with Joel Tinsley-Hall…and have discussed the potential North Baltimore Equality Center and my plans to include the GLCCB as a partner,” Kelly points out.  “Joel expressed that he is 100 percent on board and would love to collaborate in the future. In addition, I see the North Baltimore Equality Center as a way to bring together the various LGBTQ organizations in Baltimore City to collaboratively tackle the issues our community faces.”

Kelly feels the critical issue of money can be best helped by a shared effort. “In my opinion, if we are all working in partnership towards the same goals, it is much more attractive to potential funding groups and foundations,” she explains.  “Applying for grants jointly and in partnership allows the funders’ dollars [to] travel further, allowing two organizations to serve their community through one grant.”

For sure, funding will be a key to success.  Competing for precious dollars from donors and securing grants is a daunting challenge.  Kelly estimates that $60,000-$65,000 will be needed the first year.  She must overcome that competition with other organizations and selling the idea to a steadily disengaging community.  While responses to a needs survey that coincided with her announced launch have been robust during the early stages, completing a survey and writing a check are two different matters.

Should the NBEq Center become successful, Kelly envisions partner sites around the city to help community member access services and programs. “I think it is important to localize the movement but in a cohesive manner,” Kelly says. “Resources and programs that do not cater to the surrounding community's interest will not be successful. In addition, one central organization becomes less effective if the community it intends to serve cannot reach them. Proximity is a big deal in Baltimore. If I cannot easily and affordably reach your services, I am far less inclined to use them.”

This idea of localization is a good one and is something I argued for on a statewide level last March.  We should decentralize the equality movement and establish local and regional outlets, such as Western Maryland Equality, Southern Maryland Equality, Eastern Shore Equality and the several PFLAG chapters already in place throughout the state to more effectively reach our communities.

Local branches would be better equipped to “put out fires” and deal with corresponding local elected officials, school boards, police departments, and business entities since the folks working with them are neighbors.

Kelly Neel’s NBEq venture would apply this principle and make it easier for community members to benefit from the services and programs offered.  This is a smart approach all the way around and should be supported by our communities.  It is by no means intended to settle scores or create rivalries.

Equality Organization Planned for North Baltimore

In an effort to provide needed services and programs to residents in Charles Village and Waverly, a new non-profit called the North Baltimore Equality (NBEq) Center is being planned. Using the catchy theme “Let’s be Bmore Equal,” the goal, according to founder Kelly Neel, is “to bring a small community center environment with programming and resources through partnerships for all ages, races, sexual orientations, gender identities, religions, etc. with a focus on LGBTQ individuals, in addition to programming and services for all underserved populations.” 

On the new website, an additional explanation is offered stating, “While our main focus is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for the LGBTQ community, we also provide support to the broader community by offering low-cost access to technology, programs, events and educational workshops that boost involvement in the arts and environment, and provide skills for healthy, smart, sustainable living. All we ask is that those who choose to use our services make a conscious effort to treat everyone they meet kindly and equitably and strive to “Bmore Equal”. 

Before any plans are set in concrete, Neel is requesting the community to complete a brief survey on the website.  Respondents are asked to choose among a series of potential community programs ranging from adult education/job readiness to bicycle safety.  People can write in their own choices as well.

For community services, among the available choices are a drop-in center, a media center and studio space available for artists and performers for a nominal hourly rate.  Again, the public can add others as they see fit.

In addition, several support groups were proposed including a youth group, a transgender support group, LGBTQ-friendly Alcoholics Anonymous among others.

The website offers a Project Outline, an About page, a Volunteer Application page as well as the survey.  The Project Outline provides the organization’s leadership structure and responsibilities as well as details concerning the proposed programs and services.

Neel, who was the interim executive director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) before resigning this past September, acknowledges that NBEq intends to offer programs and services that have historically been operated by the GLCCB.  She points out that these services are needed throughout the city, not just in Mount Vernon and that GLCCB executive director Joel Tinsley-Hall is “100 per cent on board.”  Neel is seeking the GLCCB to be a partner in this endeavor along with other community organizations.

Kelly Neel

“I see the NBEq Center as a way to bring together the various LGBTQ organizations in Baltimore City to collaboratively tackle the issues our community faces,” Neel told Baltimore OUTloud.  “If we are all working in partnership towards the same goals, it is much more attractive to potential funding groups and foundations. Applying for grants jointly and in partnership allows the funders’ dollars to travel further; killing two birds with one stone, or in a more PETA friendly terms, allowing two organizations to serve their community through one grant.”  A first year budget is estimated between $60,000 and $65,000.

Space to house the NBEq Center’s programs and services are dependent upon the extent in which the partnering organizations become involved and location feasibility.  Initially, the 29^th Street Center is thought of as a good fit because planned programs overlap with existing programs at the Center; however, a partnership has not yet been established. Additional space options are indicated on the Project Outline on the website.

The area in which NBEq intends to serve contains the most concentrated population of LGBT folks of anywhere in the Baltimore vicinity.  However, Neel intends to offer programs and services throughout the city and beyond if this project is successful.

"These services are needed throughout the city, not just in Mount Vernon."--Kelly Neel

“I have stated before that the needs of the community in North Baltimore are different than the needs of the community in say Canton/Fells Point, which differ from the needs in Midtown or Mount Vernon, and from Federal Hill to Druid Hill,” Neel explains. “My hope is that down the road, this type of targeted resource can be established through the North Baltimore Equality Center project by people in those communities. I do want to stress that this in no way implies that programs that are already established will be taken over; my goal is for the project to help support these programs and find a way to more easily house programs/resources in one cohesive location in each community in the city.” 

But now Neel’s focus is to get the organization established and running successfully to serve the North Baltimore population. “Haste makes waste; therefore, I want to make sure everything we do is well planned and supported so that each program can be executed successfully before taking on additional responsibilities and tasks.”

To keep up with developments, follow NBEq on Twitter @bmore_equal or on Facebook at facebook.com/bmoreequal.  Questions can be emailed to thecenter@bmoreequal.org.

‘Gayzing’ Into My Crystal Ball: What’s in Store for 2015?

One thing about crystal balls, they’re not always crystal clear.  However, I’ve relied on them for some time now to make my annual predictions.  Twelve months ago, when I tried to forecast how 2014 would likely work out for the LGBT world, I was accurate in some cases and blew it in others.  That’s the risk you take when you depend on an inanimate object.

Graphic: Joe Velazquez

Looking back, I wrote correctly that 2014 would be a good year for marriage equality advances throughout the country, which came true in stunning fashion.  I also said that an interesting development would take place regarding at least one local LGBT organization.  Bull’s eye on that one, too, as the GLCCB found a new home.

Happily, I was off the mark regarding non-discrimination protections in Maryland based on gender identity.  I reasoned that with 2014 being an election year, the folks in Annapolis wouldn’t touch the hot-button issue.  Well, they did, and the Fairness for All Marylanders Act is now the law without the anguish from a referendum battle.

With some trepidation from a history of mixed bags in predicting, I will keep the tradition going with some forecasts for 2015. 

I’ll start not with a prediction but a statement.  In Maryland, this will be the first year in a decade where neither the major issues of marriage equality nor transgender protections will be a focus by advocates in Annapolis.  There remains other work to be done, for sure, but unfortunately these initiatives are not headline-grabbers like marriage equality.

Equality Maryland, who has helped fight those eventual winning battles, laid out their agenda for the 2015 General Assembly consisting of three bills they would like to see passed: 1)  a bill that would allow transgender people to change their Maryland birth certificate when it’s right for them; 2) a bill that would ensure  equal insurance coverage for same-sex married couples in the area of in-vitro fertilization; and 3) a bill that would ensure  that when parents separate, the best interests of the children will be the criteria to determine a non-legal (de facto) parent’s rights and responsibilities.

Though not glamorous, these are worthy measures and we should support them. In addition,  I would like to see  Equality Maryland, FreeState Legal Project and other members of the coalition comprising the Youth Equality Alliance (YEA) attempt to advance at least some of the recommendations contained in the YEA report released last August. 

This report focused in stark terms on the way LGBT youth are subject to poor treatment in schools, and in the foster care and juvenile justice systems—the “school to jail pipeline."  I predict, however, not much will happen in that regard.

Nationally, marriage equality will again be front and center.  While they’ve punted in the past allowing various federal Circuit Courts of Appeals’ decisions prohibiting same-sex marriage bans to stand, the U.S. Supreme Court justices will have to hold their collective noses and issue a national ruling on the legality of same-sex marriage once and for all.  There is that much momentum going; 2015 should be the year.

I predict the tragic suicide of young transgender Leelah Alcorn will be the big fight in 2015 as activists will go all-out in an attempt to ban conversion therapy and to fight intolerance.  Sadly, we tend to rely on suicides and murders as catalysts to get people energized.

The decades-long attempts to end workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity (ENDA—Employment Nondiscrimination Act) during this Congress will continue to be met with frustration.  Though the Senate a year ago passed a bill by a 64-32 majority, the House leadership refused to take up the measure despite the likelihood it would have passed (since there were more Democrats in the 113^th Congress before the election) and President Obama would have signed it into law. 

As we approach the 114^th Congress—the one with the largest GOP majority in 83 years—there is no incentive on the part of Republicans to move on the bill and cause further fissures between social conservatives and establishment, more pragmatic lawmakers.  The newly elected and empowered representatives will not support ending this discrimination.  Thus, ENDA will continue to languish at least through 2015. 

As interest in the presidential race for 2016 heats up, there will be anti-marriage equality rhetoric from potential contenders—especially from socially bigoted, er, conservative hopefuls Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum, which could push other candidates to the right.  It would be a certainty should the Supreme Court rule favorably on marriage equality.

In sports, I believe another pro athlete will come out.  It would be great if it originated by a player from our national pastime, but I would be celebrating no matter who it is. Baseball umpire Dale Scott set a promising tone with more support than not.  Also, look for Michael Sam to land a spot on an NFL roster.

An even more confident prediction is that should a gay athlete come out, anti-gay folks will declare they “don’t care” or they “don’t want to hear about it.”  That is the new meme for disliking the fact a male pro athlete announces he’s gay. 

Back home again, Chase Brexton Health Care, after establishing an LGBT Health Resource Center, will likely take on an expanded role in providing other LGBT services that had not been done before by Chase Brexton.

And one thing I will predict with sure-fire certainty: now that Pride has moved—at least temporarily to July where drag queens and leather folks could melt and form puddles in the summer’s heat—people will find a way to complain about the dates and location.  It’s a Baltimore tradition like crabs, Natty Boh, and snow panic.

Have a safe, healthy and happy 2015 and let’s toast that the good predictions come true and the bad ones don’t.

The GLCCB's Mounting Challenges

The resignation of interim executive director Kelly Neel from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) further brings to light the mounting challenges facing the 35 year-old institution.  In a candid email sent to 180 friends and colleagues, Neel, who served in that capacity for about five months following the resignation of her predecessor Matt Thorn, wrote, “It has been a tumultuous time for the organization, which has been in transition for quite some time now. While I believe that we have navigated the past year to the best of our abilities, I no longer feel that my values and my vision align with those of our leadership.”

Kelly Neel at 2014 Baltimore Pride

Prior to the resignation, a search for a permanent executive director was underway.  Neel saw the handwriting on the wall: she was not going to win the job through a competitive process.  Neel told me that she did not receive support from the board of directors; there was a decided lack of communication between the board and her; she did not feel valued or respected; and there was a “disconnect” regarding her vision on financial strategies and event planning.

A member of the board acknowledged she was not likely to be offered the permanent position though she would have been considered along with other candidates.  For their part, the board was dissatisfied with her handling of the job, managing and presenting budgets, and the manner in which she interacted with board members. 

Without getting into the he-said, she-said details, one thing is clear: they didn’t get along, and she resigned on her own terms without having to go through the process of inevitably losing out to another candidate.  Cohesion is critical in any organization, and perhaps a better effort could have been undertaken by both sides to improve the relationship.

To be clear, Neel was just one person given formidable tasks to manage the Center. As she had previously pointed out in an open letter, “it takes a village.” All the essential operations and programs of the GLCCB should not be the responsibility of one person.  The board should not simply supervise the executive director but to also assume an “all hands on deck” posture to actively help out as well.  That has not happened.  

To the public (and the executive director is indeed the public face of the Center) Neel demonstrated a calm temperament and demeanor during the contentious town hall meeting at the Waxter Center in July.  She was among those in the cross-hairs during that event, handling the barbs with professionalism, class and respect.  She pledged and followed through on the prevailing theme of establishing transparency by posting minutes of previous board meetings (to the extent that they were available), financial reports, and board applications (since removed) to the GLCCB’s website.  She also arranged for open board meetings of which two have taken place.

As Neel pointed out, she functioned in an environment that she termed as “tumultuous,” – a generous characterization.  She assumed the post of interim executive director just a couple of months before Pride whereby decisions had already been made to shift the location.  Her task was to implement those decisions in a tight timeframe, and despite some cracks in the walls, she and her staff of volunteers pulled off the huge event quite well. 

Prior to Neel’s appointment, the GLCCB’s move to new digs at the Waxter Center last winter did not go over well.  The new venue was and still is not physically and cosmetically ready for prime time depriving the Center from holding a welcoming open house to help reset their image. And the sale of the previous building as well as the move itself was controversial because of the lack of transparency and community input.  

During the town hall and since, Neel issued a public warning that the Center needs the community to survive.  The financial picture for the GLCCB looks dismal with mounting debt and a lack of a reliable income stream to sustain a minimum of $10,000 per month for operations and personnel.  This doesn’t even include program-related expenses.

Neel rightly acknowledged there is a growing apathy among the LGBT communities towards the Center, which would take an enormous effort to reverse. Two months ago I outlined some common-sense suggestions to right the ship.  If followed, there is a chance the Center could build a brand that will provide a rationale for its existence and the donations would possibly follow.

The key to success is community buy-in.  The GLCCB must express a vision that it rightly has a place in Baltimore and whose mission is not centered on Pride alone.  It needs to extend their hands to all communities and allow representatives to help formulate and act on the Center’s mission. It needs a diverse board with a broad range of experiences that would be willing to roll up their sleeves and work.  The Center should continue what Neel was beginning to accomplish by holding small, inexpensive and affordable events to raise money and to show more visibility and relevancy.

Instability at the top (and that includes the revolving door on the board) is not the way to maintain rapport and business relationships with other entities nor will it help bolster confidence in an organization that is in need of it. Kelly Neel was not the problem and a search for a permanent executive director could have waited.

The focus should be on developing a clear strategy to deal with the financial crisis and fast.  Perhaps most importantly, however, the communities must feel there is a reason to keep the GLCCB going.

These are challenges, to be sure, but if not met, the doors could shut down for good.

The Center at the Crossroads

Because the GLCCB was holding only its second or third public town hall meeting in 12 years, it was no surprise that there would be pent-up criticism launched at the Pride coordinators and the Center’s board.  Only two of the five current board members were present on the raised stage on July 23 to field questions and comments about the recently concluded Pride festivities, but it wasn’t a stretch to expect that angry critics of the Center would eventually capitalize on this rare opportunity.

The ghosts of the Center’s past permeated the first floor community meeting room of the Waxter Center, the new digs of the GLCCB since February.  Charges of racism, classism, unresponsiveness, the lack of transparency and accountability in its finances and business matters, failure to reach out to minorities and transgender folks, noncompliance with the organization’s bylaws, and the question of its purpose all but obliterated the concerns about the beverage garden at Pride and other comparatively mundane matters.

While the critics were few in number in relation to the thousands in the community who were invited to this event—there are several ways to interpret the overall attendance—the points raised were largely valid and have obviously been held in the back of the throats of the detractors for a long time until this chance to voice their concerns presented itself.

Most but not all of the charges are applicable to the Center’s past leadership during its over 35- year history; some are legitimately appropriated to the current board.  Kelly Neel, the interim executive director (not a board member), acknowledged these deficiencies and promised, with community help, to work hard at correcting them.  

Indeed, for the first time in memory, the GLCCB at the town hall was forthcoming with the financials connected to this year’s Pride.  It revealed a modest profit of $64,000, which, to me, is not sustainable over the course of the year considering the other overhead expenses needed to maintain the organization.   Neel emphasized that with scarce resources, the Center’s staff cannot do it alone and needs an abundance of community support to keep the Center alive.

The GLCCB is currently at the crossroads.  Significant as the issues raised at the town hall are (and they are vital in winning the confidence of the community), the GLCCB’s fundamental challenge is establishing a rationale for people to support the cause. 

Perhaps former GLCCB board member John Flannery said it best on a recent Facebook post.  “As it stands, most people just don’t know what the Center does outside of Pride...so getting them to donate is a losing proposition. Donate to what?” he asks.  “The days of assuming that the community needs the Center based on general principle alone are over. The community has changed and so have our needs.”

And so has the Center.

As the founders of the Center visualized and after the Chase St. building was purchased, the GLCCB was to be building-centric.  That is, community leaders saw it as a vibrant place to hold public board meetings, house offices including the important Switchboard and provide a safe space for community members to drop in. 

That changed over time as the Switchboard was disbanded and the health clinic broke away from the GLCCB.  Lambda Rising bookstore rented the ground floor meeting area for a decade thus eliminating the space that the founders had envisioned. The building eventually lost being the focal point of the community, its center.

Other deficiencies surfaced.  The GLCCB fritted away the opportunity to be part of the marriage equality and transgender non-discrimination battles.  While some on the board eschewed political issues, the Center could have demonstrated some relevancy and be part of history.  Instead, it sat on the sidelines.

Another miscue was that the eventual sale of building was botched in that Center leadership was not forthcoming as to the actual reasons for the sale. It played into the narrative that the people running the Center leadership lack openness and honesty.

An opportunity to reconnect with the community with the move to the current space was also squandered as the Waxter Center office space was and still is in need of work so it was not ready for an “open house” to re-generate enthusiasm.  It could have been a welcome shot in the arm.

For years the Center has been saddled with the reputation of existing solely for Pride.  To be sure, much of the Center’s visibility has occurred during the run-up to and including Pride.  Afterwards, not much seems to happen.

Can the GLCCB experience a renaissance or is it a lost cause?  The hill is steep but there are actions that can be taken to get back on track.  Some suggestions:

Consider a name change of the GLCCB to something like the more general Baltimore (or Maryland) Pride Center so as not to exclude sexual and gender minorities.

Piggybacking off the financial disclosures at the town hall, continue that path of transparency.

Reactivate the Advisory Council to encourage broad community perspectives that seem to be lacking.

Vigorously recruit historically underrepresented minorities to fill board seats; don’t just wait for applications to roll in. 

Adhere to the Strategic Plan that cost the GLCCB thousands of dollars to develop; don’t simply post it on the website.

Comply with the bylaws to hold open board meetings on a regular basis.

Make better use of Gay Life, Baltimore OUTloud and social media to convey results of board meetings and other important information.

Develop a speakers’ bureau to go out to schools, businesses and government agencies to discuss LGBT issues.

Play “small ball” regarding fundraisers.  Make events affordable and diverse to add visibility to the Center.  The Orioles outings are a fine example.  Partner with other organizations.

Recruit and train grant writers to help raise needed revenue.

And most importantly, identify those projects to secure grants.  Consider areas such as LGBT youth homelessness, school bullying and senior issues and activities, just to name a few.

These are all do-able albeit challenging, but when you’re at the crossroads, choosing the right path is key to finding your way.