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Shades of Pride

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Toya Hankins, chair of Shades of Pride, is a native of Southport, NC and has relocated back to the Raleigh after a 20 year absence. She is a graduate of East Carolina University and board member of Carolinas Black Pride Movement. Toya has been involved in volunteer management and public relations for several LGBT groups of color over the past 15 years and is currently employed by a division of the North Carolina Health and Humans Services.

Akil Campbell has served the LGBTQ Community for over 6 years, assisted with the design and evaluation of programs for persons in transitional housing and is a recent transplant from Miami, Florida. He graduated from Florida International University in 2007 with a Master of Public Health Degree. After moving to North Carolina, Akil has worked with the NC Institute of Minority Economic Development and the Coordinating Council for Senior Citizens providing health education and screening opportunities for senior citizens and minority populations. Akil is also the founder of Men United for HIV/AIDS Awareness (www.MUFHA.org) a 501c3 non-profit agency which provides health education for ethnic men.

Nina is a Staff Specialist at Duke University and very active in the regional and local LGBTQ community. She was selected as a 2000 and 2001 Audre Lorde Scholar sponsored by ZAMI, Inc., Atlanta’s premiere organization for lesbians of African descent that recognizes annually out lesbians and gay men of African descent who are making significant contributions to their communities. She is the co-founder and president of Seven Sisters, a social networking group of lesbians of color who live in the triangle area.

Purusha is a native of New Jersey. She graduated from St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, NC, with her Bachelors of Business Administration. She a Certified Pharmacy Technician, with RX 24/7. She serves as Public Relations for various Lesbian social groups in the Triangle Area. She also enjoys networking and being actively involved in bringing the Lesbian Community together.

Yvonne is an Assistant Attorney General in the Correction Section of the North Carolina Department of Justice. She is a 1991 magna cum laude graduate of Howard University, Washington, DC and a 1994 graduate of the UNC School of Law, Chapel Hill, NC. Yvonne and her spouse reside in Durham. Yvonne is also the co-founder and Director of Public Relations for Seven Sisters, a social networking group of lesbians of color who live in the triangle area. She is excited and energized to be a part of the Triangle area's first Black Pride movement

Kelly earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from Morehouse College and has a Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing. Kelly has resided both in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina for a total of 10 years.

Ms. Carter’s career is not limited to work with War Resister's League, beginning c. 1969; North Carolina Lesbian and Gay Pride marches, served on planning committees, 1986-91; March on Washington for Lesbians and Gays, national steering committee, 1987, 1993; Rhythm Fest (musical festival for southern women), co-producer; North Carolina Senate Vote '90 and North Carolina Mobilization '96 (initiatives to defeat N.C. senator Jesse Helms), director; Our Own Place (a lesbian center), founding member; UMOJA (black gay and lesbian organization), founding member; Stonewall 25, executive committee; Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, board of governors; Human Rights Campaign Fund, board of directors; member-at-large of the Democratic National Committee, serving on both the DNC Gay and Lesbian Caucus and DNC Black Caucus; member of the boards of the International Federation of Black Prides, the National Stonewall Democratic Federation, the Triangle Foundation, Equal Partners in Faith and Ladyslipper Music.

Miguel Perez hails from Puerto Rico where he obtained a Bachelor’s in history from the Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Puerto Rico. He currently works for the City of Raleigh, is an on-call spanish translator and an advocate for LGBTQ Issues.

Shades of Pride's Advisory Committee

Fred is Sports Commissioner for the International Federation of Black Prides, works at Duke University in student administration, and volunteers with both D. C. Black Pride & The Alliance of AIDS Services - Carolina. He received his B.A. in African American Studies from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and M.S. in Athletic Administration from North Carolina Central University.