Newly elected Ald. Lamont Robinson proud of growing LGBTQ representation on City Council
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Lesbian, gay, and bisexual alderpeople now make up nearly one-fifth of the Chicago City Council, the most anywhere, and they come from all over the city, not just Boystown.
Streaming anchor Brad Edwards spoke to one of the newest LGBTQ members of the City Council, and how his journey to City Hall came with support from a surprise source.
A man who has overcome, Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th) recently gave the keynote address on graduation day for Bronzeville Academy Charter School.
"I'm reminded of the power of dreams," he told graduates. "However, as a young Black kid from the South Side of Chicago, I faced challenges."
Added to being a young Black kid from the South Side, Robinson also discovered he was gay. In college, he wrote his pastor a letter.
"And let him know that I was dealing with my sexuality, and didn't know what to do. And he wrote me a three-page letter back. 'God loves you. I love you. Your church family loves you. You're gonna be okay. Here's a book to read. And here's a mentor.' That was life changing, because there are other pastors that would have written me something different, and had they written me something different, I might not be sitting here today," Robinson said.
The letter came from Rev. Jeremiah Wright, former President Obama's pastor. The compassion Wright showed Robinson manifests today.
"As an out Black member of the LGBTQ community, I try to use my bully pulpit to better our community," Robinson said.
A successful business owner, he was the first openly queer Black member of the Illinois General Assembly, serving in the Illinois House for 5 years before winning election to the City Council this spring.
When the new City Council was sworn in last month, Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) noted it is "the most diverse council in the history of the city of Chicago."
"It's nine of us. We have the largest queer city council in the country," Robinson said. "The fight has never left the Black LGBTQ community. We've always been in a fight. There are still trans brothers and sisters that have been murdered in the city of Chicago, where we don't have the answers to."
That's why Robinson met Edwards at the Brave Space Alliance, the South Side's LGBTQ+ community center, serving the trans community and more. Robinson has secured funding for such organizations, monies to combat HIV and more.
"I'm very fortunate enough to have had a very supportive family. Many or our youth, Brad, do not have supportive families, which is why we have high rates of suicide, which is why we have high rates of HIV; because we can't be our authentic selves," Robinson said. "Knowing how much our community has been hurt, how are community is not being supported, and how much work is needed to be able to bring our community whole; because, right now, it is not whole."
Robinson is now ensuring a community that's been hurt is heard.
The alderman was headed to the White House on Thursday, for a Pride celebration dinner at 7 p.m.
