the young people's professor

Does the address “85 South Oxford Street” sound familiar to you? For those of us familiar with People of Color in Crisis (P.O.C.C.), it’s an address we never forget. Nestled ambiguously on a busy corner in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene section, P.eople O.f C.olor in C.risis continues to be one of the most important institutions in the history of black gay men’s political activism in New York. From the organization’s political responses to the murders of Rashawn Brazell, Sakia Gunn, and Michael Sandy to its activism around the CDC's problematic five city "46% study", P.O.C.C. has been an anchor and beacon of hope for queer black New Yorkers, particularly black men.

I became familiar with P.O.C.C. in late 2003 after meeting its Executive Director and Director of Services at a conference, and later was honored to receive the organization’s 2004 Youth Leadership Award during their annual Brooklyn “Pride In The City” event. Since then I’ve grown close to much of the staff, particularly my personal mentor and "gay father", Michael Roberson. The organization is also one of my key sites in my on-going dissertation research.

Today P.O.C.C. announced that its long term executive director, the brilliant Gary English, will be resigning after 9 years as the agency's Executive Director. The impact that Gary has had on queer black AIDS activism in New York City is exhaustive ---it would be impossible for me to effectively express how instrumental Gary's leadership has been. We are all wishing him the absolute best in his retirement life.

The Board's decision to appoint Michael Roberson as the new Executive Director is a landmark moment. I can’t imagine a better choice to succeed Gary. Michael has been "the voice" of P.O.C.C. for years, and has been instrumental in the formation of national initiatives such as Many Men, Many Voices, a behavorial intervention project which focuses on the socio-cultural conditions which help fuel HIV/AIDS infections in the queer black community.

Michael has also been the man behind the annual "P.O.C.C. Ball" which has led to thousands of members of the house-ball community receiving on-site HIV/AIDS testing and prevention. As Father of the House of Miyake Mugler, he has truly helped transform what it means to be "Father" of a house, using his leadership role as a platform for politics. A whole generation of young men in the ball scene have been influenced by his leadership, including myself, Ruben Mizrahi and Wylick Miyake Mugler----all of whom are his "gay sons."

Congratulations are in order.

Frank Leon Roberts

P.S.---take a look at an old "conversation" between Michael and I, on black queer politics and pleasures.