'Black, Gay and Here to Stay'

Bravo to the LGBT contingent that marched in the 26th annual Kingdom Day parade last weekend here in Los Angeles. Here's a terrific video of them at the event, which honors the spirit of Martin Luther King and draws thousands every year.

This is the third year in a row that the LGBT group "Here to Stay" has marched in the parade. The first was in 2009, shortly after Proposition 8 passed. Fifteen to twenty brave, proud, black LGBTs participated that year. In 2010, it literally rained on the parade, but the group doubled their numbers anyway. This year, they doubled their numbers again and 60-80 people marched. The Jordan Rustin Coalition helped organize this year.

After the march, an enthusiastic participant said, “It’s one thing to march in a gay pride parade in West Hollywood, it’s another to be out and march with a group of all-black gay and lesbian people in your own community.”