World’s Largest Black Pride Organization Announces New Leader

(October 31, 2006 – Atlanta, GA) – In The Life Atlanta, Inc. (ITLA) announced today that Kenneth T. Jones, leader, activist, and researcher in the Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community has been appointed President of the Board of Directors effective October 21, 2006.

“I cannot begin to express how delighted I am that Kenneth has been selected as the new president of our Board. The leadership he has expressed since joining our board, and the outstanding organizing abilities he demonstrated in our most recent Pride celebration and specifically, the See Us In The Life Film Festival, is pure indication of the needed talent and leadership he will bring to our organization,” said Michael Slaughter, former Board Co-chair.

“It is certainly an honor to take over the helms of the world’s largest Black pride organization,” said Kenneth T. Jones. “Having celebrated our 10th anniversary, ITLA is finally becoming financially astute. It is certainly a privilege to begin working with, and listening to the diverse concerns of, our many community, business, and academic partners.” Mr. Jones will oversee board and programmatic activities including the annual Labor Day Pride Celebration and the Bayard Rustin Weekend Festivities that take place during the commemoration of the birth of the Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mr. Jones has worked extensively in the Black LGBT and HIV communities. He is a founding board member of the Queer Economic Justice Network and the Black Gay Research Initiative. He has assisted in the defeat of anti-gay ballot initiatives in Miami-Dade County, FL and Ypsilanti, MI, where the religious right threatened to divide the Black community. He has been a consultant with several community based organizations including People of Color in Crisis, Brooklyn, NY and Gay Men of African Descent, New York, NY. As the former Director of Research with the Policy Institute of the National Lesbian and Gay Task Force, he managed the Black Pride Survey—the largest study of its kind investigating the lives of African American LGBT individuals across the nation. With a Master of Science in Social Work degree from Columbia University in New York, NY and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Mr. Jones is currently a behavioral scientist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where he conducts research with African Americans and men who have sex with men at risk for HIV infection.

The appointment of Mr. Jones has been well received in the Black LGBT community. “Once again ITLA continues to be one of the leaders in the Black Pride movement by going to the next level and bringing on Kenneth as the new president of the board,” said Earl Fowlkes, President/CEO of DC Black Pride and former President of the International Federation of Black Prides. “I have known Mr. Jones for a number of years and know him to be the type of leader who has the vision and the expertise to make positive things happen.”

Kenneth Jones can be reached directly at kjones@inthelifeatl.com.

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In the Life Atlanta, Inc. serves to promote unity, pride, self-empowerment, and positive visibility within Atlanta's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community of African descent through education, advocacy, and coalition building programs.

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In The Life Atlanta
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Mission: ITLA serves to promote unity, pride, self-empowerment, and positive visibility within Atlanta's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender community of African descent through education, advocacy, and coalition building programs.