BLACK ENTERPRISE Wins GLAAD Media Award For Outstanding Magazine Article

GLAAD presenter & Top Chef star Padma Lakshmi, Outstanding Magazine Article winners Carolyn Brown (Black Enterprise) and Chris Geidner (Metro Weekly) (Tie), with co-presenter and MSNBC Anchor Thomas Roberts. Photo by Wire Image® courtesy of GLAAD

BLACK ENTERPRISE Wins GLAAD Media Award For Outstanding Magazine Article
“Black & Gay in Corporate America” Takes Top Honors at New York City Ceremony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GLAAD.jpg(New York, NY) March 26, 2012—BLACK ENTERPRISE, the nation’s premier business and wealth-building resource for African Americans, took top honors for Outstanding Magazine Article at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards held on March 24, 2012 in New York City.  Written by Senior Multimedia Content Producer Carolyn M. Brown, the July 2011 cover feature “Black & Gay in Corporate America” took an unflinching look at the cultural and professional obstacles facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) African American professionals and how a growing number are coming out and breaking through isolation and fear within their companies. The award, shared with Metro Weekly’s Chris Geidner for the "15th Anniversary of the Passage of the Defense of Marriage Act,” honors a magazine article or series for its fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives.

In accepting the GLAAD award from presenters Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef and MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, “Black & Gay” author Carolyn Brown thanked cover subject Sabin D. Blake, a dealer organizational manager for General Motors Corp. (GM), who came forward after keeping his sexual orientation hidden for years while navigating the professional obstacles of being African American and gay.  “Black LGBT professionals in corporate America and in the African American community in general, often feel like they need to adhere to ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ the former U.S. policy governing homosexuality in the military,” said Brown. “It’s especially important for those of us in black media to break this code of silence and continue to cover stories that elevate LGBT people in the community.”

"I am particularly proud that we received recognition from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation [GLAAD] for this courageous editorial,” said Black Enterprise Magazine SVP/Editor-in-Chief Derek T. Dingle. “BLACK ENTERPRISE will continue to break new ground and deliver unique, dynamic, and relevant content such as this across all our media platforms, be it in print, television, digital or events.

BLACK ENTERPRISE accompanied “Black & Gay in Corporate America” with an expanded editorial package at www.blackenterprise.com/blacklgbt highlighting  the struggles and successes of the black LGBT community in the workplace and beyond, including Black and LGBT in the Black Church; Being Black & Transgendered; Gay Rights vs. Civil Rights; Homophobia in Sports: The Other Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell ; Gender Identity & Sexuality Discrimination in the Office; 49 Milestones in LGBT History; LGBT Trailblazers – Still Black & Proud; and Black LGBT Entertainers: Out & Proud. 

For a complete list of the 23rd Annual GLAAD Award winners, visit www.glaad.org.

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BLACK ENTERPRISE, your ultimate source of Wealth for Life, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides four million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. As multimedia company, BE produces television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content and digital media. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the definitive source of information for and about African American business markets and leaders, and the authority on black business news and trends.

Andrew Wadium

Media & Corporate Relations Director

BLACK ENTERPRISE

(212) 886-9598

wadiuma@blackenterprise.com

www.blackenterprise.com/press

www.facebook.com/blackenterprise

www.twitter.com/blackenterprise

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