Keith Boykin '87 spoke last night about following his dreams to success in the keynote address to mark National Coming Out Week.
Boykin, executive director of the National Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, an educational advocacy organization based in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, is the author of "One More River to Cross: Black and Gay in America."
When President Bill Clinton was elected in 1992, Boykin was appointed special assistant and director of specialty press -- a position he resigned from in order to author his book.
Gaining a political view
"When I came to Dartmouth as a freshman in 1983, I was unfamiliar with the whole world of the Ivy League, of college and of everything else," Boykin said.
As the editor-in-chief of The Dartmouth, Boykin said he gained experience that helped him attain a view of the political world.
"I came to Dartmouth around the time when the New Hampshire presidential primary was heating up. Candidates streamed through here," he said.
He said the primaries were the first experience that allowed him to see what it meant to interact with the political world.
"Dartmouth helped me gain that experience," he said. "I was 19 years old and interviewing presidential candidates for The Dartmouth. That was the beginning of my career."
In 1986, during Boykin's junior year, the College's investment in South Africa sparked student protest.
Students exercised their power and were a strong force in negotiating with the administration, he said. The experience motivated him and taught him about the manipulation of power.
"I was at Dartmouth during enormous upheaval on campus," he said. "I felt I had the opportunity to see an earth shattering year at the College."
Making choices
Boykin said his family wanted him to attend law school after Dartmouth, but having graduated and with a salary offer of just $250 a month and a place to stay, Boykin decided instead to join the Michael Dukakis presidential campaign in June, 1987.
"It was a bold step for me," he said. "My family thought I was crazy for wanting to work for someone who seemed to have no chance of winning the nomination."
"I did it anyway," he said. "It was an important thing for me to do. I am thankful that I made that choice."
"Family members that thought I was crazy for wanting to work for Dukakis were excited to see me doing something I wanted to do and being successful at it," Boykin said.
After the campaign, Boykin worked as a public school teacher for one semester in Atlanta before deciding to apply to law school.
"I didn't want to be a lawyer, but I wanted the experience," he said.
Originally from St. Louis, Boykin's family urged him to attend law school at Washington University, where he was to receive a full scholarship.
But he declined the offer and decided to attend Harvard Law School, where he received his degree in 1992.
While in law school, "something was going on in me that I couldn't ignore anymore. I was 25 years old when I made the discovery that I was gay," Boykin said.
"The first person I told was my mother," he said.
"I said, 'I'm gay,' and she reacted positively. I wasn't sure how she would react. She asked me the usual questions like, 'Are you sure? Have you tried dating women? Are you sure it's not just a phase?'" he said. "I was sure it wasn't a phase."
"I told my friends and some of them discouraged me from telling anyone," he said, but "I decided it was very important for me to be open."
After graduating from law school, Boykin was offered a position at a law firm, but decided to move to Arkansas when he received a job offer from Dee Dee Meyers, who was then the press secretary for the Clinton/Gore 1992 campaign.
"Again, my family thought I was crazy for doing that. Their whole attitude changed dramatically after Clinton won," Boykin said. "I learned that it was important to follow my heart."
In the White House
Boykin was a White House aide in communications and served as a liaison to the gay, lesbian and bisexual community as well as to the African American community, said Bart Bingenheimer, coordinator of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Programming at the College.
While working at the White House, the issue of gays in the military was being discussed at a meeting when a co-worker made a homophobic comment, Boykin said.
He said after speaking to the co-worker about his objection to the comment, he felt it was important to be more open about his sexual orientation.
"My ears were pierced, but I never wore earrings to work, so I decided to wear one to work, but no one noticed it ... I felt it was important for me to make a statement of being different," Boykin said.
He participated in the pre-march rally organized by the National Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, before the Million Man March on the mall of the Capitol last fall.
Demonstrators carried signs that read "Black by birth, gay by God, proud by choice." Another sign read, "We're black, we're gay, we couldn't have it any other way," Boykin said. "People were shocked to see that we had the courage and the audacity to be so open about who we were."
"When we have the courage to challenge ourselves and others around us, and when we have the courage to be confident about ourselves, our identities, people accept us for who we are," he said.
"The necessity to be honest to myself and to have courage to do that even if it is difficult, to continue pushing, that, in the end, will make all the difference," Boykin said.
Boykin encouraged the 40 students in attendance at last night's speech to follow their dreams.
"I encourage people to be empowered in their own lives," he said.
National Coming Out Week
Bingenheimer said the week is important for many reasons.
"It is an opportunity for us [the gay, lesbian and bisexual community] to let Dartmouth know we are here, and that we are an important part of the community," he said.
A documentary about African American churches which have embraced gay, lesbian and bisexual parishioners titled, "All God's Children," will be shown today at 4:30 p.m. in 105 Dartmouth Hall, Bingenheimer said.
Yesterday afternoon, a reception with Sylvia Rhue and Dee Mosbacher, co-producers of the documentary, and Boykin, was held at the Afro-American Society.
Mosbacher is executive director of Women Vision, producers of educational media products addressing issues of sexual orientation.
Rhue is the founding member of the National Black Gay and Lesbian Forum.
Also today, the Coaliton for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Concerns is hosting a pot luck lunch at the Dartmouth Outing Club house. "It is a social event, an opportunity for people to get together," Bingenheimer said.
With even, such as the video presentation focusing on African American gay, lesbian and bisexual issues, Bingenheimer said he sees the week as an opportunity to build a relationship with the African-American community at Dartmouth.
Other events include "Queer Night" at Lone Pine Tavern on Thursday and Friday Night Dance Club.
All events are open to the public.
