In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson talks with Lea Gilmore, one of the founders of The Maryland Black Family Alliance, a coalition of black families and leaders of many faiths who stand for fairness, justice and equality for all families. Lea is also a classically trained pianist and an award winning Blues, gospel and jazz singer who has appeared in over 45 musical and dramatic theater productions. When asked what her position on gay marriage is Gilmore stated, “I am a full proponent of gay marriage. I think that to deny a group of individuals civil rights based on something as arbitrary, basically inhuman, as who you choose to love is outrageous. We got rid of that in the Loving v. Virginia case in the 1960’s and I look forward to seeing that victory coming soon for the gay and lesbian community.” When asked why she thinks this is such a difficult issue for the black community, Lea explained, ”Because there’s often a disconnect. Sometimes when you’re involved in your own pain you don’t see others. But that being said too, I think that a lot of African Americans, we black folks, have gotten some bad press as well. Because if you ask people one-on-one and when they truly understand what we are asking for, when we ask for civil marriage, you see a light bulb go off and say ‘Wait I believe in that too. I believe that we should not deny people their legal rights based on my spiritual center or my faith center.’ So there’s really a lot of education that needs to happen and a lot of trust that needs to happen. You know Charlotte, nothing happens instantly. We change people's hearts and minds one person at a time. But we can do something legally and that’s what we’re fighting for.”
In addition to her United States festivals and concerts, Lea has performed, lead workshops, lectured in France, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, in Belgium churches in small villages and to sell-out audiences in stadiums, leading a 2000 voice choir.
Lea Gilmore is married to David Gilmore and they are the proud parents of two sons, Jonathan and Gabriel. They live in Maryland.
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