The Black Movement Leaders Project recently broke its silence when Larry Thomas joined the gallery. Larry is a resident of Greenfield, Massachusetts. His life experiences include a number of challenges including a psychiatric history, problems with substances and time in prison. However, he is far better known these days for being a tireless advocate out in the local community, intentionally seeking out the people who are most likely to fall through the cracks in other supports.
And now, we have two new BML gallery members coming on board: Vick Breedy and Toy Burton. Vick is known for having written the ‘Bitter’ trilogy, centering Black characters and exploring the challenges women face in life and relationships. She’s also known for coining the term, “strong Black womanitis” and running a ‘Selfish Woman’s Group’ focused on supporting Black women’s need for self-care.
Toy Burton is the founder and Executive Director of DeeDee’s cry, a suicide prevention organization centering Black, Indigenous and other people of color (BIPOC). Dedicated to equity practices and raising up important issues in marginalized communities, she also founded the Roxbury Unity Parade, celebrating Black culture, excellence and contributions to the city of Boston.
Stay tuned for their additions to the Black Movement Leaders galley and oral histories project!