09/29/2026
Recently, 30 Charlotte LGBTQ leaders and allies traveled to Montgomery, Alabama, for the Legacy to Liberation tour, an opportunity to deepen our understanding of history and strengthen connections across Charlotte’s diverse LGBTQ community.
The group visited the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Sites, including the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Legacy Museum, and the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. What they encountered was a history marked by horrific oppression, extraordinary resilience, and connections to the present that are still waiting to be uncovered.
The experience was made richer by the people who helped guide the journey. We’re grateful to Tom Warshauer, Class VII, Jermaine Nakia Lee (), and Bishop Tonyia Rawls for sharing their knowledge, perspective, and leadership with the group.
The timing of the trip carried its own significance. The group traveled on the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. That history also includes Bayard Rustin, a gay Black man who was one of the key organizers of the March.
Learning history is not simply about looking backward. It can help us better understand the communities we are part of, the struggles that shaped them, and the possibilities ahead.
Lee Institute was honored to provide logistical support for this journey. We’re also grateful to all of the donors who helped make the trip possible, including and .
There is still so much history to uncover, so many connections to make, and so much we can learn from those who came before us.