Sabrina Sojourner
Diversity Educator
Former Congresswoman

Former Congresswoman Sabrina Sojourner is the first open lesbian to be elected to the United States Congress. Having been elected by a whopping 83 percent of the vote, Sabrina represented the District of Columbia in the U.S. House of Representatives, where in her non-voting position she lobbied not only for statehood for the District of Columbia but also affected other legislators on a whole spectrum of issues. Sabrina is a nationally recognized educator in diversity and multiculturalism. As the director of diversity programs and Women of Color programs for the National Organization for Women, she has developed a variety of programs, workshops, and presentations that focus on building bridges of understanding across differences, including race, gender, and sexual orientation. A widely published author, Sabrina’s latest work is a collection of poems and narratives titled Psychic Scars and Other Mad Thoughts.

Sabrina Sojourner has two decades of experience in management and public policy. She has worked as an elected official, an independent consultant, a congressional aide and as a lecturer.

Sabrina started working on policy issues in 1991 as the Director of Women of Color and Diversity Programs for the National Organization for Women. While at NOW she lobbied Congress on women's issues and provided technical assistance to NOW chapters on diversity issues.

Sabrina left NOW to work as a legislative aide for Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.). While on the Hill, Sabrina tracked legislation on a variety of issues, including HIV/AIDS, substance abuse and other health issues, education, police brutality, women's issues, and civil and human rights.

From 1997-1999, Sabrina was the U.S. Representative to Congress from the District of Columbia, where she was mandated to lobby for full Federal representation and self-determination for the residents of the District of Columbia. She also worked to beat back excessive riders added to the DC Appropriations bill and to regain the voting rights of the DC City Council.

Sabrina has an extensive background in organizational development and management consulting. She specializes in working with private and public organizations to develop appropriate means of addressing key social and organizational issues impacting personnel development. Sabrina also has worked to provide strategic planning and Board development services.

Sabrina has won many awards for her efforts on behalf of the community. In both 1994 and 1998 she won the Bayard Rustin Award for National Advocacy from the National Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum. She has also won the Harvey Milk Award for Public Service from the National Gay and Lesbian Health Association and the Lambda Liberty Award from the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund.
 

Source:  http://www.robinsonandfoster.com/page527789.htm
http://wiaonline.org/nwmf/speakers.html
http://www.daily.iastate.edu/Volumes/Fall97/Oct-13-1997/ins1.html  (Coming Out Day Speech)