Rasheed Newson joins the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice Board of Directors

The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice, community activist center, educational bridge, & dedicated LGBTQIA safe-space welcomed Rasheed Newson to its Board of Directors this week.

Rasheed is a multi-hyphenate trailblazer: author, television drama writer, executive producer, and showrunner. His critically-acclaimed debut novel My Government Means to Kill Me tells a fierce and riveting queer coming-of-age story following the personal and political awakening of a young, gay, Black man in 1980s New York City.

After inspirational work for many non-profits, Rasheed moved to Los Angeles worked in the entertainment industry including on shows Lie to Me, The Chi, Narcos, among many other drama series, and now serves as executive producer of Bel-Air airing on Peacock. Rasheed lives with his husband and their two children in California.

The announcement of this auspicious addition to the BRCSJ Board was made at the Center’s new Princeton HQ during Rasheed’s book-signing and community-building conversation. The event was a live continuation of their popular virtual broadcast, the Social Justice Power Hour which aired every weeknight during the pandemic, well over 600 live shows featuring guest stars including Valerie Jarrett, Patton Oswalt, Keisha Blain, newly elected Senator John Fetterman, Gavin Grimm, Ibram X. Kendi, Wayne Brady, Billy Porter, Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, Robert Jones Jr., Billy Eichner, Kiese Laymon, Shannon Watts, Cecilia Muñoz, Jill Sobule, and Adam Gopnik among many other inspiring community leaders, activists, authors, and entertainers across the spectrum.

Rasheed joins a diverse Board dedicated to the mission of the BRCSJ: giving voice and power to those who are marginalized, forgotten, bullied or otherwise underserved by the present systems in place. The Center has now reopened its doors to serve the community on a local and national level by offering focused programming, diverse events, outreach and advocacy. 

“Rasheed is an extraordinary addition to our Board of Directors at the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice. His trailblazing work in television now carried forth even more powerfully in his impactful debut novel which not only allows his own important voice to be heard as a Black queer activist but also serves to amplify the voices of oh-so-many other folx oft unrecognized and disrespected,” said BRCSJ Chief Activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber. “His strong belief in our Center’s mission and exponential support of our greater community is just a continuation of the care & love he’s shown throughout his career & his personal activism & we are proud to journey with him further on this inspirational path!”

To learn more about the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice, please visit their website, https://www.rustincenter.org.