Black Enterprise wins GLAAD award

Black Enterprise took top honors for “outstanding magazine article” at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

Written by senior multimedia content producer Carolyn M. Brown, the July 2011 cover “Black & Gay in Corporate America” took an unflinching look at the cultural and professional obstacles facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender African-American professionals and how a growing number are coming out and breaking through isolation and fear within their companies.

The award, shared with Metro Weekly’s Chris Geidner for the “15th Anniversary of the Passage of the Defense of Marriage Act,” honors a magazine article or series for its fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives.

In accepting the GLAAD award, Brown thanked cover subject Sabin D. Blake, a dealer organizational manager for General Motors Corp., who came forward after keeping his sexual orientation hidden for years while navigating the professional obstacles of being African American and gay.

“I am particularly proud that we received recognition from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation [GLAAD] for this courageous editorial,” said Black Enterprise magazine editor-in-chief Derek T. Dingle in a statement. “Black Enterprise will continue to break new ground and deliver unique, dynamic, and relevant content such as this across all our media platforms, be it in print, television, digital or events.”