Tyron Garner Fellow at Lambda Legal focuses on the intersection of LGBT discrimination and racism

By ELIZABETH FRIEDLY

As a black gay man from rural Georgia, Eric Paulk utilizes his experiences to promote intersectional advocacy on a number of levels.

A Tyron Garner Fellow at Lambda Legal, Paulk served on the Advisory Board of the Counter Narrative Project, discussing advocacy focused on black gay men. He works with the Southern HIV Decriminalization Network, in coalition with Georgia Equality, and serves on the board of the Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition to focus on gay and black communities. He holds degrees from Morehouse College and Pace Law School.

Paulk was most recently chosen as one of 12 Victory Empowerment Fellows for 2017. The Victory Institute promotes the election of LGBT leaders to public office and draws from candidates all across the nation to participate.

Georgia Voice spoke with Paulk to learn about coalition efforts in divided times, being a Victory Empowerment Fellowship participant and what it takes for our movements to succeed.

Where were you when you found out that you had been chosen as a Victory Empowerment Fellow?

ter going through the first training, which I learned a lot, I felt like I was pretty prepared.

My work l’d done previously was good preparation for what they were teaching as well, so it was a compliment to that. It’s an opportunity to sharpen skills and network with a lot of like-minded, progressive people and who are looking to make change and impact in their communities. I’m looking forward to utilizing the tools that I’m learning to increase the level of work that I’ve been doing, and to continue to raise the bar.

Do you see yourself ever running for public office?