Rickie Green

"We, having stood on the shoulders of our predecessors, have a responsibility to leave a legacy by creating institutions and support systems designed to service the needs of our same gender loving children of color who have yet to be born!"

As a member of the African American LGBT/Same Gender Loving (SGL) community, Rickie Green, the founding executive director of the PORTAL, decided to take a leap of faith. He created a safe space devoted to the empowerment of the Black LGBT/SGL community.

There is a large Black LGBT/SGL community in Baltimore, Maryland, but very little representation relative to programmatic and infrastructure development, political influence, economic awareness and social advances.  Rickie Green sought to raise the consciousness of Baltimore's Black LGBT/SGL community by providing an affirming space for people to grow and learn about themselves and their potential for excellence.

"I was not able to tell my story because I did not really know who I was, so it was easier for you to tell it for me.  I would look back over my life, and not see a lot of support and proof of having been there.  Somewhere between the balance of real time and illusion, I navigated life-changing form through behavior and self medications.  The detoxification was too painful."

Using tips from his waiter job, Rickie started The PORTAL: Potential Optimized for Total Advancement and Longevity. The PORTAL opened its doors in 2002 as a Black LGBT community center.  Despite limited financial resources and accusations within and outside of the LGBT community of "promoting separatism and division within the gay community", people of all races and influence began to walk through the PORTAL's doors and continue to do so. 

Now in its 5th year, The PORTAL is a non-profit dedicated to providing advocacy, social, medical and family life skill services to advance the health and welfare of Same Gender Loving people of color through education and awareness, economic empowerment, political and social mobilization. 

"After 20 years of addiction, I felt that if nothing changed, I might not live to see the next year. So, I made this my cause. I began to see the importance of indigenous support, realizing that maybe, if early on, I had someone to talk to, maybe I would have had more decision-based choices." 

As the only organization of its kind in Maryland, The PORTAL's founding executive director, Rickie Green envisions a different Baltimore where government and business enterprises deliver better services and resources to Black LGBT/SGL communities, recognizing its enormous economic, social and political advantages. 

Visibility has been an effective tool in mobilizing the Black LGBT/SGL community in ensuring representation, while also providing culturally appropriate mechanisms for leadership, outreach and support. 

ThePORTAL programs and services consist of the following:  HIV service programs, medical and social services, education, awareness, and behavioral intervention programs, and support groups programs.

"We need causes that we are willing to give our lives for!  Most of us are not sure of who we are, having had to be so many different personalities for so long. 

We know terms like homophobia, poverty, racism, classism, discrimination, and addiction. We read and see how these issues are supposed to affect us. When we actually begin to get uncomfortable and feel the pinch, it is usually beyond the point of no return, and all we can do is complain about it or wait until the next forum or town hall to address it.

We must learn how to navigate the systems that affect our lives. We should always be cognizant of subliminal messages, and how today's real time issues affect us tomorrow. 

We need to be producers rather than consumers.

We stand on the shoulders of our predecessors.  Each generation supports the next.  We have a responsibility to build systems and erect institutions to support our same gender loving children yet to be born, while simultaneously addressing issues as they affect us in real time." 

Rickie Green promotes our agenda through his participation in a variety of State and Local Community Boards and Initiatives, Tasks Forces, Steering Committees, his newspaper columns, debates on Radio Shows, and testimonials before Legislative Assemblies, and visibly supports AASGL youth movements.