Karen A. Anderson, Outspoken Black Lesbian Civil Rights Activist

Lavender Seniors Monthly Profile

Seniors in the East Bay and throughout California - LGBT and otherwise - are fortunate that Karen Anderson found her way from her beginnings in "the projects" of South Chicago to Oakland 3+ decades ago! When she was eight years old, her parents had saved enough money to move the family out of the projects and into a single-family dwelling in a 92% white neighborhood.

Karen with her doll in South Chicago in the late 1940s - Karen's high school graduation picture in 1961

"There was no overt violence," she recalled, "but we could quickly see the beginnings of 'white flight' from the Englewood neighborhood. When I started in the new school, there were only five or six other black kids; by the time I graduated, the school had become nearly all-black."

She described a geographical "dividing line" that everybody knew not to cross, even though her parents never told her explicitly about that segregation.

"We felt at an early age that we had it much better than our black brothers and sisters 'in the South', so we just lived with that division in our community as we were growing up. My siblings and I knew from an early age, however, that we were mandated to go on to college and 'make something of ourselves,' since we were aware how much our parents had sacrificed for us."

While she was finishing her bachelor's degree in Education at Chicago State University and her master's degree in Inner City Studies from Northeastern Illinois State University, however, she became involved in the Rev. Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH. That activism continued while she pursued post-graduate work in Educational Administration at Northwestern University. Through that activism, she met many black activists - and other allies - at all levels of local, regional and national politics. She lived at home during her university years, a "commuter" student, never experiencing such things as dormitory or sorority life.

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Operation PUSH Ignites Activism: Karen with Mary Wilson (an original "Supreme") - Karen with Quincy Jones

Other than her civil rights activism, however, she focused primarily on succeeding academically and focused primarily on group activities and trying to reconcile her own expanding values with what she was being taught in the Seventh Day Adventist church she attended with her parents.

"My religiously conservative upbringing, coupled with the discipline of academic concentration, pretty much consumed me during that time," Karen recalled. "It was important to carry myself with the family pride of 3 generations of service to the Black community, hearing about white people acting out during the period of Civil Rights activation. I certainly didn't buy the concept of a punishing, all-involved God who would continue to let all of these injustices keep happening."

After graduation, she worked at various jobs in and around Cook County, Illinois. She taught for 8 years in the Chicago Public Schools system, then became a Federal Probation Officer. It was during that time - having never before met any out LGBT people - that she had her "first date" with a woman to whom she was very attracted. She still didn't have the vocabulary to formally identify as a lesbian, but realized in her mid-30's that she had fallen in love with a woman.

"We moved in together," Karen recalled, "and I thought we were relatively happy. But one day, after about two years, my lover woke up and announced she wasn't through with guys yet. Obviously, we broke up. I was broken hearted, confused and exasperated for nearly another two years. There was no 'welcoming community' on the South side of Chicago to comfort me. I basically brought myself out in the '70s, finally admitting to myself that I was a lesbian, something I never formally shared with anyone in my family.

"By 1985, however, I was finally fed up with Bible Belt mentality, religious homophobia, 50-degree-below winters and failed relationships. I transferred my Probation and Military positions to San Francisco, arriving full of hope, excitement and trepidation during the height of the AIDS epidemic."

Shortly after arriving in the Bay area, Karen met Gwendolyn Booze, long-time owner of the Barn Restaurant, a legendary East Bay soul food restaurant. It was through Gwen that she became deeply involved in East Bay politics and was introduced to the lesbian community culture of the era.    

Karen as military recruit (later military instructor) - Karen, Chair, Congress of California Seniors, Region 3

Six years later, they began a committed relationship. In 1998, they became registered domestic partners via the City of Berkeley. In 2006, they became registered domestic partners at the State of California level. Finally, on 16^th June 2008, they joined fifteen other couples to become among the first legally married same-sex couples wed in Oakland and in the State of California. The ceremony was conducted by then-Mayor Ron Dellums and witnessed by Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Next year, Karen and Gwen will celebrate their silver anniversary as a committed couple.

Karen with Gwen on "the happiest day of my life" (waving marriage license) - later in formal portrait

After retiring from 20 years of service with the U.S. District Courts, as well as 20 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, she was hired by the Peralta Community College District as a Benefits Analyst. After ten years there, she made her 3^rd retirement in 2008.

The list of Karen's past/current socio-political accomplishments and awards in promoting coalition-building across all boundaries reads like a "Who's Who" of California political activists, both during and after her work-life as a Human Resources Specialist and military instructor:

CURRENT AFFILIATIONS

• Commissioner on the Alameda County Advisory Commission on Aging

• Chair, Congress of California Seniors, Region 3 (CCS)

• Activist, California Alliance of Retired Americans (CARA)

• Board member, United Seniors of Oakland-Alameda County (USOAC)

• Active Member, Black Military Women (a national organization-BMW)

• Active Board Member, East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club

• Current Board Member, Senior Services Coalition of Alameda County

• Current Board Member, California Senior Leaders

• Current Member, Past Board Member, NIA Collective

• Member, Lavender Seniors of the East Bay

• Past President, current state board member, Black Women Organized for Political Action, Oakland-Berkeley Chapter (BWOPA)

PAST AFFILIATIONS

• Past Board Member, Oakland Human Relations Commission

• Past Board Member, League of Women Voters, Oakland Chapter

• Past Member, Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays (PFLAG)

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

• Recipient, William "Brandy" Moore Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding dedication to the Black LGBT Community (2004)

• Recipient, Volunteer of the Year Award, East Bay Area Business & Professional Women (2013)

• Recipient, Honoree Award, BWOPA Ella Hill Hutch Chapter (2012)

PARTICIPATIONS

• Activist in the fight against DOMA and Proposition 8

• Activist in the fight to expand Social Security and Medicare benefits to Seniors

     "It is important, as we grow older, to realize and recognize that we must participate in our future or it will be defined for us, whether we like it or not," Karen opines. "We are only as strong as the group we identify with. As seniors, we may find strength in our numbers but only as we use it. Let's not outlive our usefulness. We gotta do what we gotta do! THAT's our legacy."

Karen ("baby" of the family) with older brother and sister

In her retirement, Karen is particularly enjoying her role as mother to Gwen's sons as well as being grandmother to Gwen's grandchildren. She remains close with her siblings, their children and grandchildren. Her hobbies include Tai Chi, bowling and table pool. She is a licensed Practitioner with the East Bay Church of Religious Science.

Karen is a strong woman that we continue to appreciate as an advocate for so many under- and un-served, traditionally-marginalized populations in our culture!

For anyone interested in seeing Karen in action, please read the announcement below about her co-presentation - with others from Adult Protective Services - on psychological/emotional, financial and physical abuse of elders. This will take place during the Third Friday Lunch Bunch at the North Oakland Senior Center, 5714 MLK Way, Oakland, 17^th July, 12 noon to 2pm. Please join us!