Read an excerpt from the article.
"Alphonso David’s family members were Liberian diplomats who were living and going to school in Maryland in 1970 when he was born. One year later, they went back to Liberia, where David’s great-uncle, William Tolbert, had been vice president since 1952. In 1971, Tolbert became president, and Alphonso’s father, Edward David, became the first democratically elected mayor of the city of Monrovia, Liberia, in 1973. In 1980, however, there was a military coup. William Tolbert was killed, Edward David was incarcerated, and Alphonso David lived under house arrest in the home of his aunt, a teacher. At 10 years old, he read a great deal and thought about some very big ideas—liberty, democracy, and safety. Two years later, his family was able to return to the United States. They were granted political asylum because Alphonso and his brother had been born here. In college, David studied criminal justice, and went on to Temple Law School, becoming a civil rights lawyer specializing in LGBTQ+ issues. He served in New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s cabinet until 2019, when he became the president of the not-for-profit Human Rights Campaign. This grassroots organization works to protect the rights of gay and transgender communities across the United States.
–“Diversity in Leadership”
What is the primary focus of Alphonso David’s work with the Human Rights Campaign?
fighting for the rights of immigrants in America
securing and promoting voting rights across the country
supporting and protecting the LGBTQ+ community
reforming the criminal justice system and promoting racial justice
