As we come to the end of Black History Month, we’re looking to the future. There is more progress to be made to achieve systemic equality for Black people, particularly in the realm of voting rights, economic justice, housing, and education; as well as ending police brutality and eradicating racism and discrimination in the criminal legal system. Those battles continue under the leadership of Black activists, lawmakers, athletes, actors, and others — many working side by side with the ACLU-WV — who are pursuing true equality to this day. We’re recognizing some of them here.
Kasha McDonald
Kasha started off in the LGBTQ+ community as a drag queen and entertainer, and saw the need for representation of people of color in the LGBTQ+ community in West Virginia, not just in Charleston, but all around. She founded the WV Black Pride Foundation after seeing the need for community and fellowship.
WV Black Pride Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes pride in the African American LGBTQ+ community and works to advance the rights of marginalized groups. The foundation aims to preserve, celebrate, and raise awareness of the contributions of Black LGBTQ+ individuals in the state and country. With the donation of a building located on 3rd Avenue in Charleston, the organization now has a permanent home, which serves as a safe space for emergency stays. It includes a community closet, toiletry packs, and a food pantry.
Martec Washington
Ask just about anyone and they’ll tell you Martec Washington is one of the hardest working people in Charleston. He is constantly working on inspiring change on the West Side, waged an ideas-based campaign for mayor and worked tirelessly to make sure his community was cared for during the massive gas and water outage on the West Side late last year.
If you’ve attended an ACLU-WV rally in recent years, Martec is probably a familiar face. If he isn’t providing sign language interpretation for our speakers, then he’s usually in the crowd showing his support.
When asked to envision a world where his advocacy dreams have come true, he said: “It looks like a City full of love and encouragement where everyone helps the next one and no one struggles alone. It’s kids living their best lives outside without fear of being shot or harassed by the police. It’s where people have the opportunity to purchase homes and be successful.”
Rhonda Rogombe
Rhonda Rogombé is the health and safety net policy analyst at the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. Rhonda holds a B.A. in economics and public policy and an M.A in political science from Rutgers University-New Brunswick, where she also competed in Division I track and field.
Before joining the Center, Rhonda worked in non-profit and grassroots organizational settings within and outside of West Virginia, both of which inform her approach to research. Most recently, she co-founded the Black Business Boost and became a leader for the Climate Reality Project. She enjoys cooking, hiking, and reading.
Rhonda said, “Advocating for Black lives means putting the most vulnerable West Virginians at the center of my work. It means a lot to me to be able to speak up for my community. In an overwhelmingly white state, people often forget the history and presence of Black Appalachians. But by uplifting folks who are here and have been here means bettering those communities and all of West Virginia.”
Katonya Hart
Katonya Hart came to Charleston by way of the Charleston Job Corps Center. She seeks to support art, education, individuals, and community and spiritual growth through positive empowerment. She is a member of several community service and outreach organizations. Through these groups, she has coordinated and/or participated in events aimed at outreach and education. Hart’s art takes the form of theater, wearable goods and the written word. She has acted in, written, supported, and organized numerous theater and poetry events in her community. She was also recently named to the National Board of the National Organization for Women as one of the Eastern Region Regional Representatives. She is also Vice President of the West Virginia NAACP, and an officer of the Kanawha Players - A community theater group.
Hart believes in acknowledging and affirming the work of the women who have gone before her, saying, “I am a product of the queens that have gone before me and surrounded and protected me.”