The titles and roles of activists may differ, but a good activist can be spotted by their passion and dedication to their work. Most of us choose our paths of activism based on the impact we want to have or life sort of decides for us by placing us in social locations where the only path that makes sense is one of resistance. High levels of recognition are typically reserved for men, the wealthy, or those who have been doing this for so long that their fame is an accumulated fame. This blog series is not a remedy to this situation, but rather designed as a way to highlight activists and their justice work through brief interviews.

This installment is an interview with Bonyen Lee-Gilmore, member of Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s advocacy media team. Responses were provided during a one-on-one phone interview, and this blog post was reviewed and approved by the interviewee prior to publication.

How would you define yourself as an activist and organizer?

I’m a communicator. Professionally, communication is how I organize my community. Communication is also what I see as my activist superpower. I really identify comms tactics as my tool for organizing folks into action. I’m also fortunate enough to live my values when I go to my job. Yes, I feel lucky to be able to organize for social change from 9 to 5, but I believe an activist is someone who lives these values every hour of the day – carefully considering where I spend my consumer power, speaking out about injustices when I see them, and supporting fellow activists and organizers in their work.

How did you get started and connected to the work you do?

I started out in broadcast journalism. I was a broadcaster for 10 years and it exposed me to the extraordinary human condition. I had high aspirations in a career that solely judges people on what they look like, I was told by my agent that news directors were watching my videos and saying I was “too Asian” – both my name and how I look – and because Asians were “not in” at the time (those were his words), I was not able to get as far in my career as most of my white counterparts. I experienced a relatively sheltered and safe upbringing, so it was the first time I realized that there were limits placed on me – particularly in this case, socioeconomic limits. I joined Planned Parenthood because I wanted to do things I couldn’t do as a reporter, like end the oppression I suffered and, in many ways, still suffer through today.

Currently, I am on the advocacy media team for Planned Parenthood Federation of America after starting my career at the affiliate based in Kansas City serving as Communications Director. I work with reporters to tell stories about reproductive health and rights in hopes of informing the public about our issues in states where our patients face hostile attacks to their rights and freedoms. Forming and sharing a broad narrative is a tool to help the public understand how these policies will impact their lives and the lives of others; and hopefully, inspire people to take action.

From where/whom do you receive support for your work that has surprised you? 

I live and work in a red state in a conservative community and I telecommute. Often times, I feel isolated in this work, because my community is not one to be outspoken about progressive issues. Social justice is often in a bucket of taboo subjects that people don’t want to confront in social settings. That being said, I have been pleasantly surprised by the network of red state progressives who anchor me in this work. When I first attended Take Root, I met countless activists working on social justice issues in complex and meaningful ways in various corners of conservative states. Discovering this community offered me a level of support I had never felt before. It reassured me that red state activists have a community of folks who can relate to the unique struggle we face as progressives who push the envelope in conservative areas. I didn’t come from this work. As a broadcaster, I worked for corporate America and I hadn’t been as deeply engaged as I should have been. I realized this after growing up around folks who were not deeply engaged in this work; and after living in a community that is not outspoken or accustomed to pushing power or shedding light on oppression.

In what ways would you like to see support for you and your work improve?

I’d like to see more radical action and more people leave their respectability politics behind. We cannot put our blinders on and ignore people who are struggling every day to get by. The best support for me and my work is for people to stay informed, engaged, and take action.

There aren’t very many organizers of color in Missouri, particularly women of color organizers. What do you think is the reason for that and what can we do to change that?

To begin with, Missouri is a very hostile place for people of color. Just last year, the NAACP issued a travel advisory for people of color. Ferguson jump-started the current debate on police brutality and violence. The environment of Missouri does not support people of color in their growth or advancement. We don’t have people of color in leadership positions in general, which should make us ask ourselves if we’re creating spaces where barriers to leadership are keeping people of color out. We could definitely be doing better.

At Take Root, I went to a workshop led by human resource leaders who presented on nonprofits that have created radical change around diversity and inclusion – like real transformational change. If you are a person in power at an organization looking to increase diversity and inclusion, then one thing you could do is talk to other organizations that are doing it well and figure out what you can do to fold in the race equity lens. It’s on organizational leaders to figure this out. The solution isn’t easy. It makes folks uncomfortable. But, it is necessary.

How have your social identities (racial, sex, sexuality, gender, class, abilities, etc.) helped and hindered your ability to do your activism the way you see fit?

I bring a different and important lens – as all women of color do. We uniquely understand what it means to walk into a room and immediately face obstacles and barriers our white counterparts do not. It’s more than a concept. It’s reality to me and helps fuel my work. My social identities have been hindrances in spaces that have been predominantly white. I’ve been tokenized, dismissed from influential tables, and easily swept aside or overshadowed. The stereotype of the ‘model minority’ is alive and real in my life. I’ve always been very outspoken, and even when I worked in the corporate world my coworkers would always say I was the first to say something. I challenge the ‘model minority’ stereotype because I’m expected – as an Asian woman – to be quiet and submissive, but I am not those things. My parents always said don’t rock the boat, work hard, and things will come to you. I was one of the only Asian students in my school (where it became obvious to me that I was “different”) surrounded by white people who always had expectations for how I should behave. People are often caught off guard by me, to the point where I’ve rendered them speechless. [Laughs.]

Building coalitions is a vital part of working intersectionally, but it is not an easy thing to do. Per your experience, what has building coalitions looked like for your work?

It is not easy. It is very messy. First, I think a very important piece is knowing when to step back and let others step up. When you come to the table, everyone has different skills, perspectives, and ideas. I mean everyone who comes together has shared goals, but in coalition building there’s no one partner that has it all. Everybody has their own focus and areas of expertise, so figuring out how to leverage each other’s strengths to further the larger goal is key. When it’s done right, it’s so powerful. The best movements we’ve seen are always done in coalition. Coalitions help us come together and speak to a wide audience. We’re not going to move the needle without working in coalition, so even though it’s tough, it’s a vital piece of our work.

What is the effect you hope your work has on people?

I hope that I can make a dent in eliminating the stigma and shame that our society has built around reproductive healthcare and rights. I hope that people can more openly talk about abortion, birth control, and sex education. I hope that I will have moved the needle some and helped to take those issues out of the shadows, which a very small but vocal minority, has cast on the rest of us as a society. And I also hope, many many years from now when it’s all said and done for me, I’ll have helped foster new activists who can carry on the work.

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Biography:

Bonyen Lee-Gilmore works as a press officer on the state advocacy media team for Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). She works with national media to shape coverage of state policy and litigation that affect access to reproductive health care and sex education. In her role at PPFA, Bonyen works with communications staff at affiliates in 22 states, helping them to strategize on the fights to protect health care access. Prior to joining PPFA, Bonyen served as the communications director for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which covers Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Bonyen is committed to grounding progressive work in red states, and that’s why she telecommutes from Kansas City.