E-Mail This Article to a Friend CIVIL RITES Rainbow building BY DEIRDRE FULTON

One year after she gave a moving speech in favor of gay marriage at the state constitutional convention (ConCon) — a speech that garnered accolades from supporters and heat from some black ministers — Senator Dianne Wilkerson is tapping into the gay and lesbian community for money and support.

It looks like the community will be more than happy to give that backing at a fundraiser Monday night (big names such as US Congressman Barney Frank, MassEquality director Marty Rouse and political director Marc Solomon, Multicultural HIV/AIDS Coalition executive director Gary Daffin, and AIDS Action director Rebecca Haag are among those slated to attend). "The role she played during the ConCon last year was typical of the advocacy she’s done for us," says Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus co-chair Arline Isaacson, who will also be there. "She’s earned it."

Even more important, they want her to be around for the foreseeable future. Everyone knows that Wilkerson could play an integral role during this legislative session, as pro-equality forces reach out to change minds and win votes against the proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in the state. She’s an outspoken ally who invokes her involvement in the civil-rights movement when she speaks about gay marriage. And she’s one of a growing group of minority legislators who can draw from their own experiences of racial and ethnic discrimination to understand prejudice based on sexual orientation.

By the same token, Wilkerson has had to deal with criticism from members of the conservative African-American religious community, which has traditionally opposed gay marriage. And though she knows she’ll keep getting flak, she’s staying on message. "Everyone knows where I am on this," she says. And later, when asked about her role as an African-American leader on this issue, she adds, "being gay is not about being white."

So, when the gay and lesbian community honors Wilkerson on Monday, they will be specifically acknowledging the courage of her convictions — and her ability (along with colleagues such as Marie St. Fleur, Gloria Fox, and now, presumably, Linda Dorcena Forry) to bridge divides.

"They are willing to stand up and speak about it in front of the black communities," says Jacquie Bishop, who last January founded the Massachusetts Black LGBT Alliance. "They’re willing to go to the churches, and they’re willing to go to the association meetings, and they’re willing to go to the equivalent of the Tupperware parties — whether it’s the fish fry at somebody’s house, or whatever — and talk about the issues. They’re not just preaching to the choir ... they’re preaching to the congregation."

Let’s see how effective those sermons can be.