Meet Judah-Abijah Dorrington, Atlantic City's first LGBTQ+ liaison

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Judah-Abijah Dorrington comes from a family of trailblazers.

Judah's father, Art Dorrington, was the first Black professional ice hockey player to sign an NHL contract in the United States. Judah's mom, Dorothie, was a community organizer and the first Black learning disability specialist for the Ventnor Public School System.

Now, at age 65, Judah is Atlantic City's first liaison and coordinator of LGBTQ+ programs and services in the newly created Mayor's Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs. Atlantic City had its first LGBTQIA+ flag-raising ceremony last year, and there are plans for a Pride parade this year.

Judah has been working hard to galvanize the LGBTQIA+ community and wants to see more LGBTQIA+ people in positions of power. There are efforts to mark a historically gay beach and create a gayborhood, businesses have begun flying the Pride flag and a group called Be Visible holds monthly mixers.

Judah is quick to note the times are changing and "what people really want is to be able to live anywhere they want."

The LGBTQIA+ community is not a monolith. It is multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-faith and multidimensional. This Pride Month, we're celebrating members of that diverse community as a part of a special series called Our America: Who I'm Meant to Be. Click here for more stories from your city and around the country.

The LGBTQIA+ community is multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-faith and multidimensional. Watch "Our America: Who I'm Meant To Be."