MACT is an acronym that is unfamiliar to most Philadelphians. This is something that co-chairs of the organization, Aaron Libson and Nate O’Neal, are trying to change.

Nate O'Neal is the co-chair for Men of All Colors Together Philadelphia organization. photo by Lindsey Stewart

Men of All Colors Together is the Philadelphia chapter of the National Association of Black and White Men Together (BWMT), an organization that believes in welcoming people of all racial and cultural backgrounds into a comfortable gay environment.

Twenty-six years, since its founding in 1981, MACT is continuing its goals of providing social events, community outreach, raising funds for a variety of causes, and educating its members about HIV/AIDS and prostate cancer. Yet, with all the positive feedback they have received from the gay and straight communities, O’Neal describes the organization’s biggest problem as lack of exposure.

“One of the problems that we face now is how to keep renewing ourselves – how to reach into the next generation,” Libson elaborates.

Unfortunately, limited awareness of the group is not the only main topic of discussion. There has been some debate among members about whether to change the name of their chapter to appear more inclusive towards women. Although, they currently have no female members, they have welcomed women in the past.

Aaron Libson speaks about this issue, “Though are name says men together, we have had women members. We are non-discriminatory and some of us (himself included) would rather see it (the title of the organization) say ‘people of all colors together.’”

O’Neal agrees, explaining the group’s current by-laws are not so stringent that they cannot evolve into something else, “I welcome it. I welcome anything that’s going to make the organization grow. We need to be expanded….And the issue of sexism, you know, we constantly need to be educated, and not having women members is something that tells me we got issues there.”

Before the group invests a great amount of time dealing with female sexism and gender issues, they are still focusing on the reoccurring battles of homophobia and racism, and even sexism towards gay males.

Aaron Libson is the other co-chair of Men of All Colors Together - the Philadelphia chapter. photo by Lindsey Stewart

“One thing about our organization – since its inception - we have had the discussion about race and sex and homophobia … and that’s a lot of years. That’s before a presidential commission on race. That was before the movie Crash came out. That was before all these little organizations popped up - we were doing it long before most of them,” O’Neal describes.

Regardless of how long the struggle against discrimination wages, a consistent effort is the driving force behind MACT. The co-chairs find a sense of pride in their attempts to promote unity and respect.

“They can always say that about us – that the issues of racism and sexism are something that we have hit over the years, and that’s a lot of years to keep saying the same thing. Sometimes it gets very, very frustrating because you wonder ‘didn’t we say this last year at the last workshop’ and ‘there was another workshop on this issue and another way of doing it.’ It is a constant battle and a lot of times we realize ‘hey, we’re not the only ones that realize that racism is bigger than us,’” O’Neal explains.

It is important to remember that MACT is not just an organization about outreach and education. Its members and their friends have the opportunity to participate in the pleasant social aspect that more of the group members usually prefer. These activities include pot-luck dinners, summer camping trips, group museum visits and the organization’s anniversary events.

“We try to have holiday dinners at different people’s homes being that in the LBGT community many people find themselves either far from their families or exiled by their families – or not being at home - so we try to provide a home in that sense,” Libson noted.

 Currently, the Philadelphia MACT chapter, has an estimated 60 members and the demographic ratio is about 50/50 (half being white and half being minority). However, the numbers and demographics fluctuate annually and the co-chairs are content with that. They understand that change is part of the game.

Both Libson and O’Neal have made MACT a staple in their lives since they separately joined in the early 1980s. They believe strongly in the key focus of support for the gay community. Being co-chairs of separate races, and having that as a guideline in the group’s bi-laws, furnishes the members with a self-assurance and dignity that men of all sexual orientations and races deserve positions in power – not just the standard white straight man.

O’Neal explains his love and passion, “Working with this organization has made me a better person and has strengthened me. We were talking about family and I don’t know what I would have done without this organization being a young gay man in a gay community. I feel like I would have been left all alone out there, because there was certainly no support.”

Summing it up O’Neal concludes, “Like I said, it’s a good organization. I would never go anywhere else.”