Source: Akil Patterson
Akil Patterson is the founder and President of Community Advocacy Consultants. Recently Akil was voted in as the First ever Vice Chairman of the LGBTQ Commission in Baltimore City and served on a host of committees such as the DNC LGBTQ Advisory Board.
As a Lobbyist, Akil is credited for passing the nation’s most extensive legislation in the country to help reduce children’s obesity rates through the Healthy Kids Meal Bill. Active in reforming state statues around HIV criminal laws; Laws that impact communities of color. He helped overturn a nearly 60-year conviction of a former athlete put in prison with no physical evidence.
In 2011 he was the first person to bring sports into the national Marriage Equality movement as he asked his College Football friends Randy Starks, Shawn Merriman, D’qwell Jackson, and later Super Bowl champion Brendon Ayanbadejo all to be part of the campaign with Sports Athletes taking a stand.
Akil became the first former Male Terp Athlete to Come out publicly as openly gay. However, he has never been formally recognized by the university or its Athletic Department.
Besides his career as a government relations professional for nearly a decade, Akil Patterson is best known for being a five-time Greco-Roman, All-American wrestler. Mr. Patterson’s athletic accomplishments also include being an All-American member of the University of Maryland at College Park’s football team and take pride in being on the last ever football and wrestling teams at the University of Maryland to win an ACC Championship.
As a Vulcan, Akil was a 2 time All- American, 2 times All-Conference member, and the First Openly Gay Athlete while still competing in PSAC Football. Mr. Patterson currently serves as a consultant to nonprofit organizations using sports’ collective power to change policy around LGBT issues and racial equity. Mr. Patterson has used that experience to help NFL athletes and NFL front office staff to create internal policy measures designed to address race and sexual orientation issues. Through his formation of the Justice for Michael Johnson organization, Mr. Patterson works to ensure that the science of HIV matches outdated laws that impact marginalized communities across the country.
Serving as the Treasure for Out for Justice, a returning citizens action organization, where he helped lead an effort to restore voting rights to over 40,000 ex-offenders in the state of Maryland.
During Covid-19, Akil Ran for City Council in the 13th district, the First openly gay black man to do so. Helpful in Georgia Pass a Hate crime bill now only 3 states lack this critical protection. While working with Mississippi leaders to bring down the confederate flag by organizing social media pressure from his home right in Baltimore.
A lifetime leader in the sports world, Mr. Patterson has been recognized with many Awards: Advocate Magazine 40 under 40, Black Legends and leaders in LGBT sports, 2x NCAA Football All-American, 5x USA Wrestling Greco- Roman All- American wrestler, Northeast Regional coach of the year, Baltimore City Health Leadership Award, 2016 Presidential Service award, First ever Guest editor for SWERV Magazine sports edition, Washington Blade top 100, Member of MGRA, 2x PSAC 1st Team All-Conference, D2 Football Northeast All-Region.
