COLOURS Board Announces Passing of Robert K. Burns, Exec. Dir.

From the article, "Hell to Pay" in the Cleveland Scene (click for article)

The following message was posted to the Facebook page of the COLOURS Organization, Inc. concerning the passing of our brother Robert K Burns (36 years old):

The Board of Directors and Staff of the COLOURS Organization, Inc. sadly announce the passing of its Executive Director Robert K. Burns, which occurred Thursday, December 8, 2011.

Robert K. Burns, a Cleveland, Ohio native, served as a leader in Philadelphia’s LGBT community. In the past years, Robert became an integral part of the development of HIV prevention programs and research in Philadelphia for LGBT people of color, specifically African American MSM.

The Board of Directors and Staff members are committed to continuing the passion and dedication to the health and empowerment of LGBT people of color that Robert exemplified.

Sincerely,

John F. Clayton Jr.
President of COLOURS Board of Director

 

RIP Robert K. Burns: friend, brother, fighter

RIP Robert K. Burns

This morning, I learned of the death of our community leader, my brother and our fellow co-labourer, Robert K. Burns. He passed around 4:30am, surrounded by his friends and fellow members of the House of Blahnik.

Robert served the Philadelphia community by being a voice for many. He often echoed the call and sounded the horn on why we must lower HIV rates and remain community-minded throughout the stuggle.  I first learned of Robert K. Burns when I picked up one of his vogue-beat CDs over eight years ago, long before he and I would later become friends and “neighbors” in Philadelphia [and while I never joined a house or even vogued in public, I still "vogue down" when any of those songs from that CD come on my playlist]. Accepting that death is a functional part of life is reality. Accepting Robert’s passing is sobering.  Love and prayers to his family and the COLOURS organization.

Here’s more on Robert’s life: http://archivistssociety.wordpress.com/2010/10/06/presenting-community-leader-robert-k-burns/

PGN Family Portrait: http://www.epgn.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Family+Portraits-+Robert+Burns+&id=10691582#comments_10691582

Kevin Trimell Jones

December 8, 2011

9:08am