OUR LEADERSHIP

Eric Williamson (he/him) is a Grammy-nominated music educator, conductor, and advocate for equity in the arts. He serves as Artistic Director of Lavender Light: The Black and People of All Colors Lesbian & Gay Gospel Choir, which celebrates over four decades as a pioneering community dedicated to singing Black Gospel music while uplifting Black and Brown queer voices.

Mr. Williamson holds a B.A. in Music from Pennsylvania State University and an M.A. in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. A passionate and magnetic conductor, he has led honor and festival choirs across the East Coast and is a frequent clinician with Carnegie Hall’s Music Educator Workshop, where he champions works by Black women composers.

Previously, he conducted with the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus, preparing ensembles for major performances at Lincoln Center, New York City Opera, and various recording projects. His work spans gospel, opera, hip-hop, and musical theatre. In 2025, he served as Music Director for NYU Steinhardt’s scholar-in-residence Eve, directing a multi-genre concert celebrating her 25-year career.

Beyond the podium, Mr. Williamson is a National Facilitator for the Human Rights Campaign’s Welcoming Schools program, leading nationwide training on LGBTQ+ inclusion. He has been featured on NY1, Good Morning America, and Pix11 News, and published in the Music Educators Journal. He has also led national workshops on anti-racism and culturally responsive teaching with organizations including Carnegie Hall, TATI, Guitars Over Guns, and Music Will.

Currently, he teaches 3K–5 general music at PS 532: New Bridges Elementary School in Brooklyn and is an adjunct professor at NYU Steinhardt, where he founded and directs the Black Music Ensemble. This ensemble highlights music of African and African-American traditions, exclusively featuring works by Black and Brown composers and centering LGBTQIA+ affirmation.

More at www.ericwilliamson.org
Instagram/TikTok: @mrwilliamsonmusicroom

"I am proud to be a representative of this organization and am grateful to live in a city where, and at a time when, I can be an "out" lesbian of color, praising a God of my understanding."

Maria-Elena Grant is one of the choir's longest-standing members, having joined the organization in 1990. Subsequently, she was elected to the position of Chair. She is also an active member and president of GALA (Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses), where she served as a board member for six years: The Audre Lorde Project (founding member) and Unity Fellowship of Christ Church in Brooklyn (founding member). She has also served on LGBT Advisory Committees for New York's Mayor David Dinkins, Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields, and The Stonewall Community Foundation.

"I am proud to be a part of the committed community of artists in this legendary choir."

Albert Wilcox is a veteran of New York City's Big Apple Chorus and of New York University's Choral Arts Society. He has been a member of Lavender light for nine years. He is the Chief Financial Officer of Art Department (a leading photography agency based in New York) and serves at the choir's Treasurer.

Dr. Kenneth Thornton is a classically trained musician and international performer whose artistry bridges classical music and gospel traditions. A graduate of Fisk University and Harvard University, he is a proud former member of the legendary Fisk Jubilee Singers. His early career was shaped by mentorship under blues icon B.B. King, with whom he toured, gained invaluable experience that continues to inform his musicianship.

For the past 20 years, Dr. Thornton has served as Director of Music at Salem United Methodist Church in Harlem, NY, where he has nurtured a vibrant and enduring music ministry. Equally at home on piano, pipe organ, and Hammond organ, his performances reflect both technical mastery and deep spiritual connection. With a career that spans sacred, classical, and popular traditions, Dr. Thornton brings a rare versatility and depth, inspiring audiences worldwide through his commitment to musical excellence and cultural legacy.