Village member Armand Cerbone’s childhood was filled with fear of what would happen if people found out he was gay. Throughout graduate school at Notre Dame where he graduated with a Ph.D in psychology, and as he began his practice, he kept his homosexuality hidden. After graduation in 1973, seeking a job at the American Psychological Association (APA) convention, he witnessed the founding of the Association of Gay Psychologists after they had protested at a conversion therapy presentation – an event that he says, “turned the key to the lock on my closet.”
Armand is motivated by a desire to make life better for the next generation LGBT individuals, working against the stigma that permeates all aspects of their lives. Armand has served on the Village board and started the Village’s LGBTA (A for Ally) Committee. Armand’s work as a change agent, advocate and leader have resulted in policy changes within APA and in laws addressing discrimination. He continues to work addressing issues of discrimination and social justice for the LGBT community and people of color.