It's been two years of work to get author and activist Keith Boykin to Corvallis, but Tom Johnston of Hewlett-Packard is excited that the effort finally paid off. Boykin will speak at Oregon State University at 7 p.m. Thursday night.

Boykin is the highest-ranking member of former President Bill Clinton's administration to be openly gay, and since that time, he has become known as a prolific author and activist and a regular on National Public Radio news programs and such shows as "Anderson Cooper 360." His blog takes a critical look at the portrayal of sexual and racial minorities, and he is invited to speak around the country on social justice issues.

Boykin will also be participating in a private HP event earlier in the afternoon. He'll be traveling to Eugene on Friday to speak at the University of Oregon. His appearance is being sponsored by eight groups, which Johnston said is a feat in itself.

"The fact that this event is being co-sponsored by Corvallis nonprofits, HP and OSU is not a small achievement," Johnston said.

Johnston, who is also coordinator of the Corvallis and Albany PFLAG organization, said the collaborative effort took place because one organization on its own couldn't afford to pay Boykin's speaking fee, but by gathering contributions from a number of sources, they were able to make it happen.

"He's nationally known and has done an awful lot for the LGBT community," Johnston said. "To bring him out here is pretty exciting and darn unusual."

Steven Leider, program coordinator of LGBT services at OSU, said he heard Boykin speak several times while he was at UCLA. Leider said Boykin was a great speaker, knowledgeable on the issues and funny.

"He is very insightful and he's written three very marvelous books," he said. "His books are always well worth reading."

Leider said it's especially timely to have Boykin visit, because a recent attempt by anti-gay activists to force a referendum on the new domestic partnership law in Oregon failed to get enough signatures to get on the ballot.

"We knew the referendum thing was coming to a head, but we didn't know it would happen in the same week as Keith Boykin's visit," Leider said.

if you go

What: "My Life as a Gay American," a talk by author and activist Keith Boykin

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Milam Auditorium, 2520 S.W. Campus Way.