November 23 will mark one year since Tamir Rice was murdered. Tamir was shot and killed by two police officers on a playground in Cleveland, Ohio. He was 12 years old. The officers who shot Tamir have yet to be charged for this crime.
As a national network of LGBTQ organizers, we're dedicated to building power among LGBTQ people -- and we know that the fight for justice goes beyond gender identity and sexual orientation.
At the root of many of the campaigns we run is systemic racism and white supremacy. Systemic racism means that trans and queer people of color, particularly black people, face incredible trauma and oppression. Structural racism means that police officers can view the innocent act of a black child playing in the park as a threat -- and a threat that should result in murder. It means that the Cleveland law enforcement agencies are invested in intimidating the families of victims of police violence and protesters who want answers.
That's why we work intersectionally, recognizing that the LGBTQ contains so many different identities, experiences, and needs. That’s why we fight for support of trans women of color, for an end to detention, and for reproductive justice, in battles across the country. Even this week, we helped plan actions for Trans Day of Resilience, called for an end to the detention and deportation of trans people, and celebrated the work of trans and gender non-conforming artists and organizers who are surviving and thriving.
We see the way that white supremacy plays out over and over again in who has access to resources and on what terms, what issues are prioritized, and who decides on this prioritization -- in the LGBTQ community and beyond. While many issues -- deportation, incarceration, anti-blackness, poverty, racism -- significantly impact LGBTQ people’s lives, the factors at the root of these systems are terrorizing families and communities around the country, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. When it comes to liberation, we stand firm in the knowledge that there are no "LGBTQ issues," and we must agitate against all forms of state violence.
That's why Elle Hearns, GetEQUAL's Central Regional Coordinator, and Latonya Goldsby, Tamir's cousin and a powerful organizer, have been organizing in Cleveland for months.
Our co-directors, Angela Peoples and Heather Cronk, as well as other GetEQUAL staff are heading to Cleveland this week to support the work of black organizers demanding justice for Tamir's death. Justice is not something that can be neatly slotted into identity categories.
If LGBTQ people are to say we're on the side of justice, we have to take action -- not just when it comes to "LGBTQ issues," but wherever oppression and injustice appears.
As LGBTQ people, we are devastated by Tamir Rice’s death, and appalled by the response from the justice system. As LGBTQ people, we are determined to uplift the incredible work of Black organizers fighting in Cleveland to make sure Tamir is remembered.
That's why we are taking action.
This weekend, GetEQUAL will be in Cleveland, and we invite you to join us.
To learn more, go to justicefortamir.com
As a national network of LGBTQ organizers, we're dedicated to building power among LGBTQ people -- and we know that the fight for justice goes beyond gender identity and sexual orientation.
At the root of many of the campaigns we run is systemic racism and white supremacy. Systemic racism means that trans and queer people of color, particularly black people, face incredible trauma and oppression. Structural racism means that police officers can view the innocent act of a black child playing in the park as a threat -- and a threat that should result in murder. It means that the Cleveland law enforcement agencies are invested in intimidating the families of victims of police violence and protesters who want answers.
That's why we work intersectionally, recognizing that the LGBTQ contains so many different identities, experiences, and needs. That’s why we fight for support of trans women of color, for an end to detention, and for reproductive justice, in battles across the country. Even this week, we helped plan actions for Trans Day of Resilience, called for an end to the detention and deportation of trans people, and celebrated the work of trans and gender non-conforming artists and organizers who are surviving and thriving.
We see the way that white supremacy plays out over and over again in who has access to resources and on what terms, what issues are prioritized, and who decides on this prioritization -- in the LGBTQ community and beyond. While many issues -- deportation, incarceration, anti-blackness, poverty, racism -- significantly impact LGBTQ people’s lives, the factors at the root of these systems are terrorizing families and communities around the country, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. When it comes to liberation, we stand firm in the knowledge that there are no "LGBTQ issues," and we must agitate against all forms of state violence.
That's why Elle Hearns, GetEQUAL's Central Regional Coordinator, and Latonya Goldsby, Tamir's cousin and a powerful organizer, have been organizing in Cleveland for months.
Our co-directors, Angela Peoples and Heather Cronk, as well as other GetEQUAL staff are heading to Cleveland this week to support the work of black organizers demanding justice for Tamir's death. Justice is not something that can be neatly slotted into identity categories.
If LGBTQ people are to say we're on the side of justice, we have to take action -- not just when it comes to "LGBTQ issues," but wherever oppression and injustice appears.
As LGBTQ people, we are devastated by Tamir Rice’s death, and appalled by the response from the justice system. As LGBTQ people, we are determined to uplift the incredible work of Black organizers fighting in Cleveland to make sure Tamir is remembered.
That's why we are taking action.
This weekend, GetEQUAL will be in Cleveland, and we invite you to join us.
To learn more, go to justicefortamir.com
