The following statement was issued on June 3, 2020 by members, leaders and organizations from San Antonio’s LGBTQIA community.
It is the beginning of Pride Month. As a community, we must always stand for what is just.
Therefore, the undersigned LGBTQIA+ community members and leaders have come together to stand as a community in solidarity and with the understanding that our gains for LGBTQIA+ civil rights stand on the shoulders, struggles, and Black leadership of Marsha P. Johnson, the writings of James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, June Jordan, Audre Lorde, and Barbara Smith. We are indebted to the political struggles of Barbara Jordan and Bayard Rustin.
We stand with national contemporary leaders including Alica Garza and Malkia Cyril.
We remember and honor the contributions of our local, Black, Queer community members, like the late Sterling Houston, a playwright, actor and activist, and the late Gertrude Baker, actor, poet and Lt. Col. of the US Army. Today, we are constantly inspired by contemporary artists, authors and activists including, Ki’Amber Thompson of The Charles Roundtree Bloom Project, Aamori Olujimi, a model, performer, and Black Trans activist, poet and editor of NWA Zine Kai Ramey, Poet Diamond Mason, Rev. Naomi Brown, Rev. Dr. William Knight, Rev. Marsha Warren, Denise McVea, Bernice Williams, Kimiya Factory, Co-Organizer of #JusticeforFloyd protest and cofounder of #ChangeRapeCulture, Queer Diaries Founder, Olivia Youngblood, and so many more.
We will not be neutral in the face of injustice.
Specifically, our differences cannot be addressed as if Queer People of Color and NON-POC LGBTQIA+ conditions are similar in matters of equity, considering; CHARITY, PUBLIC SAFETY, & PUBLIC HEALTH.
Our lives are lived uniquely and in most events our fate has been determined unusually diverse; leaving an insurmountable rate of fatal traumas.
These signatures represent; truth, strength, &, witness, for: the beginning of peace & unity for San Antonio, TX (QPOC) & (LGBTQIA+).
It has come to our attention that LGBT San Antonio, a social media page, and its moderators, have been readily posting anti-black racist views and cavorting as a community LGBTQIA page.
We will not stand for it.
James Baldwin once said, “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced”. We, as an LGBTQIA+ community MUST face the racism and anti-black rhetoric in our own “home”, our community first, and work to dismantle it.
We are a community of all races, traditions, ethnicities & cultures. We stand together to denounce police violence against our Black sisters, brothers and siblings, trans, gender queer, and cis, and demand police accountability, and the end of white supremacy.
#BlackLivesMatter
#JusticeforNinaPop #JusticeforTonyMcDade #JusticeforMarquiseJones #JusticeforCharlesRoundtree #JusticeforBreonnaTaylor #JusticeforAmaud #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd
Signed,
Aamori Olujimi
Abel C. Zamora
Abriel Louise Youn
Adam B. Nash
Allis Ozornia
Allison Patton Clifford
Amy Kastely
Amelia Valdez
Anahi Gonzalez
Andrea Benavides
Andrea Bonilla
Andrea Figueroa
Andrew Perretta
Anel I. Flores
Angel Quintero Jr.
Annette Flores
Ari Marta Chagoya
Azul Barrientos
BJ Gilley
Barbie Hurtado
Becca Najera
Belinda Trevino Cantu
Bernard Sánchez
Brad Veloz
Briauna Barrera
Brittany Sharnsky
Brittany Sharp
Callie Hoch
Cameron Ervin-Dillard
Carissma Hughes-Mendez
Carlos J. Carmona
Carolyn Welker
Celeste V. Ratcliffe
Chad Reumann
Claire Romano
Cristian Alexander
Daniel Yaqub
David J. Cisneros
David Laidacker-Luna
David M. Sanchez
David Zamora Casas
Deborah Bond
Denise De Leon
Desiree Longoria
Destanie Reyes
Diamond Mason
Dolores Zapata
Dr. Ana Alicia Perez
Dr. Annette D’Armata
Dr. Stacy Lynn Speedlin Gonzalez
Eduardo Juarez
Elaine Mica Perez
Enjoli Page
Eric Macias
Erika A. Casasola
Ervin Martinez
Esmerald Zuniga
Francisco Saucedo Jr.
Franco Ulloa
Frankie Gonzales-Wolfe
Gavon Payne
Geoffrey Maitland
Gija Ramo
Gilbert Martinez Jr
Gionni Taylor
Gloria A. Ramirez
Graciela Sanchez
Gregory L. Casillas
H. Drew Galloway
Hope Balle
Jacie L.
James Kane
James Poindexter
Jamie Zapata
Jasimine Harris
Jay Isaac Villafranco
Jennifer Casimira Alvarado
Jesse J Ruiz
Jessica O. Guerrero
Jessica McCrea
Jo Ann Castillo
Jo Reyes-Boitel
John David Griffith
Jonah Rhynes
Jorge Estevez
Kai Ramey
Kayla Gray
Kayla Miranda
Ki’Amber Thompson
KellyAnn Cameron
Kimberly Anderson
Kimiya Factory
King Peters
Kimberly Sama
Klarissa Gonzalez
Kristin Kerbow
LaTwanna Taylor
Lauren Barrera
Lauryn Farris
Letanya Davidson
Lett Arguijo
Lisa Martinez
Lizette Landa
Liz Moseley
Lourdez Perez
Luis Mercado
Luna Wood
Magdalena Alvarado
Marco Treinies
Maria Salazar
Marisa C. González
Mark Cruz
Martin Martinez
Mary Helen Gloria
Melinda Alvarado
Michelle Peno
Mike Rendon, Mike’s Hair Lounge
Nakkia Ellis
Natalie Rodríguez
Nicole Amri
Niqua Davis
Norma Elia Cantu
Olivia Youngblood
Oz Paez
Paige Davis
Pamela Michelle Herrera
Parker Radbourne
Peter Guerra III
Pinche Villa
Priscilla Robledo
Rebekkah Portlock
Rene Orozco
René Saenz
Renee Garvens
Rev. Naomi Brown, LMSW
Rev. Dr. William Knight
Robert Castoreno III
Robert Salcido, Jr.
Rosa Bens
Roxx Mojica
Sam Sanchez
Sara Sosa
Sandra Whitley
Sasha Sonja Wengler
Shelby Drayton
Sister Cher Noble
Sister Dottie Blair
Sister Katya Klyzm
Sister Skarlott de La Noche
Stefanie Gaines
Susana Segura
Tanisha Ellis
Tiffany Walton
Tony Alaniz
Tristan Garcia
Valeria Vallejo
Vanessa Powers
Vanessa Rodriguez
Viktoria Valenzuela
William Lynch
Yesenia Amador
Organizations
#BeHuman Campaign
Bexar County Democratic Party Pride Caucus
Binders for Brothers
Charles Roundtree Bloom Project
End Stigma End HIV Alliance San Antonio
Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
Equality Texas
Martinez Street Women’s Center
MCC San Antonio
Men In Transition
Mujeres Unidas
Orgullo de San Antonio, LGBTQ LULAC Council 22198
PFLAG San Antonio
Politiqueers
Pride Center San Antonio
Pride San Antonio Inc.
San Antonio Sisters, Abbey of the Alamo
SA Trans Brothers
Son Queers
Thrive Youth Center
Trans Power SA
Queer Corazones
Queer Voices Speak Out
100 Thousand Poets for Change San Antonio Texas