Philadelphia Bar Association Statement on the Supreme Court Affirming Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Protected Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Chancellor Hon. A. Michael Snyder (ret.) of the Philadelphia Bar Association, the nation’s oldest metropolitan Bar Association, issued the following statement on the Supreme Court decision affirming that sexual orientation and gender identity are protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:

“The Philadelphia Bar Association has long supported and encouraged the rights of all, and has repeatedly confirmed our commitment to advocating for the fair treatment of all individuals without regard to race, gender, or sexual orientation.

“We have previously passed Resolutions in support of the right of all individuals to marry those whom they wish, advocating for the rights of individuals of the same sex to marry one another.

“We remain firm in our belief that biases against individuals merely because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity are unlawful.

“Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees from discrimination by their employers based on race, color, national origin, sex and religion.

“We are, therefore, pleased that the Supreme Court of the United States has issued a decision that upholds the right of LGBTQ individuals to receive the protection of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“To quote Justice Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion in Bostock v. Clayton County, ‘Today, we must decide whether an employer can fire someone simply for being homosexual or transgender. The answer is clear. An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex. Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what Title VII forbids.' Title VII has clearly stated that it is impermissible to discriminate against an employee based on their sex. Therefore, the Court determined that it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee based on their sexual orientation or their gender identity.

“The Supreme Court has clarified the meaning of Title VII, providing protection to all LGBTQ individuals from discrimination by their employers. We believe that this decision affords a protection that never should have been denied to these individuals. We are hopeful that the decision of the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court marks the end to yet another area of unlawful discrimination.”

It Gets Better Project Sets Three Day “It Gets Better: A Digital Pride Experience”

The It Gets Better Project, a leading LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization serving LGBTQ+ youth, announced today “It Gets Better: A Digital Pride Experience.” The three day digital Pride event will bring together a diverse slate of talent across genres, including fitness, lifestyle, fashion & beauty, gaming, music and drag performances. The Digital Pride event will stream from the organization's YouTube, Facebook and Twitch on June 24th - June 26th from 2:00 PM PT - 7:00 PM PT and will honor the history of Pride month while showcasing what can be accomplished when a diverse group of community members ban together to move progress forward.

For nearly a decade, the It Gets Better Project has been amplifying the uplifting stories and experiences of the LGBTQ+ community for the benefit of younger generations. The It Gets Better Project has tapped Broadway Actor (Head Over Heels) & Activist Peppermint to host. The event will also feature performances by Rebecca Black, Crystal Methyd and Jujubee; a fitness experience with Caleb Marshall (aka The Fitness Marshall); tutorials by Louie Castro and Benji Krol; and special appearances by Alyson Stoner, The Aces, Nick Lehmann, The Angelinos and Rob Anderson. Additional talent will be announced on a rolling basis leading up to the event. Day sponsors for the event include Lexus, Riot Games and Zenni Optical.

The LGBTQ+ community and its allies may not be able to convene in-person this year, but Pride season will march on. The It Gets Better Project is excited to have LGBTQ+ leaders from the digital space join them for this one of a kind celebration. From performances and tutorials to Q&A’s and so much more, the three day event will include exclusive live and pre-taped content with plenty of opportunities for fans to engage with their favorite stars. The event will celebrate the continued progress toward equality for the global LGBTQ+ community, while promoting and securing funds to sustain the life-affirming services the It Gets Better Project provides young LGBTQ+ people exploring their sexual orientation and gender identity.

“This year Pride looks different. Partnering with the It Gets Better Project for A Digital Pride Experience is an opportunity to share my story and encourage positive change during this historic time. Our community has a long history of resilience in the face of discrimination,” said Peppermint, Broadway Actor & Activist. “At the very least, this moment is an opportunity to pass that tradition on to the younger generation.”

Becket Fund Represents Anti-LGBT Catholic Foster Care Agency in SCOTUS Case

As part of its “No Time For Nonsense” campaign, Accountable for Equality today called out the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty for representing an anti-LGBT organization in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, which is now before the Supreme Court.

Last week, the Trump administration submitted a brief in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, arguing that a taxpayer-funded, government-contracted foster care agency should be able to discriminate against LGBT couples and others that they consider to be in violation of their religious beliefs. The organization, Catholic Social Services, is a religious nonprofit that has refused to place adoptive and foster children with same-sex couples.

“Sexual orientation has absolutely nothing to do with a family’s ability to care for a child, and the Becket Fund is grossly advocating for further discrimination against LGBT couples. The Attorney General and the Justice Department clearly have no regard for basic humanity, as evidenced by their tear gassing protestors, blocking adoptions, putting children in cages, and actively wanting employers to discriminate against transgender Americans,” said Chris Fleming, spokesman for Accountable for Equality. “There is already a lack of available foster families in this country — allowing religious groups like Catholic Social Services to get away with excluding qualified families because of their sexual orientation is offensive and unacceptable. The Becket Fund’s bigoted and hate-filled agenda, enabeled by the U.S. Justice Department, has gone on for far too long, it’s #NoTimeForNonsense.”

The Becket Fund was founded in 1994 and has strong Catholic and conservative ties, including seed money provided by the Knights of Columbus; conservative Catholic scholars including Robert P. George and Mary Ann Glendon sit on the board. Becket has represented other parties discriminating against the LGBT community including in the cases Baker vs. Hands on Originals and Myrick v. Warren.

Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, Accountable for Equality is focusing its efforts to highlight those that are capitalizing on the pandemic to advance their own biased priorities that marginalize populations. It’s #NoTimeForNonsense.

Laura Frank Named Inaugural Executive Director of Colorado News Collaborative

The Colorado Media Project (CMP) and the Colorado Press Association (CPA) are proud to announce and welcome Laura Frank as the inaugural executive director of COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative.

COLab launched this year as a project of CMP with underwriting support from CPA, in partnership with newsrooms across Colorado. By January 2021 it will become an independent 501(c)(3) media resource hub and collaborative dedicated to helping journalism transform and thrive, to fulfill its democratic function in the digital age. The organization will serve as an ideas lab to support collaborative reporting projects, entrepreneurship in media business models, and innovations in community engagement, revenue and product development, and partnerships that strengthen the local news ecosystem in ways that better serve all Coloradans.

“The future of journalism is uncertain. The old economic model is collapsing and there is a pressing question of how the industry itself will survive. We believe that Laura is the right leader at the right time to lead this effort here in Colorado. She exemplifies the values of COLab, and is uniquely attuned to its mission to build capacity, improve sustainability, and foster innovation,” said COLab Board Chair Damian Thorman. “Under her leadership, COLab will be the force Colorado needs to navigate the future of accountability and public-service journalism in our state.”

Emerging from a competitive national field, Frank has roots in collaborative journalism and Colorado that run deep. She comes to the role with proven success in building new organizations, networks and coalitions in both commercial and nonprofit media. As executive director, Frank will lead a journalist network that spans all delivery formats, business models, and geographies in navigating the future of the industry in Colorado. She’ll also oversee operations at the COLab News Hub, a shared space housing 10 media organizations at Rocky Mountain Public Media’s new Buell Public Media Center, which opens this fall at Arapahoe and 19th in Downtown Denver.

“Our nation’s founders understood the importance of a free press,” Frank said. “I’m honored to work with the dedicated journalists of Colorado to strengthen journalism and serve the public in ways that live up to that expectation.”

Frank joins COLab after seven years as Vice President of Journalism for Rocky Mountain Public Media, where she led a seven-member duPont-winning investigative team. She also helped conceive the idea of COLab while at RMPM, and was instrumental in launching the COLab network this spring. COLab currently hosts a number of statewide initiatives with support from CMP, including Misinformation Watch Colorado, Follow the Money Colorado (tracking money in politics and the 2020 election), and the COVID Coverage Network, which involves nearly 120 journalists from 47 Colorado newsrooms who freely share and cross-publish public-service journalism on the evolving public health and economic crises.

“We’re excited to have Laura’s energy, expertise, and public-service commitment to launch COLab in this critical moment for the future of local news,” said Melissa Milios Davis, Vice President of Informed Communities for the Denver-based Gates Family Foundation, and a COLab Board Member. “Now more than ever, journalism’s role in our democracy is at a flashpoint. We see COLab as an opportunity to shape a new future for local news by supporting journalists to come together, test new ideas, showcase the value and impact of their work, and redefine their unique role within our communities.”

Prior to her time at RMPBS, Frank was founder and executive director of I-News: the Rocky Mountain Investigative News Network, a nonprofit start-up she founded after the 2009 closure of the Rocky Mountain News, where she had been an investigative reporter. Through I-News, Frank banded a network of more than 100 media partners from across Colorado, overseeing its production of multimedia reports, and the formation of partnerships with existing media for distribution, fundraising and growth through innovative revenue streams. When I-News merged with Rocky Mountain PBS in 2013, Frank served as vice president of journalism, where she was instrumental in restructuring the RMPBS production unit into a duPont-winning investigative documentary team, collaborating with state and national media.

“Laura is a savvy reporter and respected amongst her peers,” said Jill Farschman, CEO of Colorado Press Association, and a COLab Board Member. “Her commitment to civic initiatives, open government, and sustainable business models make her the right person for the job.”

WalletHub Study - 2020’s Best Cities for Gamers

Source: WalletHub

With the gaming industry projected to bring in $159 billion globally this year as more people stay inside during the coronavirus pandemic, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2020’s Best Cities for Gamers, as well as accompanying videos. 

To determine the best places to be a serious gamer, WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across 20 key indicators of gamer-friendliness. The data ranges from average internet speed to video-game stores per capita.
 

Top 20 Cities for Gamers
1. Seattle, WA		11. Washington, DC
2. San Diego, CA		12. Portland, OR
3. New York, NY		13. Atlanta, GA
4. Orlando, FL		14. Raleigh, NC
5. Irvine, CA		15. Pittsburgh, PA
6. Austin, TX		16. Denver, CO
7. San Francisco, CA		17. Madison, WI
8. San Jose, CA		18. Minneapolis, MN
9. Los Angeles, CA		19. Las Vegas, NV
10. Boston, MA		20. Sacramento, CA

Event Hub Goes Virtual with Seattle Pride

Event Hub has partnered with Seattle Pride, PrideFest, and the Gender Justice League, to launch a first-of-its kind virtual vendor village from June 26 - June 28th at this year's virtual LGBTQIA+ Pride celebration, Together For Pride.

The platform allows live virtual events to stream mainstage programming through a vendor village spotlighting Seattle Pride's community partners and vendors. Attendees can browse or search for specific partners and visit their virtual booths. From there, attendees can shop products and services while engaging with the booth host in real-time via video chat, and even make purchases from the booth.

"Seattle Pride is excited to incorporate Event Hub's virtual vendor village into our first ever virtual Pride celebration," said Krystal Marx, Seattle Pride executive director. "When so many aspects of event planning require attention to detail, communicating with numerous stakeholders and the ongoing desire to have an attractive, user-friendly experience for our attendees, it has been a relief to find such a great online version of what is typically, an in-person experience."

Seattle Pride along with Gender Justice League and PrideFest have made the collective decision to shift their respective annual Pride celebrations this year to a series of virtual events, and have coordinated their programming into one amazing three-day virtual Pride weekend, June 26-28.

As producers of Seattle's largest LGBTQIA+ Pride Month events – Seattle Pride in the Park, Trans Pride, Seattle Pride Parade and PrideFest at Seattle Center – the organizations knew that despite the COVID-19 epidemic they needed to find a way to bring all persons in the LGBTQIA+ community together to celebrate and make sure their important voices were heard.

"Event Hub is thrilled to be able to support such an incredible weekend event through our new product, which enables the organizers to support their planned virtual programming with virtual partnerships," said Michael Bleau, Event Hub CEO.

Black Pumas - Fast Car

Black Pumas, the Grammy-nominated duo of vocalist Eric Burton and guitarist Adrian Quesada, release their cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” today. The band’s powerful performance of the track became a fan favorite at their live shows, and its poignant lyrics about dreaming of a better life take on a personal resonance for Burton, who traveled the country as a street performer before forming Black Pumas. “To me, ‘Fast Car’ is a song of hope, dreams and a relentless heart to go somewhere and be someone,” says Burton. “I learned the song when I first began to busk and of the covers that I knew, it garnered the most attention from the random passerby. As a musician and artist, I’m attracted to songs that make us reflect on our daily struggles for making life worth living for.”

Black Pumas will be performing a remote livestream set as part of the virtual benefit concert A Night For Austin this Wednesday, June 10. The two-hour event was organized by Paul Simon, Edie Brickell, and Willie and Annie Nelson and Black Pumas are joined on the lineup by James Taylor, Patty Griffin, Norah Jones, Gary Clark Jr., Alejandro Escovedo, Bonnie Raitt, and more. The show starts at 8pm CDT; streaming details are HERE. On Sunday, June 21, Black Pumas will play an entire set presented by Texas Lottery, to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their Grammy-nominated self-titled debut album. The show will be streamed on Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, and YouTube; all details are HERE.

PEOPLE Cover Story: Anderson Cooper Opens Up About Being a Dad to Baby Wyatt: ‘This Is a New Level of Love’

On the air, Anderson Cooper is the epitome of a serious newsman. Off-camera, he's a seriously besotted new dad.

On April 30, the CNN anchor, 53, surprised the world with the emotional announcement on Anderson Cooper 360° that he had become a father three days earlier to baby Wyatt Morgan. Now, he seems like a completely different man, talking with his co-parent and former partner Benjamin Maisani, 47, about feedings, sleep schedules and diapers. It’s an experience he never imagined he’d get to have.

“When I was 12 years old and knew I was gay and thought about my life, it always upset me because I thought, ‘I will never be able to have a kid,’ ” he says in this week’s PEOPLE cover story for the magazine's first-ever Pride issue. “This is a dream come true.”

“It feels like my life has actually begun,” Cooper continues. “And I sort of wonder, what was I waiting for? This is a new level of love. It’s unlike anything I’ve experienced, and yet it’s also very familiar and incredibly special and intimate. It’s really extraordinary.” Becoming a father has also given Cooper new perspective as he works from home, covering momentous news like the coronavirus pandemic and national protests following the death of George Floyd. “I feel invested in the future in a way I hadn’t really before,” he says. “There’s something about having a child that makes you feel connected to what is happening and you want to make sure that the world this child is growing up in is a better one. You suddenly worry much more about the future of all of us.”

Rufus Wainwright - You Ain't Big

Rufus Wainwright has shared a video for “You Ain’t Big” a song off his highly anticipated upcoming album Unfollow The Rules, out July 10 through BMG.

Wainwright says of the song and video, “I originally wrote the song “You Ain’t Big” about the strange fact that in the music business worldwide until recently (our estimation has fallen considerably) no matter how well you’ve done anywhere else, if you couldn’t make it in the heartland of the US you weren’t really considered a true star. Think Little Richard, Elvis, the Beatles and Julio Iglesias. However, in releasing this song now which references states such as Alabama, North Carolina, Kansas (where I have had the pleasure of playing shows) and even New York and California, all troubled places during this tremendously turbulent time nationwide, the term “You Ain’t Big” has taken on additional meanings. The song at heart is apolitical. Its vintage sound harkens back to the classical American country music sound of the 40s and 50s and with the help of opposing images in the video of how different life was for white people compared to black people in the 1950’s, as it has sadly remained, I think it rings appropriate for this time and professes a certain truth.”

In addition to the video Rufus has made available on his YouTube channel RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: UNMAKING UNFOLLOW THE RULES, a behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the extraordinary creation of his eagerly anticipated new album. The short film, directed by Jeff Richter of Earthquake Productions (Guns N Roses, Lenny Kravitz, De La Soul) features intimate interviews and discussions with Mitchell Froom, David Boucher, Petra Haden, Jim Keltner, Blake Mills, Rob Moose, David Piltch, and Rufus Wainwright.

CLGS is Accepting Applications for the 2020-2021 Trans Seminarian Cohort

The Trans Seminarian Cohort is a joint project of CLGS, The Freedom Center for Social Justice, and the National LGBTQ Task Force. The Cohort is a year-long opportunity to join with transgender, gender non-conforming, and genderqueer seminary students for opportunities in theological engagement, mentoring, networking, and sacred activism. 

Click here to apply for the 2020-2021 Trans Seminarian Cohort.

JustFor.fans Reveals ‘Quarantine Scene’ Contest Winners, Matches $3,000 Donation to BLM

Adult subscription platform JustFor.fans (JFF) today announced the winners of its $3,000 Quarantine Scene Contest, awarding the creative who produced the most exciting onscreen scenarios featuring two (or more) models not sharing the same physical space.

The social site that offers money-making opportunities for straight, gay, trans and non-binary adult content creators also offered money this week to first-prize winners @whozyourzaddy, @lucaschampagne, @damagedbttm, @jacksonhoodxxx, @liamcyberxxx - who all split $2,000.

There were two runner-up winners who will split $1000: @CagedJock and @devinfrancoxxx, and FTM models kinxstonfoxxx, @ftmking420, @AriKoyoteFTM, @StevieTrixx, @TripleXTransMan.

“Congratulations to our Quarantine Scene Contest winners, and to everyone who entered the contest,” said a JustFor.fans rep. “We have also made a matching donation of $3,000 to Black Lives Matter.”

JustFor.fans performers were asked to shoot their very best virtual sex scenes while on lockdown and send them over for judging, and now JFF members can view ALL the winners and other entries by visiting JustFor.fans/qscene.php.

FAB THE DUO announce new EP 'Our Love Is Resistance'

Fab The Duo, a biracial glam pop-rock duo and real-life couple, today announce a release date and title for the group’s upcoming EP. Our Love Is Resistance will be released on Friday, June 19. The EP, which will be accompanied by a music video for the title track, is also now available for pre-order. 

Fab The Duo have also released a preview of their upcoming new music video “Our Love Is Resistance,” the title track from the EP. The teaser shows the duo marching down the streets of Manhattan towards The Stonewall Inn, the birthplace of the gay rights movement. 

Of the title track and music video, Fab The Duo says: “We recorded this song and music video at the beginning of 2020 in a world that feels very different from the one we live in now. Yet this track and its message seem more relevant than ever. We must fight against the hate and injustices of the world at all costs and know that love will prevail.”

Of the Our Love Is Resistance EP, Fab The Duo says: “We are proud to be making history as the first gay couple to make waves in the music industry. This EP is a culmination of love from each other and what we have received. Love is and always will be the ultimate form of resistance, and we hope that by listening to this EP, people will learn to love a little bit more and feel inspired to be their true selves.”

Fab The Duo, who met each other on Tinder, are aiming to change the cultural narrative about love in the LGBTQ space. The duo’s most recent single, “No Prince Charming (feat. MariahLynn),” was released in February exclusively through Billboard Pride. Watch the video, which has been viewed more than 50,000 times, HERE. 

Samsung & The Roku Channel Launch 1st LGBTQ Channel for Pride Month - Revry

Revry, the first global LGBTQ+ streaming network, announced today the launch of its service on Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’s free smart TV video service that delivers instant access to over 120 free channels in news, sports, entertainment and more.

The Revry Channel, featuring hundreds of hours of original and licensed LGBTQ+ movies, shows, music, podcasts, and news, is available on Samsung TV Plus Channel 1226. As Samsung’s only Queer-focused TV channel, The Revry Channel will premiere across millions of Samsung Smart TVs just in time for Pride season, and will be the first and only home for exclusively LGBTQ+ entertainment on Samsung’s Smart TVs.

“We are excited to launch our newest live linear channel on Samsung TV Plus. Given Samsung’s massive reach, we now have the opportunity to touch a broader LGBTQ+ and allied audience through Samsung Smart TVs,” said Damian Pelliccione, CEO and Co-Founder at Revry. “We believe representation saves lives, so partnering with Samsung helps us bring our ‘radically inclusive’ entertainment to an even bigger audience, and gives us the chance to change hearts and minds, both inside and outside of the LGBTQ community.”

These diverse perspectives have become the hallmarks of Revry’s “unapologetically queer” programming, which includes its slate of originals such as the GLAAD Media Award recipient and Spanish-language docu-series, THE CATEGORY IS, which follows the vibrant underground ballroom scene in Mexico City; the Wes Anderson-style comedy series, SINK SANK SUNK, starring Academy Award nominee Laura Linney; the second season of the reality TV series, PUTTING ON, starring rising Israeli fashion designer, On Mekahel; and THE QUEENS, an insightful documentary film following RuPaul’s Drag Race favorites: Alaska, Katye, Jinkx Monsoon, and Sharon Needles. In addition to these originals, Revry will be releasing over 100 new titles this Pride season.

In order to optimize the distribution and programming of its live channel, Revry is using Frequency Studio–a cloud-based video platform and channel creation software–to manage, create and distribute the Revry Channel to Samsung.

“Revry continues to have a huge impact on the LGBTQ+ community and we’re really proud to be working with them to optimize the delivery of Revry’s newest channel to the Samsung TV Plus platform, just in time for Pride 2020,” said Blair Harrison, Frequency’s Founder and CEO.

PBS Kicks Off Pride with Launch of PRIDELAND

PBS is celebrating LGTBQ+ Pride Month with the launch of PRIDELAND, a new one-hour special and short-form digital series following host and actor Dyllón Burnside (from FX’s “Pose”) on a journey across the South. The six-episode short-form series launched on PBS Voices, a new documentary-focused YouTube Channel by PBS Digital Studios, on Tuesday, May 26. A one-hour companion special, also hosted by Dyllón Burnside will also premiere on Friday, June 12 at 9:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video App.

The third episode of the PRIDELAND digital series, entitled, “Polyamory, Demisexuality, and Being Transgender in the South,” premieres Tuesday, June 9 on PBS Voices. Host Dyllón Burnside sits down with a group of diverse LGBTQ+ members –  Kiala Emmons (Tampa, FL), Dr. Celiany Rivera-Veláquez (San Juan, PR), and Cole Foust (St. Petersburg, FL) – to learn how to embrace sex positivity and maneuver the modern dating scene. They talk candidly about asexuality, polyamorous relationships and how to manage diverging expectations in the queer community.

PRIDELAND highlights authentic personal stories brought to life through Dyllón Burnside’s curious, exploratory lens. As an LGBTQ+ advocate, he guides viewers into the South’s various LGBTQ+ communities, connecting with people of different backgrounds, locations, experiences and points of view. For more information, check out the official PBS announcement.

The first two digital episodes are available to view on PBS Voices:

·       Episode 1: “Out, Proud & Southern: Dyllón Burnside’s Story”

·      Episode 2:  “An Openly Gay Pastor’s Journey to Acceptance in the Bible Belt”

In addition to PRIDELAND, PBS will also offer encore presentations and streaming of a vast array of LGBTQ+ focused programing throughout the month of June on PBS, PBS.org, PBS Video App and PBS Passport. Programs include AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “Stonewall Uprising,” AMERICAN MASTERS “Terrance McNally” and THE LAVENDER SCARE. To view PBS’s upcoming LGBTQ+ Pride Month programming guide, please click here.

For more information on PBS’s upcoming LGBTQ+ Pride Month programming, the new PRIDELAND one-hour special and digital series, and PBS Voices, visit PBS.org and the PBS YouTube Channel. Viewers are also encouraged to engage in online conversation by tagging @PBS and using #PridelandPBS and #PBSVoices on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

National LGBTQ Task Force: Black lives matter. Black lives matter. Black lives matter.

By Rea Carey & Kierra Johnson, Executive Director & Deputy Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force

Like you, we are holding immeasurable pain, anger, and grief in our hearts.

As LGBTQ Pride Month begins, peaceful protesters are taking to the streets across the country with righteous anger, pain, and mourning calling for justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and countless others who have lost their lives to police brutality and anti-Black violence.

June is usually a time when we honor and show our resilience as we celebrate the revolutionary roots of the LGBTQ movement, from the Stonewall uprising to the direct action during the AIDS pandemic, to the on-going fight for equality under the law for all LGBTQ people.

This year is different. A global pandemic has highlighted health disparities in diverse communities, we are experiencing a historic climate of economic uncertainty, and the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Tony McDade at the hands of law enforcement have made visible once again the individual, institutional and systemic racism that continues to plague this country.

Black lives matter. Black lives matter. Black lives matter.

As an organization with a long history of fighting racial injustice both within and outside of queer communities, we join those demanding justice and equity for Black people.

As a community, we must also continue to dismantle White Supremacy and fight back against long-standing and insidious structures that have oppressed and marginalized Black people for hundreds of years.

We must reclaim, fortify and rebuild our democracy, as we see White Supremacy and overt racism coming from the so-called leadership of this country, seeking to destroy the very bedrock of democratic principles upon which our nation is supposedly based.

We support those fighting to expand civil liberties to the most vulnerable and uplift those who have not had a voice. We condemn the attacks on the bodies and civil liberties of protesters—justified by the state in the name of “security”—which we recognize as a veiled excuse for racial profiling, raiding homes, breaking up families, and revoking the right to vote, and criminalizing our constitutional right to protest.

Let us all consider the questions that continue to plague us:

• Can a Black man not go for a run without being stalked and killed?
• Can a Black trans woman not walk down the street without fear of violence for simply being true to herself?
• Can Black youth have hope for a future and opportunity that right now seems unattainable?
• Can any person of color not expect basic respect from law enforcement and the justice system?
• Can we live in a county where Black lives truly matter?

Right now, the answer is NO. The real question is, what will you – what will we – do about it?

Moving forward, we will continue to provide resources and opportunities for you to engage, educate, and advocate for racial justice. As we approach the November elections, our communities must mobilize and be unified in our stand for equity for all.

The Task Force commits to continue our own learning and to continue prioritizing racial justice as we work to achieve freedom, justice, and equity for all LGBTQ people.