June 5, 2020
To Our Community,
Yesterday, the board of North Shore Pride came together. We shared our outrage and profound sadness following recent deplorable acts including a white woman threatening to weaponize law enforcement against a Black man and the death of another Black man at the hands of a police force. As we once again grieve the violence against Black and Brown people in our country, we took a hard look at the work we have done and the work we have yet to do. North Shore Pride is declaring our commitment to standing together against injustice and racism.
The LGBTQ community has endured generations of injustice and we cannot talk about the history of the LGBTQ movement without talking about the Black and Brown people central to it: Marsha P. Johnson, an outspoken transgender rights activist, who helped start and was on the frontline of the Stonewall Riots. Prolific writers include Audre Lord, a lesbian, feminist, and civil rights activist, and James Baldwin, a voice for gay and bisexual men, who shaped ideas on the intersectionality of race, gender, class, and sexual identity. Donna Burkett and Manonia Evans, a lesbian couple, who paved the way for marriage equality. And many, many, more.
We know that many Black and Brown people in the LGBTQ community continue to be economically disadvantaged, to face healthcare inequality, and to face higher rates of violence. Black transgender women are being beaten and killed at an alarming rate. We also know that Black and Brown people in the LGBTQ community report facing discrimination, stereotyping, feelings of exclusion, or poor treatment within the LGBTQ community – a fact that is equally inexcusable.
We recognize that our sincere desire to do more is not enough. Instead, we are not only committed to learning and listening, but are also committed to taking action. This includes building relationships with organizations addressing systemic and institutional racism and its impact on our LGBTQ community.
The theme for our 2020 North Shore Pride Parade & Festival is “Uniting Community,” which we are going to work even harder to live up to and uphold. The board of North Shore Pride wants you to know that we hear you, we see you, and we stand with you, and we commit to being a catalyst for change in our community.
With Love,
North Shore Pride