Queer Left At US Social Forum Pledge A Movement for ‘Safe Self-Determination’
For Immediate Release: June 28, 2010
Press Release
Contacts:
Caitlin Breedlove, Southerners On New Ground: 404-549-8628
Kenyon Farrow, Queers for Economic Justice: 212-564-3608
Joaquin Sanchez, Communications Liaison for the Queer and Trans Peoples’ Movement Assembly: 917-575-3154
Queers to the Left, to the Left
Queer and Trans Peoples’ Movement Assembly at the United States Social Forum Broaden LGBTQ Movement Agenda to Include Immigration, Racial and Economic Justice
Detroit - A newly formed national coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, two spirit, transgender and gender nonconforming groups working for economic justice announced a new agenda for the queer rights movement on Saturday at the United States Social Forum (USSF) in Detroit. This is the second United States Social Forum, which brought together over 15,000 activists, organizers and community members from across the United States and around the world to share strategies for advancing human rights and social justice. The ROOTS Coalition, grantee partners of the ASTRAEA Lesbian Foundation’s Movement Building Program, expands the current agenda beyond marriage equality and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to include the needs of the most vulnerable communities and the structural causes of queer oppression.
Kenyon Farrow, Executive Director of Queers for Economic Justice in New York City, explained, “The most vulnerable people in our communities face discrimination from schools, landlords, lenders and employers. This leaves them underemployed, underhoused and without access to formal education. This creates a pipeline into poverty, continuing the legacy of state-sponsored violence against poor people.”
“Queer people are immigrants, the working-poor; we are hard working single-mothers, domestic workers and bus drivers, journalists and educators. We live in rural communities, the big cities, the reservations and on the gulf coast. Immigrant rights, reproductive justice, environmental racism, indigenous sovereignty, the economic recession and ecological destruction are all issues that affect our communities,” added Paulina Hernandez, Co-Director of Southerners On New Ground, a southern regional organization based in Atlanta, GA.
The coalition released the “Queer and Trans Peoples’ Resolution for Safe Self-Determination,” statement generated through a collective process called the People’s Movement Assembly. Over 500 people over the course of the USSF worked together to produce a set of principles for Safe Self Determination. According to the statement, Safe Self-Determination is defined as a call to action to hold government systems accountable for ALL forms of state sponsored violence enacted upon queer, trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, two-spirit, gender non-conforming people; to fight for specific and concrete human rights and overall system transformation, deconstructing the US and global capitalist economy while building alternative economies, infrastructure and interdependence among groups rooted in the most vulnerable communities. (For the full text, follow the link: http://pma2010.org/node/210)
In the closing ceremonies, the more than 15,000 participants of USSF committed to upholding the resolutions produced by the 52 People’s Movement Assemblies that took place over the course of the week, including the Queer and Trans Peoples’ Movement Assembly.
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Last Chance to Support QEJ in 2009!
Dear QEJ Supporter,
We know that April 15th seems like a long way off. But your 2009 deductions end tomorrow night! It’s not too late to make a tax deductible gift to QEJ — one that will fuel our social justice work in 2010. We’ve made major advances this year in our campaign work locally and in raising the visibility of economic justice issues for queers nationally. There is much more work to do to ensure that working class, poor and low-income LGBT people receive justice in our society, but we’re hoping to continue to organize, and to make our communities visible in the LGBT movement, and in broader progressive movements across the country.
QEJ has always taken difficult and principled stances on issues that are sometimes unpopular with some elements of the LGBT community. Members of our board and staff have sometimes come under harsh criticism from bloggers or movement leaders for being divisive, reverse racists, complainers who aren’t realistic or practical in our idea of social change. We organize on the issues that are important to our base–that’s our queer agenda.
That is why we coordinate support groups for queer and trans people in the shelter system. That is why we organize queer and trans people on welfare to advocate for better welfare policies that expand access for trans and gender nonconforming people. That is why we organized a national mobilization of LGBT organizations to push for the inclusion of the public option in federal health care reform. Your donations help us continue to work on the issues that prioritize the lives of queer people at the margins of our movement.
Though we’re being told that we’re pulling out of the recession in 2010, we know that poor and working class queer people will still be unemployed and discriminated against at the welfare office, working in jobs with low wages, no health care for themselves or their families, and unable to take sick days without fear of being fired. After the economy recovers, our work will not be complete.
Won’t you make an end-of year donation to support true economic justice?
All of us at QEJ thank you for the support you’ve shown us over the years, and we wish you and yours a Happy New Year!
In struggle,
Kenyon Farrow
Support a New Queer Agenda in 2010
Dear Friend,
You and I both know that the economic crisis is not getting better for many low-income and working class people–including queer and transgender folks–any time soon. Queers for Economic Justice is the leading LGBTQ organization working to address the economy’s impact on our communities. We need your continued support to ensure QEJ’s critical work. So far, we’ve raised about $3,000 from people who believe in QEJ’s vision of economic justice. If you’ve given to QEJ already, THANK YOU! If not, please help us reach our $10,000 fundraising goal by December 31.
At this critical time, we ask that you consider making a tax-deductible gift of $100 to make QEJ’s vision a reality. Gifts of any size are appreciated and go a long way to ensure QEJ’s cutting-edge work. Or become a QEJ monthly sustainer by giving $10, $25, or $50 a month to be charged to your debit or credit card. Small gifts overtime add up to make a big difference for economic justice! Thank you for considering QEJ.
With your support, here’s what you can expect from QEJ in 2010:
• A new focus on the economic crisis and its impact on LGBT communities with a spring institute on LGBTQ people and the economic crisis, monthly political education teleconferences and a series of fact sheets on queers and the economy–all to put forth our communities’ needs.
• The national release of QEJ’s groundbreaking report and educational documentary about low-income queer and trans people in NYC detailing research findings on the lesser known experiences of these communities. These tools will be used to educate allied communities and policy makers.
• A campaign to end violence against LGBTQ People in NYC homeless shelters. We’ll be drawing on our six years of experience organizing shelter residents to tackle the increasing violence homeless queer and trans people face by creating a resource guide and offering trainings to shelter staff.
As the new Executive Director of QEJ, I am thrilled to be working alongside my colleagues, Jay Toole and Reina Gossett to make next year an even bigger year for QEJ’s work. But we cannot do so without your generosity. Please join us in our efforts by making your gift today.
Remember, when you give to QEJ, you are making a commitment to justice for all queers, despite their income, race, ability, legal status, or gender identity. On behalf of QEJ’s staff, board, and constituents, thank you for your consideration.
Towards a more just world in 2010,
Kenyon Farrow
Executive Director