On Juneteenth, June 19, 2023, The Diversity Center Manager of Programs and Impact Meggie Pina gave the following address at the March Towards Love & Courage, to the people gathered at Santa Cruz City Hall:
Love as a Practice of Freedom
Bell Hooks writes, "The moment we choose to love, we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love, we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. That action is the testimony of love as the practice of freedom."
Love is not just a passive emotion but a radical force that compels us to take action and work towards liberation for ourselves and others. To fully love ourselves is an act of freedom!
Thank you, Thairie Ritchie, for inviting the LGBTQ+ community to join the March Towards Love and Courage. I am grateful for your leadership and vision!
My name is Meggie Pina, I am a bisexual chicana, artist, advocate and community organizer. I am passionate about centering and elevating the voices of BIPOC and Queer people. I am the Manager of Programs and Impact at The Diversity Center.
The Diversity Center in Midtown Santa Cruz is a LGBTQ+ community space, offering support groups, workshops, social events, and LGBTQ+ cultural awareness training. With 34 years of history, we are dedicated to uplifting the LGBTQ+ community. If you face adversity regarding your gender, identity, or sexuality, seek support. Don't bear the weight alone. The Diversity Center provides free mental health counseling to LGBTQ+ community members. Our mission is to inspire and support every member of the LGBTQ+ community by creating a culture of well-being.
We recognize the historical connections between the civil rights movement, Black Lives Matter, and the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. We actively listen, learn, and reflect on our power and privilege. To explore LGBTQ+ history requires we acknowledge and pay homage to the significant contributions of Black Queer Activists. Despite their generosity, they face ongoing discrimination within their communities.
The LGBTQ+ community is intersectional, including diverse ages, races, ethnicities, and religions. We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, combating discrimination and oppression while challenging white supremacy. We hold a shared belief that all forms of violence - whether physical, emotional, or psychological - are unacceptable and must be stopped.
As we gather to celebrate Juneteenth and honor the 3 year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder I would like to send love and strength to his family especially his daughter Gianna and her mother Roxie. May they know that we honor Geroge’s memory today and through our activism.
Dehumanizing rhetoric toward underrepresented communities has real-life consequences. I ask that we also remember the 32 transgender and gender-nonconforming people killed in the United States last year. Trans women are disproportionately targeted. Transgender people of color account for 81 percent of lives taken, and 59 percent of those killed were Black.
The fight for Black Lives and LGBTQ+ rights remains urgent. On June 6th The Human Rights Campaign Officially Declared ‘State of Emergency’ for LGBTQ+ Americans. 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been signed into law this year alone, more than doubling last year’s number.These bills have attacked transgender people’s right to health care, right to exist in public, and right to live openly, right to express themselves in Drag, on stage, and with a microphone. The ultimate goal is to erase trans lives and experiences.
Political participation is vital for our liberation. We must vote and attend school board meetings to ensure policies address community needs. Teachers must speak up against racist, homophobic, and transphobic slurs, protecting youth. We want every student in Santa Cruz County to have access to a gender neutral bathroom, now. Two thirds of transgender and gender-nonconforming students will avoid school bathrooms all together out of fear of both verbal and physical harassment. There are many ways to support the community through advocacy, education, and volunteerism. Pajaro Valley Pride will take place on August 20th in Watsonville! If you are a parent looking for support, reach out to Transfamilies of Santa Cruz.
Being anti-racist means learning how to speak up when people are contributing to a culture of prejudice and oppression or causing harm to others. Being an ally means tapping into unconditional love and using our power and privilege to help support people who are facing oppressions that we may not experience myself. As an ally, I commit to speaking up when I hear and see ableism, ageism, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, biphobia.
My purpose here is to unite with allies and BIPOC Queer community members, creating a vibrant hub at the Diversity Center. With your support, we can mobilize, celebrate, learn, and build meaningful connections. The Diversity Center is available if you want to host an event or workshop. Please reach out. I want to collaborate with you.
Liberation looks like a society where we can experience safety and security while we fully express our identities. Where we are free to love and live without fear of discrimination, violence, or oppression. Fostering inclusive interactions means honoring people’s pronouns and validating gender diversity.
I urge each of you to stand up as advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. We need your support, understanding, and love. Let us stand in solidarity with transgender individuals, advocating for their rights and dignity. Educate yourself, challenge stereotypes, and create spaces of inclusion and affirmation in your heart, home, churches, schools and workplaces.
Are you a member of the BIPOC Queer community? Your story holds power. Become a Triangle Speaker and raise awareness and foster understanding for the LGBTQ+ community. Black Lives Matter, we value your experiences. We are looking for the next generation of Triangle Speakers who will use storytelling to dismantle prejudice and discrimination. Your voice matters in the fight for justice and equality. The Diversity Center will be providing comprehensive training sessions in July and August that will encourage you to speak your truth and inspire change. Please visit our website or information table to learn more about becoming a Triangle Speaker.Together, we can dismantle barriers and foster a world where black, queer and trans people are celebrated and respected. Let us create a society where all can thrive authentically and unapologetically.
We March Toward Love and Courage, united in our determination. The struggle for Black Lives Matter intertwines with LGBTQ+ rights. Let love guide us and courage be our compass. Let’s Celebrate our diversity, choose love over division, and build an inclusive and compassionate community. Let your voice pave the way for a brighter future.
Resources and Links
HRC: 2021 Becomes Deadliest Year on Record for Transgender and Non-Binary People
HRC’s “Activate and Elevate” Skill-Building Fellowship Program
PBS: At Least 32 Transgender People Were Killed in the US in 2022
OutVoices: How Black LGBTQ+ Activism Shapes Black History
Lambda Legal: What Black Queer Liberation Means This Juneteenth