#ourlivesmatter
FIERCE is a membership-based organization building the leadership and power of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth of color in New York City.
What is justice in the United States of America? Who does the justice system serve and work to protect? FIERCE, people across the United States, and the world are asking these questions after Monday’s announcement of the grand jury’s decision not to indict white Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in the murder of Michael Brown.
This verdict sent a loud and very clear message about the value placed on the lives of black people. It says, that black lives mean nothing. It says, that it is okay to kill black people just because of the color of their skin. It says, Jim Crow laws and culture are not an era of atrocity in history but a present vicious subversive reality used to continue to imprison, beat, and kill black bodies with no accountability for the anti-black genocide that is being committed in this country.
As LGBTQ youth organizers fighting against police brutality since 2000, we see this as an issue for not only black people but for queer people of color. We are often forced to choose between our Queer identities and our identities as people of color. FIERCE for the past 15 years has been working to bring all our experiences and identities to the table in which to organize from and for. Our complexity and our intersections are the foundation from which we dream and work towards freedom for ourselves, one another and the communities we stand in solidarity with. We took to the streets the past two nights as Queer people of color, as Queer & Trans youth of color to stand in solidarity with the people of Ferguson, Missouri to call an end to the anti-black genocide being committed by those who wear blue and a badge.
We stand strong with Michael Brown’s family, the people of Furgerson, black people, black, women, queer people, trans women, and our allies because we can no longer be silent. Enough is enough! Not one more Black life lost! We are calling on our community and allies to stand strong. We call on you to continue to stand in solidarity to show that black lives matter. Our lives matter! We call on you to demand justice for Mia Henderson, Aniya Parker, Tiffany Edwards, Yaz’min Shancez, Brittany-Nicole Kidd-Stergis, Alejandra Leos, Kandy Hall and all Trans women of color who were murdered this past year and whose lives were treated with complete disregard demonstrated by the lack of justice delivered. As Queer & Trans people of color, we often see and hear stories of black Trans women being brutalized and killed by police. These stories are almost never covered by mainstream media.
For black lives lost from police brutality, we call on you to demand justice for Yvette Smith, Eleanor Bumpurs, Aiyana Stanley-Jones, Tarika Wilson, and all other black women who lost their lives to police brutality. We call on you to demand justice for Eric Garner, Ramarley Graham and for Akai Gurley. We call on you to demand Justice for Mike Brown and to sign the online petitiononcolorofchange.orgcalling for President Obama and Attorney General Holder to bring federal charges against Officer Wilson for the murder of 18 year old, Michael Brown.
FIERCE will continue our critical work of organizing Queer and Trans youth of color led campaigns that work to decriminalize and empower our communities by holding the NYPD accountable for unlawful, abusive and discriminatory policing. As we demand an end to broken windows policing, we demand justice for Mike Brown and all victims of police violence. No Justice! No Peace!
