My final thoughts on today's #AllBlackLivesMatter march...

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Hey good morning everyone! Happy Sunday!

I’m getting a lot of calls and texts from the media and community about today’s march and I just want to make a few things clear-er -and then I am done with the whole situation.

1. When the original march was announced by CSW/LA Pride there was a lot of concern in the Black LGBTQ community about this newfound love for Black people given their history that dates back at least to the 80s all the way to today.

2. A Zoom meeting of hand-picked Black LGBTQ leaders with CSW/LA Pride leadership took place on Thursday, June 4 for almost three hours at the end of which--the majority of the 39 or so people on the call reiterated their desire that nothing happened yet, it was too soon and it needed to be thought out more. There were other concerns too that includes police involvement and CSW/LA Prides commitment to defunding the police. Some of us on that call were invited at the last minute--others that should have been on that call were not invited at all. The link to that meeting is here: https://soundcloud.com/jasmynecannick/csw-blm-meeting-06042020

3. After that call--a select group of folks decided to ignore the wishes and concerns of the majority of the people on the call and move forward with a divisive All Black Lives Matter march to be led by a CSW/LA Pride boardmember and one of their consultants.

4. All Black Lives Matter came out of the idea that Black Lives Matter was anti-trans. I've never seen that or heard that. I'm not sure if this is based on the individual experiences of some that are being generalized or if this is just some folks' way of keep us divided amongst each other. Considering that two of the three founders of BLM are queer--I don't think the organization is anti=trans. However, that doesn't mean members of the group aren't. But to paint the whole group as such is exactly what the police do to Black people.

5. I am aware of what it looks like. Black folks fighting with Black folks. I don't like it either but I also don't like my people being used and being played. CSW/LA Pride can say they are not involved all day long but two of their people are leading it, they shared resources with these folk--including forwarding their website to theirs. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

6. Throughout history, there have always been those Black people who put themselves ahead of community. Why should this be any different? Is it disappointing? It sure is, but it's not unusual.

7. Understandably people are confused. One day it's being led by CSW/LA Pride the next by a group called All Black Lives Matter. First, it was said it was with the support of Black Lives Matter--that turned out to be untrue but the damage had already been done. On their part--as a strategist--that's not too shabby a strategy and it clearly worked.

8. So people are confused about whether or not to go. I am not going. If it is on your heart to go--go with your heart. My people suffered too much with CSW/LA Pride for me to be duped into the same event under a different name. The white LGBTQ community doesn't get a pass from me and that includes their proxies. But that's me. My non-participation doesn't mean I am anti-trans.

9. Below I've included that public June 4 Zoom call that took place for context to folks understand how this all went down and how we go to today.

https://soundcloud.com/jasmynecannick/csw-blm-meeting-06042020

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