This week, thousands upon thousands of folks from across the country (and other countries as well) converged on Detroit for the United States Social Forum. We’ve been blasting out a lot of information about Equality Across America’s participation in this historical event, but if you’re behind on the game like all of us are sometimes go to ussf2010.org for the inspiring details.
This is my sixth conference I’ve attended since mid-March, so I was worried that I was going to be burnt out quickly. I’ve felt burnt out ever since the ending of Harvey Milk week and the last leg of regional conferences that were affiliated with EAA.
Upon arriving, I felt the scalding pessimism and frustration melt off my shoulders as the forum kicked off with what had to be a 10,000 strong multi-issue march for any and all social justice issues. Be it racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, gentrification, immigration, environmental or Detroit-specific issues, they were represented. Undocumented activists stood in solidarity, unafraid and led chants in Spanish and English that were eaten up by the crowd. Environmental chants were immediately followed by queer chants. It was the most beautiful feeling to be screaming along with the masses, not isolated by issue but together in solidarity even though we may not all agree or understand each other.
There wasn’t a single person in that march not smiling, dancing, crying or awestruck. I saw it in their faces, and I couldn’t stop reading the crowd.
Why were we at a conference that wasn’t queer specific?
We can’t do this alone, and neither can any of the other movements fighting for a better society and planet. We must help before asking for help, and we must continue helping. The work will most likely never end – for we have billions of hearts and minds to change and a societal structure that pits us against each other to re-work or tear down.
At this forum, I’ve cried. I’ve laughed and I’ve been horrified. I conversed with folks who never knew that there was a raging queer movement about to topple over into a revolution once we unify. I’ve been educated, and I’ve educated. I’ve argued and expanded so rapidly I’m still digesting everything. My politics have changed, but my goal and my reasons for organizing with Equality Across America have only strengthened, become more cohesive, and that anger…the anger that drives us to transform our sorrows and disappointments into a creative and positive energy that will permeate through this society slowly until all have been liberated, IS BACK.
So many of us have been fighting for only a short time, while others have been going for decades. The younger generations don’t have a time-line for liberation, WE WANT AND NEED IT NOW AND THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION. But, we need to remember to take care of our minds, souls and bodies otherwise what happened to me over the past month happens to all of us.
We hit a brick wall, and sometimes it’s impossible to see that positive energy. We still have some air to clear out, and we need to organize our movement to allow us to unite without assimilating. We’re not the same, so why the hell should we ever say we are? Yet, the e-mail listservs ALWAYS have drama, we’re anxious to check our e-mails after a weekend off (if we ever give ourselves one) and sometimes we want to wave a white flag, say fuck you and run away to some island away from electricity so we can just focus on our own happiness. Don’t deny it. We all feel it. We’re all human and in the end we all become selfish. It’s human nature, for individuality is human nature and we’re all trying to collaborate with so many different identities on the table. It’s a beautiful, stressful and historical mess we are living in right now.
Point being, take care of yourselves you little revolutionaries. Go to conferences, summits, meetings, retreats, actions and events, but take 2 days out of the week to not check your e-mail. Get a creative outlet, or even a therapist (Full disclosure: I am not tolerant of the stigma around that word. The most organized and rational people still need an external communication system they can release their frustrations through).
A REVOLUTION IS BREWING, and even though we may not know exactly what it will look like, we need to prepare for the moment everything comes together and us queers actually become LEGITIMIZED FORCES ON THE TABLE, and ONES THAT HELP OTHER MOVEMENTS. Oppression is oppression, and it would be ignorant of us to forget everyone else.
What might this revolution look like? I think I finally have an idea:
or this
or maybe it’s something as simple as dancing in the streets.
No more of this “Yes we can” bullshit.
Yes we are.
And yes we will.
With all my love,
Nik
You are stirring the pot and I am proud of you. This is the right time and the right place. Congratulations on this post, your activism and the unlimited impact you are creating.
There have been years of rest, of healing, of re-grouping and now it is GAME ON!
Thanks so much Zoe! -Nik
It’s not about socialism, it’s about our equality. You cancel our chances at full equality by embracing socialism – an ideology that is supported by less than 20% of the American population. Our equality is supported by 65% of the population.
Not very smart, huh?
It’s okay to delete this posting (like the others) I have captured all my comment attempts. You and EAA are part of the story – the Socialist part.
AndewW -
I agree with you. As a new member of the board of EAA I am disappointed by this. We should not be involved in any political forum without complete support.