A discussion about the role of the queer community in the fight for racial justice
Tuesday, January 20th
7:30pm at the Women’s Building (3543 18th Street)
“Black Lives Matter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.” - Alicia Garza, co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter
Please join the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club for a panel discussion with some of the Black Lives Matter movement’s leaders, including co-founder, Alicia Garza; Neva Walker - one of the #BlackFriday14; Thea Matthews – an organizer for the SF #MillionsMarch, and Trans Activist and BLM organizer, Jannetta Jones. These powerful women are leading the charge in what is arguably the most effective, organized, impactful and galvanizing social justice movement of our time. Moderated by the Harvey Milk Club’s own Mahnani Clay, the panel will discuss the movement’s origins, goals, demands, actions and next steps with a focus on what the queer community can do to join this historic movement.
We anticipate that this discussion will be well-attended, so please RSVP on Facebook. To help us facilitate the dialogue, we are asking folks to submit questions for the panelists to [email protected] by January 19th.. There will also be time for live Q&A during the event.
Get to know the panelists:
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Alicia Garza is the Special Projects Director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance. In 2013, Alicia co-founded #BlackLivesMatter, an online platform developed after the murder of Trayvon Martin, designed to connect people interested in learning more about and fighting back against anti-Black racism. She has been the recipient of multiple awards for her organizing work in Black and Latino communities, receiving the Local Hero award from the San Francisco Bay Guardian and the Jeanne Gauna Communicate Justice award from the Center for Media Justice in 2008. She has twice been honored by the Harvey Milk Democratic Club with the Bayard Rustin Community Activist award for her work fighting gentrification and environmental racism in San Francisco’s largest remaining Black community. |
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Neva Walker is a long-time youth worker, community organizer and political leader from Minneapolis who recently relocated to the Bay Area. She has organized intensively around community demands for affordable housing and opportunities for youth. At age 29, Neva was the first African American woman elected to the Minnesota Legislature in the state’s history. She ran a precedent-setting grassroots election campaign that involved young people of color at every level of leadership. She served 8 years as a legislator before stepping down to return to her organizing roots. She’s a former Board member of the Progressive States Network. Since coming to the Bay, Neva spent time supporting the Black Organizing Project at the Center for Third World Organizing, and has been organizing workers in the labor movement. |
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A San Francisco native, Thea Matthews is a re-entry, first generation college student at City College of San Francisco; her major is sociology. Matthews is also president of CCSF’s Black Student Union; and she is an active participant in the Black Lives Matter movement. Matthews helped organized the Millions March SF, Queers come for #Black Lives Matter, and the SF Black Lives Matter Community Building Symposium. She continuously strives for the advancement and empowerment of all Black/ African American students and marginalized communities. She envisions people of all races to gain a keen awareness on the pervasiveness of systematic racism and oppression; and with this newfound consciousness, work towards the eradication of it. |
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Janetta Louise Johnson isan Afro-American Transsexual from Tampa, Florida. She moved to San Francisco in 1997, where she has worked in various capacities at non-profits and social service agencies. She recently survived 3 years in federal prison and is committed to developing strategies and interventions to reduce the recidivism rate of the transgender community. Janetta’s involvement with TGI Justice dates back to 2006. She served as Interim Organizing Director in November/December ‘08, planned vibrant grassroots fundraisers, and later put her skills as a community organizer, trainer, and activist to use inside as she fiercely and tirelessly advocated for her rights as a transgender person in jail and prison. |
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