June 2022
NEWSLETTER
WHAT'S IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE:
Diversity & Inclusion
History of Pride Month Trans Activist Icons Celebrating Juneteenth Queer Leaders in Industry
PRIDE MONTH IS HERE! BUT HOW DID IT START? Written by Alex Bliziotis When we think of Pride Month, we think of a time for celebration. A time when people adorn themselves with all the colors of the rainbow and parade down the street without fear of persecution. Pride might feel like a party, but at its core, it is still a political protest. At the time, police could legally arrest individuals for engaging in gay behavior The Pride demonstrations we know (kissing, holding hands, dancing, etc). In fact, today were catalyzed by a series of riots police would often raid bars in search for these in the late '60s against police violations; bars which served as a safe haven for harassment and brutality towards the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+, most notably, the riot at the Stonewall Inn in NYC. On June 28, 1969, the police raided the Stonewall Inn. However, its patrons and neighborhood residents grew restless and angry and fought back. They pelted police, forcing the cops to retreat, and aggressive street confrontations continued over the next few nights. Following the Stonewall Riots, organizers wanted to build on that spirit of resistance. The following year, they organized a march to Central Park, and adopted the theme of "Gay Pride" as a counterpoint to the prevailing attitude of shame.
REMEMBERING TRANS ACTIVIST ICONS MARSHA P. JOHNSON AND SYLVIA RIVERA Written by Alex Bliziotis Marsha P. Johnson (right) and Sylvia Rivera (below) are two legendary activists and drag performers who worked with the LGBTQ+ community and those affected by HIV/AIDS. Many eyewitnesses have identified Johnson as one of the first to begin fighting back during the uprising at Stonewall, and some have recognized her as the vanguard of the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States.
Rivera and Johnson teamed up to start the Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries (STAR) in 1970, to help transgender and homeless youth who were often overlooked by the overarching gay movement. They provided shelter to homeless LGBTQ+ people in New York City, California, and England for a few years in the early '70s. In June 2019, New York City announced its plans to build two monuments honoring the late Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera for their lifelong commitment to ending oppression for marginalized communities. The monument can be found in Christopher Park, right across from the Stonewall Inn.
Juneteenth and its Importance JUNETEENTH AND ITS IMPORTANCE Written by Lanesa Mahon Though slavery was thought to have formally ended in 1863 with Abraham Lincoln’s infamous Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved people in deeper parts of some southern states would not be freed until 1865. Despite slavery being over on paper, the news of freedom spread slowly throughout the south even after the ratification of the 13th amendment on January 31, 1865. Slave owners frequently fled west with their slaves to resist emancipation by the Union army. Although some enslaved people were aware of the passage of the 13th Amendment their enslavement was maintained by force and the threat of fatal violence by plantation owners who refused to free them. On June 19, 1865, news that enslaved people had been freed finally reached Galveston, TX one of the last slavery strongholds — a barrier island on the coast of Texas— when U.S Major General Gordon Granger backed by over 1,000 union troops arrived and declared all enslaved people free. From then on that day was commemorated by Black southerners as Juneteenth, a holiday that celebrated the “official” end of slavery in the U.S.
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Written by Desiree Reid Happy Pride Month! Like Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and every other month we celebrate diverse communities, it always dawns on me, “Why are we not celebrating these communities every day?” Every day, member of these communities contributes to our society in so many positive ways, not to mention the barriers that they are tearing down, while others try to turn back the hands of time and deny basic human rights. It is why I found this Fast Company article so informative; LGBTQ women and nonbinary innovators in business and tech. It is published every year during Pride month, but why not every month? I hope you find these amazing individuals as inspirational as this D&I committee does. We hope you will share your story and the stories of others from diverse communities who inspire you. The D&I Committee will be doing a speaker series highlighting members and nonmembers who will share their stories and journey of diversity and inclusion. We would love to hear from you.
FOR MORE VISIT: www.nyscc.org/diversity-and-inclusion OR CONTACT US: diversityandinclusion@nyscc.org