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Stonewall Rising: Showing Support With Pride

GayRVA Staff | July 2, 2020

Topics: alexsis rodgers, black lives matter, Black Pride RVA, Diversity Richmond, Equality Virginia, health brigade, Jennifer McClellan, Joseph Papa, LGBTQ Pride Month, Marcus-David Peters, Minority Veterans of America, Nationz Foundation, Pride Month, Rebecca Keel, Richmond Lesbian Feminists, Richmond LGBTQ Chamber, Richmond Triangle Players, Southerners on new ground, Stonewall Rising, Stonewall Sports, va pride, Virginia Anti-Violence Project

Last weekend’s Stonewall Rising march was an act of solidarity by Richmond’s LGBTQ community, which took this opportunity during Pride Month to march in support of Black lives.

On Saturday, June 27, Richmond’s LGBTQ community commemorated the last weekend of Pride Month with a march demonstrating solidarity with the Black community of Richmond and beyond. Stonewall Rising: LGBTQ March For Black Lives was organized by a variety of Richmond LGBTQ advocacy and support groups, including Diversity Richmond, the Richmond LGBTQ Chamber, Nationz Foundation, Black Pride RVA, VA Pride, Equality Virginia, Virginia Anti-Violence Project, Southerners On New Ground, Health Brigade, Minority Veterans of America, Richmond Triangle Players, Richmond Lesbian Feminists, and Stonewall Sports.

The march began with a gathering at Diversity Richmond on Sherwood Ave, where local LGBTQ activist Rebecca Keel rallied the crowd with a speech about how the LGBTQ rights movement began 51 years earlier — almost to the day — at Stonewall Inn with a riot against police oppression. After a few other speeches, the crowd formed up and began marching toward the Richmond Police Training Academy on Graham Rd, just over a mile away from Diversity Richmond.

Jennifer McClellan speaks at Richmond Police Training Academy.

The crowd, which numbered at least 1000 at the peak of the protest according to local LGBTQ activist Joseph Papa, carried signs featuring slogans like “Black Trans Lives Matter” and “Pride For Black Lives,” as well as posters depicting Breonna Taylor and Marcus-David Peters. The protest was greeted at the Police Training Academy by a line of police in riot gear, but things remained peaceful. Several leaders spoke to the assembled crowd, including Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McClellan. Alexsis Rodgers, who is currently running for mayor of Richmond, was also in attendance. The evening ended with a march back to Diversity Richmond.

Here are some photos of the evening’s events, captured by Richmond photographer David Kenedy.

Rebecca Keel.

Breaking The Silence: LGBTQ Veterans Share Their Truth

Marilyn Drew Necci | November 8, 2019

Topics: Bill Harrison, Diversity Richmond, LGBTQ veterans, Lindsay Church, Military Kid Art Project, Minority Veterans of America, Monument City Music, Our Stories Our Truth, Transgender Veteran Support Group Virginia, Trish E. King

This Veterans Day, Diversity Richmond will host an evening of stories from LGBTQ veterans and armed services members, in order to help create a community for current and former service members who are too often isolated.

One million LGBTQ military veterans. 80,000 LGBTQ active duty members of our armed services. But between the lingering legacy of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and the current transgender military ban struggle, there’s an isolating and silencing effect that has made it hard for LGBTQ veterans and service members to find community. This Veterans Day, Diversity Richmond wants to change that.

Together with a variety of local support organizations including Minority Veterans of America, the Military Kid Art Project, Transgender Veteran Support Group Virginia, and more, Diversity Richmond will be hosting the city’s first LGBTQ veterans gathering on Monday night. Entitled “Our Stories, Our Truth: An LGBTQ Veterans Day Celebration,” the event is designed to encourage community by allowing LGBTQ veterans to hear each other’s stories and feel a little less alone.

“Nobody knows our issues like we know our issues,” said Diversity Richmond’s Executive Director, Bill Harrison. “Connecting with each other is the first problem to solve, because we often don’t even know how many of us exist. The program will allow LGBT vets to share their journeys and offer a candid, honest conversation about their experiences.”

The event will feature a performance from Monument City Music and a keynote speech from Trish E. King, a retired US Army soldier with over 20 years military experience. In 2015, she became the first openly transgender infantry member, and has since been an LGBTQ advocate who believes that “teams are at their best when everyone can bring their whole self to the table.”

There will also be an opportunity to hear from each other, as attendees will get the opportunity to share their own stories of being LGBTQ veterans.

“Veterans Day is a celebration of those who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces, but often LGBTQ veterans feel as though they don’t belong in the veteran community,” said Minority Veterans of America Executive Director Lindsay Church. “Policies like Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the Military Trans Ban have made it so LGBTQ veterans and service members have constantly had to hide their identity. This event is an opportunity for LGBTQ veterans and family members to break the silence and speak our collective truth.”

“Our Stories, Our Truth” will take place at Diversity Richmond on Monday, November 11, beginning at 7 PM. It is free and open to the public, and the hosts encourage non-veterans to attend as well, in order to gain a better understanding of the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ veterans and armed services members in America today. More details about the event are available here.

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