Direct action has always been an impactful organizing strategy for political progress toward greater democracy. Direct action is a form of protest that aims to create immediate change by directly confronting an issue. It’s meant to move politicians, corporations, and governments, demanding they move to meet the needs of the people. This June, with the 2024 election ever imminent, it’s important for us to honor Pride Month as a commemoration of one of the most impactful direct action efforts in US history.
Since the beginning of time (and certainly since the founding of our country), the expression of gender and sexuality has been expansive. Queer and Trans people are not new to any society, especially our own. Additionally, LGBTQAI+ communities and their leadership have been at the foundation of expanding our collective human rights. We see this in the legacy of William Dorsey Swann who is credited for being America’s First Drag Queen. Born into slavery, William Dorsey Swann ran some of our country’s first drag balls in Washington, D.C. He was known for his “long silk or satin dresses and opulent accessories satin dresses” and resisting the police in 1888 long before the first rock was thrown at Stonewall in 1969. Additionally, our movement is familiar with one of the greatest demonstrations for freedom in American history, the March of Washington for Jobs and Freedom which provided the platform for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to deliver the impactful and timeless “I Have a Dream” speech. None of which would have been possible without the fierce organizing work of Bayard Rustin who was the lead organizer for the march as well as an out gay Black man.
Stormé Delarverie.
Despite these facts, dressing in drag, being trans in public, and selling alcohol to gay people was heavily criminalized in places like New York during the 1960s. Local businesses that served LGBTQ folks were routinely raided. The hyper-policing of Queer and Trans folks led BIPOC trans activists and Stonewall patrons to collectively fight back and resist arrest igniting the Stonewall Uprising. Knowing this, we can’t celebrate Pride without paying tribute to the leadership of Sylvia Rivera, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, Marsha P. Johnson, Stormé Delarverie, and others whose names we may never know.
During the Stonewall Uprisings and beyond, they demonstrated the power of direct confrontation as a means to hold our Democracy accountable to its promises and intended purpose. Direct action organizing also creates powerful leaders, strengthens communities, and teaches us how to protect each other during conflicts. This is demonstrated in Representative Cori Bush’s historic election when she became the first Black woman to represent Missouri in Congress. We also witnessed new possibilities for communities in Los Angeles through the activism of LA young people who organized to remove police officers from their campuses and reinvest the $25 million dollars divestment into a Black Student Investment initiative.
U.S. Representative Cori Bush.
The Fund for Trans Generations is continuing this legacy through sponsoring our partners Eshe Ukweli and Baddie Brooks who will be Grand Marshals in the 2024 New York Pride Pride. Dominique Morgan, the FTG Program Director, is thrilled to pass the torch to two young Black Trans Femmes as a former Grand Marshals for NYC Pride 2022.
A movement that centers the leadership of young people is a movement that is preparing for its future, preparing young folks to understand the long trajectory of direct action organizing that has come before them, and will continue far into the future. Borealis is excited to deepen our investment in the future of Trans leadership through our Emerging LGBTQ Leaders of Color Fund as they launch the newest Young Trans Women of Color grantee partner cohort that will advance the leadership of 12 new partners who are organizing across movements and issues.
Be reminded: do not let corporate sponsorship and deepened police presence misframe an entire history. Pride was a riot. And, historically, riots create a strong legacy of leadership and progressive national democratic change that we are more than proud to be a part of.