Freedom & Liberation
Long before our [LGBT] movement talked about equality, we spoke of freedom and liberation — concepts that cannot be limited. And so when we seek equality, when we seek freedom and liberation, we seek it not just for ourselves, but for all people.
–Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
There's nothing like a stirring speech to reignite the soul and refocus us on our efforts. As I listened to Rea Carey deliver her "State of the Movement Address" at the Creating Change Conference in Minneapolis last month, my heart swelled. This is the second year I have had the good fortune to attend this amazing conference on LGBT equality, which draws over 3,000 people from around the country, and both years I have come back ready to fight and ready to win.
Everyone knows that a great speech can make us change the way we think and move us in our hearts, but a speech is useless if we don't take action. That's where the follow-through comes in. Direct action through peaceful and loving means should be the end result of any great speech on human rights, and every human rights victory known to this world has happened because of actions taken by individuals.
Creating Change is an incredibly diverse conference. Their workshops and sessions focus on such varied groups as racial caucuses, sexual freedom, religious and spiritual expression, HIV and health, linguistic diversity, gender nonconformity, education, community centers, disability rights, elder care, and legal rights. One by one, every one of my students and I were energized and recharged by this experience.
One of the central tenets of Creating Change is that human rights have to be addressed holistically. We cannot just work towards racial equality or gender equality or socioeconomic equality or sexual freedom or any one single freedom of expression. Instead, we must recognize that human rights encompass all of these various interests, and we will only create change if we remember that these interests are united.
As always, ignite Magazine strives to be a unifying, inclusive voice for our community. This March, we celebrate Women's History Month, and we remember the many women who have (and still do!) fight for equal rights. I am honored that we are featuring a wonderfully straightforward interview with San Antonio's City Manager Sheryl Sculley. She is an amazing person who works tirelessly for our city and has always supported diversity and inclusion as San Antonio marches toward becoming a world-class metropolis.
I hope each of you reading this note will one day have the opportunity and the means to attend a Creating Change Conference. Next year, it will be in Baltimore, and I bet if you begin planning now, you can make it happen. Imagine how we could impress the people in the Northeast by having a huge contingent from South Texas! I will tell you that you will never feel more welcome and more appreciated for who you are (whoever you are!) as when you step into a plenary session at Creating Change. For more information, visit them online at www.taskforce.org and www.creatingchange.org. As Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."
Together in pride,
Richard Farias
Editor
Note: Special thanks this month to Adriana Holtz, executive secretary to Sheryl Sculley, for her unwavering assistance and quick communication.
|
|
Tweet |
|