My beloved Texans,
On Saturday evening, we hosted our Somewhere Over the Rainbow Gala. It was a joyous night celebrating the richness, talent, and history of our community. A few short hours later we woke up to the devastating news about the shootings in Colorado on Transgender Day of Remembrance. We join all Americans mourning for the loss of our LGBTQ+ family in Colorado.
An affirming word can save a young person’s life. And every hateful word contains the seeds of violence. Politicians and public figures who spew hate against their neighbors must be held accountable for the actions of their followers. In the wake of a tragedy like this, we must commit to nonviolence in action and in word. So, when you hear hate, speak up.
An unapologetic reproach of hate requires all of us. We have to meet the urgency of this moment, and get pissed off. We can lead with love and joy, but we have a right to be angry. Because apathy does not win battles—action does.
What role will you play in our liberation? What role will you play to ensure trans young people can access life saving healthcare, that trans people can thrive and live free from fear, that intersex young people are not subjected to nonconsensual surgeries, that teachers can speak the truth about race, sexual orientation, and gender identity in schools, and that we can live without the threat of violence?
When you understand where we come from, what we have achieved even while living on the margins, you witness our fortitude. Our power has always come from the people—from every vote, every person that shows up at the Capitol, every choice to live authentically, every couple that creates a family, and our love for our neighbors—that cannot be erased, it cannot be invalidated.
We will fight until we see full equality for all Texans.
In Solidarity,
Ricardo Martinez (he/him)
CEO
Equality Texas