By Imani Williams
Well thank Spirit and her goodness for the opportunity I had to go away last month for the Spirit and Struggle: "Compassionate Social Justice Retreat." Truth is that in order to process all that has happened on the homefront since Oct. 2 and move forward in a productive manner, I had to get grounded.
I'm speaking of the shake up or shakedown of staff at Affirmations Gay and Lesbian Center. I am a foot soldier in the army for justice who fights against oppression and marginalization each and every chance I get. I feel I owe it to my ancestors that fought, struggled and died so that I may have a voice as a same gender loving (sgl) African-American woman. I also owe it to my youth, including my own two children, who are coming up behind me so that they are just as able to voice their opinion in the continuous, ongoing, seemingly never ending fight for equality and justice.
The entire Affirmations Gay and Lesbian Community Center situation is draining not only because it is almost 2007, but because we keep having the same daymn conversation.
We watched with others around the world as the atrocity of the poor and disenfranchised survivors of Hurricane Katrina were left to hang onto life, while those with means vacated the city of New Orleans with post haste. We get to witness first hand as residents of the Great Lake State of Michigan just how alive and well racism and oppression are in our home town. For the last eight months we've been talking about the evil of Prop 2 and how we all need to come together and do the kumbya work needed so that all of our rights are protected and the evil right doesn't wisk them away like a thief in the night.
We now have what looks at its worse like institutional racism coming from the doors of Affirmations and at its best like an open opportunity for community interaction complete with multicultural training and a renewed pledge to service the LGBT community in its entirety.
With just under a week left to fight for justice across the board in Michigan we shouldn't't have to have this conversation right now. But I know for a fact the creator doesn't make mistakes. Perhaps that is the reason for the season and why this discussion needs to happen right now even though it feels like an inappropriate time. Paints a clear picture to me, the message I get is that while we're out pointing the finger at the conservative right those of us right here black, white, Latino, Arab and Asian are being asked to do our part to stand up against racism and inclusion that doesn't include everyone.
One thing that I relearned on my social justice retreat was that those who oppress will fight hardest to keep their place of power. When we say the word "racist" a lot of people are offended. We tip toe around it like everything is fair and prejudice and privilege don't exist. Like my wise grandmother said, you have to tell the truth if you stand for truth. The truth is, we have many people in the LGBTQ community who need to do some anti-racist work. Let's set the record straight. I as a black woman cannot be racist, I don't own enough of anything to be considered a threat on that front, nor do I make the power play decisions that have kept racism and oppression alive in this country for centuries. Am I responsible to helping the world be a better place fore everyone by fighting discrimination? You bet your Sunday best I do.
Which means that while the community holds the power and speaks so eloquently year after year at our local Big Bash and wonderfully themed $150 "Lets all smile and show how far we've come in tolerating those who may be different" dinners, there is plenty of work to be done.
I don't have to know what went on day to day with Kimya Ayodele, Claude Houseworth or Vanessa Marr before they were either fired or quit in protest to the treatment of their colleagues, in order to know that some mess went down on a regular basis. What I do know and maintain as sure I live and breathe is that the same attitude that led to and caused the termination of not only those mentioned from Affirmations but myself and the original outreach staff from the stead of the Ruth Ellis Center and the direction of its executive director and board members three years to the October 2006 travesty at Affirmations is that racism and oppression are at its root. There are surely countless others who just left quietly because they didn't know that folk would stand with them.
My personal situation was personal but it was mine. A discriminatory firing that included my unemployment being contested and later being sued by the Ruth Ellis Center board to have it returned to their coffers hurt beyond measure.
In no way am I suggesting that every time a black person is fired that I believe racism is at its root. I do know however that, that was indeed what happened in my case. It was done in such a rude and disrespectful manner that I felt attacked for being black, female, lesbian, educated and for just plain being me.The pattern with those fired from Affirmations looks and feels pretty similar.
The protests continue as do the letter writing campaigns and organizing strategies. This community is in need of some honest for real dialogue and not the placated rationale that it is simply a personnel concern that an individual organization needs to handle on its own. Bull…. Real dialogue among real people that want real change NOW.
I also advocate strongly for a black sgl-run and managed community center in the City of Detroit. Until this happens, Affirmations needs to be a known welcoming community entity.
The infrastructures of our community based organizations reflect the attitude of the executive director and the board of directors that he or she reports to. The tone an organization carries is set from the top and works its way down. The boards of CBO's that have the service of LGBTQ people in their mission statement in Metro Detroit are not racially diverse which puts them at a major disadvantage for doing the best culturally competent work possible. That is just a fact.
On a brighter note, it looks like things are taking shape for both sides to come together to amend the lack of cultural sensitivity at least at Affirmations. My best wish would be for the same type of dialogue and action plan to happen at the Ruth Ellis Center where 99.9 percent of the youth serviced are black. Mother Ruth Ellis is honored in name but has a majority white board and a white executive director as her hosts.
When agencies say they want black and brown faces and write grants to service them, then the next step needs to be ensuring that those serviced have role models that look like them, that includes a good number of qualified African-American males and females who know what it is like to walk everyday in the midst of racism both overt and covert. You can't take the numbers and not do the work. It is irresponsible.
I protest for Kimya and others fired because of racism and while she is the catalyst for this current movement it isn't just about her, it is more about all the other people that will come behind her. I maintain that the struggle will continue and must continue so that we can move forward and all can benefit from an emotionally healthy community.
Everyone that has reaped the benefits of the Civil Rights Movement needs to work to end the oppression that is as alive today as it was in 40 years ago.
In the spirit of Pat Parker, I ask: "Where will you be when they come for you?"
You can get involved, your silence = acceptance.
