An open statement from African American LGBT Leaders

June 27, 2005 – In an unprecedented showing of unity, African American LGBT leaders from several Bay Area organizations dressed in black and marched together during yesterday’s LGBT Pride Parade to make visible their frustration with the treatment African Americans have received in the City of San Francisco, the broader Bay Area, and the nation. During their unannounced Pride Parade appearance, the group, which received uproarious cheers from parade goers, periodically brought the parade to a stand-still and distributed to parade goers a statement outlining nine demands for greater “justice and righteousness” for African Americans.

Later that same evening, a subset of the group of leaders also held an unannounced picket outside of SF Badlands bar, the San Francisco bar found by the City of San Francisco to have violated the civil rights of African Americans for many years.

The following is an expanded version of the statement issued by the group of African American LGBT leaders, which included Lesbians and Gays of African Decent for Democratic Action (LGADDA), LGBT Black Rap, the NIA Collective, and Our Love, among others:

Justice and Righteousness NOW for African Americans

Once upon a time, the Bay Area was a haven for African Americans. During the first half of the 20th century, African Americans flocked here from the South seeking justice and opportunity, establishing vibrant communities, like the Fillmore district. LGBT people, too, flocked to the Bay Area seeking justice and opportunity, likewise establishing vibrant communities. And among both of these groups were many African American LGBT and same-gender loving people. By the 1960s, San Francisco had become world-renowned for its commitment to equality for all people, and to civil rights.

Today – in 2005, however – it is clear that the City of San Francisco and other Bay Area cities have failed to deliver on its reputation and its promise.

While ’s mainstream LGBT community grows in strength, wealth, and prominence, African Americans in the Bay Area – including LGBT African Americans – have among the highest murder rates, poverty rates, incarceration rates, HIV prevalence rates, high school dropout rates, and more. Here in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area, African Americans, and African American LGBT people, continue to ride at the back of the bus.

After decades of neglect of, hostility towards, and discrimination against African Americans in this City, throughout the Bay Area, and across the nation, it is time for justice to “run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream”. As African Americans, and as African American LGBT people, we demand the following:

1. That San Francisco leaders and policymakers develop a pro-active plan to stop the expulsion of African Americans from San Francisco and, instead, invite and welcome African Americans to our City.

2. That, in order to address the disproportionate impact of social ills like crime, incarceration, HIV prevalence, and under-education, on African Americans, local, state, federal government, and other entities devote a greater share of financial and non-financial resources to African American mainstream and LGBT organizations and programs.

3. That, in order to ensure more sensible and accountable public policy towards African Americans, political clubs endorse, and city leaders recommend and appoint, a greater number of African American leaders, and LGBT African American leaders, to city and state commissions and other leadership positions.

4. That LGBT and mainstream non-profit organizations recommend and appoint a greater number of African Americans to their boards of directors and to other leadership roles.

5. That the City of San Francisco begin to take seriously the civil rights of the African American citizens of this community. The City itself found that Castro bar owner Les Natali violated the civil rights of African Americans. Based on that Finding, Mr. Natali should no longer be allowed to do business in this City.

6. That the City of San Francisco devote significant resources to support the development and sustainability of African American and LGBT African American-owned enterprises in the Castro and throughout the City.

7. That organizations like the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, the Golden Gate Business Association, and the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro likewise begin to take seriously the civil rights of African Americans and other people of color by condemning discrimination, pro-actively hiring African Americans into prominent positions in public establishments (e.g., salespersons, bartenders, managers), pro-actively reaching out to African American patrons, supporting African American business development, hosting and supporting African American cultural activities, and more.

8. That, along with local funders, the City of San Francisco and other Bay Area cities launch and support ongoing programs and institutions that promote dialogue about and address individual and institutionalized racism and other forms of discrimination within the Bay Area

9. That – after years of disregard – policymakers, business leaders, non-profit leaders, and communities across the entire United States heed this urgent call for equality, opportunity, and justice for ALL African Americans

“Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.”
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail – April 16, 1963