Differences unite us

Diverse communities should stand together and create change

Racism, discrimination and violence is rampant in America. Communities of color know this all too well.

And when you add in the diverse spectrum of gender and gender expression, sexuality, diverse bodied-folk, religion, etc. individuals and communities become more vulnerable.

When an act of violence happens to our bodies, psyche or emotions, I implore you to take a stand and support one another.

Do not let each other suffer alone and suffocate in despair over wrongs that vile people commit toward or within our communities.

On Aug. 3, a gunman opened fire inside a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. Multiple news outlets such as The Washington Post confirm that he murdered 22 Latinx folks.

The gunman targeted Mexicans because he feared an “invasion of Hispanics,” according to an online post he wrote before the massacre.

My heart breaks for the Latinx folk who died in this mass shooting.

The Human Rights Campaign, an organization that serves LGBTQ people, reports that in 2018 at least 26 trans people died from fatal violence. So far in 2019 at least 18 trans people died from gun violence or assaults.

A majority of these deaths are Black trans women like Dana Martin, 31, Clarie Legato, 21, Muhlaysia Booker, 23, and Bailey Reeves, 17.

My heart breaks for these women who died prematurely by acts of violence.

The reality is that our communities are vulnerable and within our communities there are folks that are at a higher risk of being victims of violence, discrimination and racism.

If someone outside our communities or inside, for that matter, tries to harm one of us, they harm all of us. These attacks can be overt and direct such as a mass shooting and murders fueled by hatred or as subtle and intrusive as microaggressions.

Let there be intersectionality when it comes to supporting one another and in how we create that support. There is no singular way of showing support because each person will need something different at different times.

You can call out racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. You can talk to one another. You can donate funds to someone in need of money for their gender reassignment surgery. You can show up to a person of color’s celebrations and ceremonies. You can give someone resources and information. You can do anything.

But whatever you do, don’t be a bystander, because if we don’t then who will? Especially, members of our communities who are at a higher risk of violence.

Protect one another.