FIERCE Blog

For Us, By Us: Media Justice to Build LGBTQ Youth Movement & Communities

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:34:00 GMT

This year was FIERCE’s first time participating in the AMC and we loved it! Together with Branching Seedz of Resistance, a youth-led project of the Colorado Anti-Violence Program, we coordinatined the first-ever Trans and Queer Youth Track.

As one of the members who had the opportunity to go to Creating Change, I found the AMC a great place for me to continue building the relationships and networks that we created in Dallas just four months ago. I had the opportunity to meet, hang out and work with LGBTQ youth from Colorado, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, San Antonio and Canada, to name a few.

On the first day of the conference, Ash, Manny and I led a “For Us, By Us” Workshop on media justice and interview skills. As a workshop facilitator, I felt really prepared. I worked closely on developing the curriculum, which made me more familiar with the material, and I had my experience as a FIERCE ELP2 Intern to fall back on. At FIERCE, we really try to tailor workshop materials to fit our participants, which are LGBTQ youth, many of whom are of color communities.

(LGBTQ Youth @ For Us, By Us Media Workshop)

I was very enthusiastic about facilitating as a member of the media crew. Being able to talk and facilitate about media and media justice, which is a personal passion, was an amazing experience. I can’t wait to bring back what we learned here at the AMC to FIERCE members in New York.

The final day of the Allied Media Conference, during the closing ceremony, I used my gained public speaking skills on stage, along side Alix, Denny and Raneboe (all whom are members of “Branching Seedz of Resistance” from Denver, Colorado.) We talked about our organizations, why the Trans and Queer Youth Track was important to us, and our vision for a social justice movement that supports the leadership of LGBTQ youth.

We stood before many of the people we had interacted with, and many we didn’t. As we were on stage, looking toward the audience, we stood before our movement and we sang our song of strength and beauty, knowing we would soon have to say goodbye to each other for now. But at the same time, we also said hello to the inspiration, work, hope, connections and accomplishments made at the AMC—and this is just the beginning.

Conferences like the AMC are a rare opportunity to meet and mingle with people who come from different places and all who have this passion for social and media justice and there is no other place like it. I look forward to the 2011 AMC in Detroit.

Impact of Student Metrocard Cuts!!

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:48:00 GMT

Imagine being a student and having to choose between receiving an education or missing out on meals. Imagine being a student and having to give up your bed because you can't afford to pay for transportation to and from school. Imagine being a student and not be able to do laundry or buy new clothes because you paid for transportation to go to and from school. I think what is not being acknowledged right now, is that it is already hard enough for people to meet their needs. Students like myself are working, going to school and helping to support their households because of lack of money.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning community are facing many of the issues I just mentioned. On top of being a student, I am an active member of FIERCE, a youth-led organization for LGBTQ Youth of Color in NYC. For most LGBTQQ students it is already difficult to wake up in the morning to face discrimination because of our gender identity, expression and sexual orientation. Going to school is difficult enough when you are dealing with this issue, along with being homeless, and having little to no access to income. The recommendation to cut student metro cards affects everyone including LGBTQQ students, and we should not be left out of the conversation. We deserve and have every right to receive a free and safe education.

In addition to students making crucial decisions about meeting their needs and receiving an education, we will also be facing the potential to be criminalized for trying to get an education at all costs. I know for fact that students will either choose to not go to school at all or they will jump the turnstile, in protest for free education. This means, if caught they will receive summons, upon summons and face being arrested.

I am personally outraged at the MTA for even stating, and I quote, "it is a courtesy for NYC public school students to receive free transportation to school". If I am not mistaken I thought public education was suppose to free. If I or any other student is forced to pay for transportation to and from school, then public education is not free. I demand the MTA drop the proposal for cutting student metro cards and find another way to deal with their budget crisis.

FIERCE Lands in Dallas, TX for the LGBTQ Youth of Color Organizing Summit

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:39:00 GMT

Participants will experience an interactive training space that covers the fundamentals of youth organizing, including base-building and campaign strategy development. We will also engage in strategic dialogues about the direction of LGBTQ youth organizing and its relationship to the LGBTQ movement and other movements of social justice.

By the end of the summit, we will have trained over 30 LGBTQ youth of color from across the country in the essential elements of effective youth organizing.

FIERCE Joins BAGLY and NYAC in Leading Day-long Institute on Best Practices for Queer Youth Work: Transforming Strategies for Youth Participation

Thursday, February 4, 2010
9:00am - 6:00pm

As movement leaders committed to social justice, our work must be inclusive of the experiences and expertise of queer youth...but are our organizations ready? This Institute is geared towards adults who are interested in increasing their ability to effectively mobilize, engage and collaborate with youth in movement building efforts. We will highlight research and initiatives related to LGBTQ youth, introduce tools to assess organizational rediness and consider approaches to increasing organizational capacity to do long-term movement work that is inclusive of young people.

FIERCE Members Featured on Creating Change Plenary Session—Young Leaders Speak: Out Loud Proud, moderated by Kai Wright

Saturday, February 6, 2010
1:30 - 2:45pm

FIERCE member leaders Ash Hammond and Rudy "Elegost" Rosado will speak on the LGBTQ youth of color plenary, Young Leaders Speak: Out Loud and Proud at Creating Change. They will present findings and recommendations from Coming Out, Stepping Up and share their own experiences organizing LGBTQ youth of color in New York City

FIERCE Members Give LIVE UPDATES from the Summit and Creating Change!

Want a behind the scenes look at the LGBTQ Youth Summit and Creating Change?

Stay tuned to our website and blog and be sure to follow us on Twitter as FIERCE members give live updates from Dallas, TX.

Campaign Updates 2009

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:46:00 GMT

For those of you who don’t know, Our S.P.O.T. (Safe Place to Organize Together) Campaign is about getting an LGBTQ youth center on Pier 40. It is also about stopping private development from happening, which would push the LGBTQ community out from the piers. Though we hit a speed bump this year, we are currently taking an opportunity to examine our approach with a new strategy, and our plans to hold certain city officials, such as Council Speaker Christine Quinn, accountable for promises they made to our community.

Some victories we had this year include:

FIERCE was voted onto the HRPT (Hudson River Park Trust) Advisory Council by the Council’s members.

During the summer, we had the first two events on the piers that were targeted towards the LGBTQ youth. Just last week, we had a meeting with HRPT and Friends of Hudson River Park about more programming on the pier for LGBTQ youth. Active members Chey and Elegost, led the meeting, asking for a return of the mini-ball, movie nights (That’s right, more than one!), fitness and yoga programs, as well as an event expressing our creativity with an artistic night of spoken word! We are more than thrilled to have gotten 8 new programs on the pier for LGBTQ youth.

We’ve spent so much time with our campaign that it has become our baby. We’ve gained so much information that we didn’t have prior to becoming interns. Yeah we were CSC members but being in charge of facilitating the meetings, educating the new members on the campaigns, and planning meetings with HRPT, we gained knowledge and skills that will better help us in doing our part for the campaign because we are more prepared.

During our internship we had to recruit new CSC members. We thought that would be a challenge because out of all the committees, CSC seems to be the big scary one of the group. But we quickly learned that all the new people coming to FIERCE seemed very interested in our campaign. And to sit and listen to why it was important to them was moving. It just reiterated the fact that a 24 hour LGBTQ youth center is so important because it’s something that our community desperately needs. It just makes us want to fight for it more because we know that there is a growing number of LGBTQ youth who want to get involved and be a part of the process. That would have to be the most moving part for us.

This internship was fun, insightful, and a lot of work. There were some stressful moments and some definitely memorable moment. There were a lot of WOWs and OMG REALLYs. It was an experience that we can always look back on and say we helped out and gave all we could to our campaign and CSC team. With the New Year coming up and a new strategy and plan that’ll be put into place, we are very excited for what’s to come in 2010. We plan on rolling out some fresh ideas to hold Council Speaker Christine Quinn accountable, to build strong relationships with West Village residents and business owners, and to generate a bigger, stronger base of informed LGBTQ youth. So we hope you all stay informed about our campaign and what’s going on, and we hope you get involved!

Chey & Azreal
xoxoxo

For more information about FIERCE’s campaigns, contact Lead Organizer Desiree Marshall.

FIERCE Launches New National Program

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:49:00 GMT

“The work we do at FIERCE is really special: we are organizers who make real changes in our lives and community. But our fight for social justice isn't just about us. The work we do in New York City can help break barriers and inspire LGBTQ youth of color and their allies everywhere. That's why we are making herstory by bringing our FIERCE love and training to other LGBTQ youth of color around the nation at our first ever Youth of Color Organizing Summit!

Just imagine a room full of LGBTQ youth of color learning to organize, build their bases, and create campaigns... It's gonna be so powerful. I'm proud to be planning this summit with other FIERCE members because LGBTQ youth of color deserve to know that they are important and beautiful and that they have the power to make positive changes in their lives.”

--Ash Hammond, FIERCE National Committee

National Program Accomplishments:

The FIERCE National Program celebrated major achievements in this past year, including:

Finishing our National Mapping & LGBTQ Youth Organizing Needs Survey with over 45 responses to help identify major issues LGBTQ youth face and the capacity of organizations to address these issues effectively using a youth organizing framework. We will be releasing a full report in January 2010.

Announcing FIERCE’s first LGBTQ Youth of Color Organizing Summit, which will take on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at Creating Change in Dallas, TX. The summit is a national daylong training event for and by LGBTQ youth of color on youth organizing skills and how to use an intersectional lens to guide our work for social justice. Click here to learn more.

Started developing our LGBTQ Youth Organizer Toolkit, which includes organizing skill and political education curriculum, as well as first-hand accounts of FIERCE’s work. Look for our first sneak peak of this at our upcoming LGBTQ Youth of Color Organizing Summit.

What to look out for in the New Year

January 2010: Release of our LGBTQ Youth Organizing Needs Report and National Map

February 3, 2010: FIERCE’s first-ever LGBTQ Youth of Color Organizing Summit in Dallas, TX

For more information about our National Program, please contact Glo Ross at glo@fiercenyc.org.

FIERCE Frontlines: Winter 2009

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:54:00 GMT

In the past 12 months, we’ve celebrated many victories and historic moments for our communities, while also marking a few organizational milestones.

2009 Accomplishments include:

Appointed to the Mayoral Commission on Homeless LGBTQ youth, which will make recommendations to better serve LGBTQ youth, who make up 40% of the homeless youth population in NYC. Watch the video of FIERCE youth members testifying at the first public hearing of the Commission.
Appointed to the Hudson River Park Advisory Council, which is charged with giving recommendations to development projects in Hudson River Park. We are the first-ever LGBTQ organization and youth organization to be appointed to this important community decision-making body
Held the first-ever vogue ball on the Christopher Street Pier and one of the only LGBTQ-specific events since the Pier's redevelopment in 2001. FIERCE and the Kiki Coalition's Global Warming Mini-Ball was recently named Ball of the Year by the Hetrick-Martin Institute.
From 2008 to 2009, we more than doubled our income from grassroots fundraising sources. Major highlights include our annual member-led fundraising efforts: over $27,000 was raised in our Bowl-a-Thon fundraiser and over $20,000 through our Major Donor Campaign.
Expanded our membership base by 114 new members.
Trained a record number—27— youth through our leadership development program.

Built stronger alliances with other community organizations.

Overcoming Obstacles

Historically, LGBTQ youth, people of color, and low-income individuals have been amongst the first to be pushed out, threatened, and drastically underserved. In the midst of one of the nation’s most critical economic crises, our communities continue to bear the heaviest burden of the fallout, with fewer and fewer housing options and higher rates of unemployment. However, as a community of leaders and organizers, we remain committed to shaping a social, racial, and economic justice movement that seek to end all forms of oppression and make real change for our communities.

FIERCE will continue to meet challenges head on—now and in the years to come.

Thanks to the fierceness of LGBTQ youth members, staff, Board, allies, donors, and other supporters, FIERCE will continue to fight to win for our communities.

LGBTQ youth members are currently building an even stronger campaign to make our vision of a 24-hour LGBTQ youth center in the West Village a reality, which has won support from Council Speaker Christine Quinn and over 20 prominent LGBTQ organizations.

FIERCE members are organizing and carrying out innovative grassroots fundraising campaigns that empower a liberation movement funded by our communities - people of color, LGBTQ people, our allies, and our constituents!

FIERCE members are also planning for the first-ever National LGBTQ Youth of Color Organizing Summit where we will be building the leadership and power of other LGBTQ youth of color from across the country.

Since FIERCE was founded ten years ago, we have consistently relied on your support to help carry out our mission to create the next generation of social justice leaders. As you look back with us over this last year, we hope that you feel proud, hopeful, and empowered, and that you truly see your support in action.

As we roll out the New Year, we ask that you continue supporting LGBTQ youth of color by making a contribution to FIERCE today. Your generosity will help sustain our work as we continue to make history building the leadership and power of LGBTQ youth of color.

In solidarity and with love,

FIERCE

P.S. As you read this newsletter, another LGBTQ youth is being kicked out of their home for being who they are. As the temperature drops, the need for safe places is increasingly dire.

A gift of $100 today will help FIERCE fight for a warm and empowering 24-hour LGBTQ youth center!

Base Building and Outreach Report for 2009

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:08:00 GMT

FIERCE members are dedicated. They give their time to help make projects and campaigns successful. They are the heart and soul of the organization. And they wouldn’t be here if it weren’t the efforts of FIERCE’s Outreach Team.

As a FIERCE member, and a member of the Outreach Team, I believe base-building is the pulse of the organization, always flowing and strongly connected to the heart—our members.

This year we had a goal of recruiting 100 new LGBTQ youth members to FIERCE. I’m proud to report that we recruited 125 new members in 2009.

Though base-building can be a bit difficult at times, in the end it's worth it to see FIERCE grow and to see so many members becoming more actively engaged in our work. I love knowing that FIERCE has grown so much this year.

It's good to know that people want to be involved, and we look forward to another FABULOUS recruitment year in 2010 as we aim for 125 new FIERCE members!

To learn more about Base-building and Outreach, contact John Blasco, FIERCE Organizer at john@fiercenyc.org.

Youth Development Program Picks Up Speed in 09

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:39:00 GMT

As organizers in our communities, we are so often angered and hurt by the internal and external oppression we face on a daily bases, and forget how to listen to what we need. From institutions like the education system and the criminal justice system to the people we interact with on a daily bases, like our friends and family, we are consistently receiving messages of homophobia, transphobia, racism, classism, ableism, and xenophobia. We become so deeply exhausted from all of the challenges embedded in society and culture that we overwork ourselves to change the world that we wish for.

This is problematic because we are neglecting to ask ourselves, “what do I need?” This is essential because as organizers we need our full self to commit to be effective in the work we do. If our energies are low, if we are going through emotional struggle, if we aren't eating well, it shows in our work.

The Youth Development Program addresses this issue by providing programming and workshops for FIERCE members. Many of the programs are suggested by the membership through surveys and conversations in the organization. Some monthly events include Wellness Wednesday and Tabata Tuesday.

Wellness Wednesdays are monthly workshops on healing, education and stress alternatives. In the past, FIERCE has held Let's Talk Relationships, which addressed the truths and myths of healthy relationships, and Creating Alter-Books, where members transformed traditional children's story books into their own, as a form of art therapy.

Another program is Tabata Tuesdays which is a monthly workout session for the membership. This event was influenced by my own experience of needing to incorporate physical activity into my schedule but not having the time, money and resources to do so. In a meeting with Krystal Portalatin, FIERCE’s Youth Development/Operations Coordinator, we decided that it would be a great idea to schedule a workout session in the office led by Rickke Mananzala, the Executive Director, who is also a Cross Fit Trainer. Since our first Tabata Tuesday in November, we have successfully developed an open group of 10 active members who participate in the event. Many members have testified to how great it is it to have the time and space in the office to work out in an empowering and interactive environment.

In addition to Tabata Tuesdays, Krystal and I developed a FIERCE Resource Guide—a list of organizations and service providers throughout New York City who work with LGBTQ youth of color. The Resource Guide is really important because we want to be able to refer our membership to the services they need, while feeling comfortable in doing so. Many times youth will be sent to organizations and not know what items they need to bring or who to go to. To resolve this issue, I am working to create a youth friendly, comprehensible guide for members to seek the services they need.

Before my experience as an ELP3 Wellness intern, I knew that not managing my wellness could affect my organizing work but, not as dramatically as I thought. The experience of being an ELP3 intern has really opened my eyes. Through being aware and managing my emotional, physical, spiritual, environmental, and social wellness, I have been more impactful at FIERCE and in my community. Many members have spoken to me about how appreciative they are to have the space at FIERCE to heal or finding healing to the many issues they are challenged with in life.

Tabata Tuesday

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:55:00 GMT

I believe TT is important to members because it gives us a place to learn how to be healthy and it shows that you can get a great work out in a short amount of time and oh yes, it's free! No membership fee heheh :).

As of for me... Tabata Tuesdays started off as a time to work on my physical goals and to spend time with my FIERCE friends. Around the time TT started, I had been thinking about joining a gym. By participating in TT it actually motivated me to start working out every other day. Even though I was sore the next few days! I realized that it was actually a great workout and it wasn't as simple as it seemed.

The whole experience has been really fun and our instructor Rickke is really great. He makes us all feel very comfortable and if anyone has a difficulty, he had no problem with breaking it down for us.

I feel members should join because health tends to be a big issue in our youth and like I said, TT is a great motivator to start on your own wellness. I am very happy I decided to join because now I feel like my endurance is a little higher and is getting higher as I continue to work out. Thank you to everyone who made it possible. I loved the whole experience. So don't hesitate and join us the next Tabata Tuesday. For more information on TT contact Krystal!

Reflections on the G-20 Summit

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:25:00 GMT

In September I had the chance to travel to Pittsburgh, PA to attend the G20 People’s Voices Summit. The People’s Voices summit was a series of community events co-organized by Grassroots Global Justice (GGJ) that created a forum to hear what people in our local communities think about G20 policies. I wanted to be a part of the Summit in order to push my leadership skills and grow intellectually. My objective was to learn more about the G20 and their policies. This trip helped me understand Capitalism on a broader scale and how my organization is an intricate piece to the fight against it.

No matter what country you come from, the economic crisis has had an impact on your life. Whether it be in the U.S., where people complain about living expenses, healthcare costs, lack of food and jobs, or in other countries where indigenous societies are displaced from their land and homes, we suffer from G20 policies.

What is the G20?

The G20 is a group of self appointed finance ministers and central banks governors of 22 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States of America). It was established in 1999 and was supposed to bring together systematically important industrialized and developing economies to discuss key issues in the global economy. But they haven't upheld the commitment.

What is the G20 accountable for?

On September 24, 2009, GGJ held a People's Tribunal where they put the G20 on trial for committing crimes against people. The G20 was held accountable for putting profit before people by promoting policies of deregulation, privatization and free trade. At the Peoples Tribunal members of the GGJ testified against the G20 and gave different accounts of how the G20 affected their lives. Each case was a unique key piece to the puzzle.

The Bottom Line

The G20 promoted polices that put more money into banks and CEOs and by doing so they harm working class communities in the U.S. causing unemployment, lower wages, poverty, inequality and environmental destruction. The G20 has pushed for industrialization and has robbed lands of their natural resources. They would stop at nothing until they maximize all their profit. But as they gained their profits, people have been exploited which has caused a lapse in social progress.

One important testimony expressed how the G20 can try to take people's rights but they cannot take their ability to mobilize. When people are stripped of their land and rights all they have is unification. The ability to mobilize and congregate is crucial to shifting from a downward spiral into a massive social movement. We must take back our planet and work towards reform. We must promote the UN Declaration of Human Rights and put our rights before any form of government.

The truth is people make up the intricate threads of society. Our experiences mold customs in our national and international societies. Lets fight to preserve our natural rights. Let's organize! Only then can humanity work to reconstruct itself. Let’s pull down the barricades and be more open to different ways of life.

As an LGBTQ youth of color, I assume responsibility for fighting against oppression. I believe as a young person you must carve the way to social change. G20 policies make the wealthy richer and the poor even more displaced. LGBTQ people have to hold their own torch and fight to make their voices heard. G20 polices put our rights in jeopardy and promote capitalism at our expense. Because of this, we are being banned from places to congregate. As young people we need to have a place to express ourselves and grow. We can’t do this when we are being kicked out of spaces. All we have is organizing! Our voices will only be forgotten if we don’t stand up now!