LA Pride Steps Away from 'All Black Lives Matter' LGBTQ March
An "All Black Lives Matter" march scheduled for June 14 will go forward as planned, but LA Pride has withdrawn from the event following blowback over a failure to coordinate with leaders in the BLM movement, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The march will underscore the need for awareness around the violence and stigma that LTBQ+ African Americans face.
The Hollywood Reporter shed additional light on the story, noting that Christopher Street West, the organization behind LA Pride:
...previously faced backlash after a permit application to the Los Angeles Police Department and penned by a CSW representative for the All Black Lives Matter event was shared on social media.
Event producer Jeff Consoletti penned the permit letter, but later withdrew from the demonstration — meant to protest police brutality against Black people — after he came under fire for stressing a "strong and unified partnership with law enforcement."
LA Pride tweeted an announcement about its withdrawal from the event.
"We recognize implicit racism, systemic bias and privilege permeates this country, and this includes the history of our organization," the tweet said.
pic.twitter.com/DCn10ofJkw— LA Pride (@lapride) June 8, 2020
The tweet went on to add:
"The CSW Board Members who conceived the idea for the march began speaking with Black LGBTQ+ leaders and organizations in advance of the announcement, however they had not been able to align directly with Black Lives Matter leaders prior to the announcement. For that, we apologize to the Black Lives Matter organizers."
The tweet also added:
"Permits that were filed during initial, planning have been withdrawn and there will be no police or city law officials involved in any capacity."
Noted the Los Angeles Times:
"The All Black Lives Matter march will be organized by the newly formed Black Advisory Board made up of Black LGBTQ+ leaders and organizations."
The All Black Lives Matter site explains:
"On June 7, 2020, an Advisory Board, made up of all Black LGBTQ+ leaders was formed to move forward in organizing the All Black Lives Matter solidarity march on Sunday, June 14, 2020, at 11:00 am in Los Angeles, in honor of our beloved trans brother Tony McDade, who was murdered by police at that time. The protest is in direct response to racial injustice, systemic racism, and all forms of oppression."
The text continues:
"The LGBTQ+ community must extend its support to unite against oppression, police brutality, racism, transphobia, and the many other disparities disproportionately impacting the Black community."
The site's text adds:
"Out of recognition and respect to the years of work and action of Black LGBTQ+ leadership and community organizers, Christopher Street West and LA Pride will no longer co-organize the All Black Lives Matter march. However, they are in full support and stand unapologetically in solidarity with efforts to dismantle racial justice, systemic oppression, institutional barriers, police brutality and discrimination of all kinds."
Additionally, the text adds that:
"The Advisory Board will neither engage corporate sponsors from or through CSW nor official police involvement in organizing the All Black Lives Matter march."