stardust and raindrops @starfall@plural.cafe

Black-led LGBTQ services and activist groups to donate to:

- The Okra Project
theokraproject.com

- Black Trans Travel Fund
blacktranstravelfund.com

- SNaPCo
snap4freedom.org

- Black AIDS Institute
blackaids.org

- Trans Cultural District
transgenderdistrictsf.com

- LGBTQ Freedom Fund
lgbtqfund.org

- House of GG
houseofgg.org

- Trans Justice Funding Project
transjusticefundingproject.org

- Youth Breakout
youthbreakout.org

I haven't seen any posts about him on here but the Omaha community is using #JusticeForJames .

Here is his family's gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-james-scurlocks-family?fbclid=IwAR1KdQhpydY6PiFIMXOi7SKrMSK7Fa4fUod_thqOeO9E2zLs6oQHDI8cFjQ

And here is one of the bail funds for my city (write bail in the memo as directed by the Nebraska Left Coalition on fb): https://www.paypal.me/neleftcoalition

If you are interested in the actual history of Pride, and the direct words of folks like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, I recommend this zine. Knowing your history is important:

Theory means nothing unless you know the history.

Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries: Survival, Revolt, and Queer Antagonist Struggle

https://untorellipress.noblogs.org/post/2013/03/12/street-transvestite-action-revolutionaries-survival-revolt-and-queer-antagonist-struggle/

One of the most insidious things we as nonblack and/or white-passing people do is demand to be let off the hook for our mistakes as allies by citing our imperfections. “We’re only human!” Or even “I’m poor! I’m disabled! I’m queer! Criticizing my mistakes is actually bigoted!”

It may in fact be true that you cannot do what is asked of you, that you cannot (right now) do effective activism or even set your ego aside long enough to listen. Maybe you have a valid-sounding reason, or maybe you just can’t or don’t want to do the thing.

The disgusting thing is the way we demand absolution and coddling for our failures from black people, while simultaneously punishing those same black people for being human, for making mistakes, for being poor or disabled or queer.

Black people have all the reasons in the world to not be able to spend emotional energy soothing white guilt and white fragility, but they also don’t need a reason beyond “I don’t want to do the thing.”

Yo, if you wanna be allies and supportive of the actions being taken in various cities around the US, consider a few things:

1) It's not just "police violence." Shut up about how you hate the police. It's about state sanctioned genocide against B L A C K people right now. Talk about your feelings and center yourself some other time. You are an ally, therefore your thoughts and your takes are irrelevant.

Stop colonizing our lives, our deaths, and our work.

Knowing someone in ur family or circle that deals w antiblackness means that they deal w it. Not you.

Your approximatity to it doesn't make it ur lived experience. Quit playing.
This is said for anything else. It is happening to them not you. Not yours to speak about not is it an experience to claim.

I’m seeing friends and mutuals saying stuff like "ugh I wish people would CW the us politics" and I’m really disappointed.

You gotta understand that being able to remove yourself from the situation by means such as muting, blocking, and staying off social networks is AN EXPRESSION OF YOUR PRIVILEGE. You’re feeling inconvenience you can remove yourself from, people of color are living violence they cannot just skip

@starfall if people don't like this doc for google-y / surveillance reasons, there's also https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/nbfn-directory

hello. it is my 2nd biHRTday today

i have written a longish thing (~1100 words) about transitioning with testosterone - personal experience, light advice, heavy rambling - that you can read if you want to. i will post it as a thread below

Seeing a lot of white folks going to some of these protests, destroying property, etc. And a lot of black folks getting hauled off by cops. If you're white and going to one of these things, make sure to follow the lead of the black leaders. Don't go off on your own and start escalating the violence unless the leaders are calling for that, because black folks are gonna take the brunt of the retaliation, not you.

did you know: you don't need to be a level 4 antifa super solider to attend public demonstrations in your area.

in fact, showing up to voice your support as a non-descript average white person is useful. cops may look at POC & black bloc kids and see potential targets. but when they look at average white people, they see potential lawsuits. put that shit to work.

if you have never attended a demonstration please consider the value your voice and presence can contribute now (if you're able).

Unicorn Riot (decentralized media organization covering protests in MN) https://www.givemn.org/organization/Unicorn-Riot

MPD150 (A MN project challenging the narrative that police exist to protect and serve. Also organized this list of places to donate in the first place! Thank them with a donation! https://www.mpd150.com/donate/)

here are some places you can donate, if you are able:

Official George Floyd Memorial Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd

Minnesota Freedom Fund (pays bail for those who cannot): minnesotafreedomfund.org/donate

Reclaim The Block (coalition demanding Minneapolist divests from policing and invests in alternatives): https://secure.everyaction.com/zae4prEeKESHBy0MKXTIcQ2

Black Visions Collective (MN an organization dedicated to Black liberation and collective liberation): https://secure.everyaction.com/4omQDAR0oUiUagTu0EG-Ig2

(cont)