New York City is one of those cities where people still get out to make a difference -- even when it is raining. In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the largest antiwar demonstration at that point in history, in New York City. More than 1,100 people marched with King (who advocated nonviolent, direct action) from Central Park to the United Nations' headquarters to protest the Vietnam War.
This Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, Queer Rising, a new civil disobedience group created in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., made a difference. Queer Rising is a group that is part of the change that is happening to the LGBTQI community nationwide. They are taking the struggle for equality into their own hands and educating the public on our struggle.On Saturday, members of Queer Rising stood in Times Square near the TKTS booth with a captive audience and chanted, handed out flyers and had conversations with onlookers about equality for Queer Americans.
They then moved underground to the subway and handed out many more flyers and then it was off to the Grand Central Station where many people took pictures and were handed flyers and were engaged. 750,000 people pass through Grand Central Station daily so it was a great venue. This weekend I was reminded of the Dr. King quote when he said “In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. What a great way to spend a weekend in NYC -- making a difference!
You can find out more about Queer Rising on Facebook.
Great piece! Thanks for sharing the work of Queer Rising!
ReplyDeletenicely said!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteEduardo K
Glad you made your MARK. :)
ReplyDeleteQueer Rising is doing it again Friday Morning! Check out their facebook page.
ReplyDeleteJustin, so great to read this piece again. I remember that day very well - the first day we met. Oh, who knew what journeys we'd go on together!
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing about Queer Rising. I can't wait for more and better!