by Nakhone Keodara
Dear friends, family, supporters and fellow activists,
First, I want to commend the co-organizers and co-chairs of the National Equality March for their change of heart in taking a vote to allow the winner and runner up of Equality Idol to speak at the March and to allow the winner and runner up to sing at the March as well.
I am ecstatic with this good news! As a result, I am now endorsing the March. As such, I would like to extend an invitation to you to join me in applauding these hardworking activists in pulling together this important milestone march at our nation’s Capitol this coming weekend.
It’s been a hard weekend for all of us, especially me, I think, because of the controversy of my resigning from the LGBT movement and my subsequent article on Queerty. I have now resolved to stay and fight on behalf of myself, on behalf of each one of us and along-side each and every one of you. Let’s push aside our differences and come together as one for this momentous occasion!
I want to publicly come out and URGE each and every one of you to please drop everything you have going on in your life right now and head over to the National Equality March in D.C., this weekend. I know this might be a huge sacrifice for any one of us considering the state of the economy and all the hardships that we as Americans are enduring. However, this is a huge milestone for our community and it is our time for us to stand up, join our hands and DEMAND our rights once and for all at our nation’s Capitol. Every generation has a deed so unique to its time that will define it for years to come. Let’s do this for the LGBT youth. Let’s pay a tribute to all those selfless, self-sacrificing–Harvey Milk–and countless dedicated activists who’ve gone before us and whose light has shown a clear path forward for us to embark on TOGETHER.
Take the bus, drive or fly into our nation’s Capitol. I would love to go but I am of limited means. I would love to hitch a ride from someone who’s driving across the country. Or, if there are any generous souls out there who can’t go for whatever reason and who would like to donate a plane ticket for me to go in their place, please let me know or send them this note. I would be forever grateful. I can bring a sleeping bag so no accommodations are necessary.
I can see it now. Hundreds of thousands of us LGBT people walking past the White House on our way to the U.S. Capitol. I can feel the hope in the air. I can hear the excitement of the crowd and I can see the love in the eyes of all of us as we gazed at each other knowing that this is the moment. This is the day and this is our time. We are here to tell President Obama that “We, too, believe in the beauty of your dreams, Mr. President–that change HAS and MUST come to gay America. The time is NOW!
Okay, Nakhone, let’s all kiss and make up.
If you get mad at your brothers and sisters again, try to share your concerns in a positive way, for the good of the movement, rather than attacking them as people, which will only spur anger and division.