Alexander Lee

42, project director, Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Oakland

My activism began when I was in my early 20s. I joined a group called TransAction that addresses the high rates of police violence against trans people. We tried to get the police associations to sign a human rights pledge to respect the lives of trans people. None would, not even the gay and lesbian law enforcement officers associations.

Street demonstrations are supposed to be just one part of a larger campaign, but that doesn’t always happen, and we’re not seeing the changes that we need. At least one Black trans woman is murdered every month, and trans people experience extreme rates of poverty. I’m heartened by the energy of the current protests, but it’s hard to feel hopeful. We’ve been let down so many times.

Amanda Gough

78, retired paralegal, San Francisco

I went to Cordele, Ga., in 1965 as a volunteer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. We decided to integrate a public pool. A lot of white people gathered; there was a lot of tension but no violence. Looking back, I don’t think we made much of a difference, but the mere presence of white kids standing with Black kids made an indelible impression.

The killing of George Floyd rubbed too many people the wrong way, or maybe it was the right way. It’s the young people who will carry this moment. We thought the ’60s had turned things around, but in police stations today that’s not true. You work hard and you get minuscule change. It’s amazing how racism is imbued in this country.

Masen Davis

49, interim executive director of Transgender Europe, San Francisco

I’ve been an advocate for queer rights since I came out in 1990, in the days of ACT UP and Queer Nation. I’ve grown up in the movement and seen tremendous changes. Visibility of trans people continues to grow, but the increased attention means there’s also a backlash, as politicians cynically use trans people as a wedge issue.

I’m incredibly excited about this moment. The Supreme Court decision affirming gay rights in the workplace was a very big deal. Activism works, but you can never let up. Every bone in my body wants to be out in those streets right now, but because of a preexisting health condition, I’m staying home. I feel ashamed and guilty. It’s been really tough, but I’m glad I can support the movement with money.

Rodney Barnette

75, retired union organizer, Compton (Los Angeles County)

I returned from the Vietnam War and moved to South Central Los Angeles. I witnessed policemilitary actions there that would have been classified as war crimes. That’s when I joined the Black Panthers, organizing churches and helping with the breakfast programs. When I discovered we had been infiltrated by the FBI, I left. Later I found out that I had been the subject of Cointelpro surveillance and was able to recover my file.

I moved to San Francisco, where I opened the Eagle Creek Saloon, the city’s first Blackowned gay bar. White gays couldn’t understand the kind of discrimination that we faced. This is an amazing time. There’s a strong chance that we can make real changes. So many other people are with us now. We have a chance to turn things around and have a democracy. The whole world is watching.