Leaders get earful from protesters
Stonewall Columbus said they wanted to hear people’s concerns about racism, transphobia and homophobia on Monday night — and, well, they got it.
Maybe even more than they asked for.
After a peaceful demonstration outside the forum at the Northland Performing Arts Complex on the Northeast Side, more than 100 LBGTQ people of color took their complaints inside the building to show their support for four black protesters arrested by Columbus police a month ago for blocking Stonewall’s Pride Parade.
Dressed in all black, the protesters flooded the performing arts center chanting “Stonewall should have done more. Drop the charges against the Black Pride 4.” But unlike the Pride festivities, no one was arrested Monday night, though tensions ran high at times.
“We understand we hijacked the community conversation,” said Wriply Bennet, one of the four arrested on June 17 who are going by the nickname the #BlackPride4. “If any of you didn’t come for this, you can go.”
But before any of them considered leaving, Bennet asked the group to think about whether they were at the event to hear first-hand how some in the LGBTQ community feel marginalized or were simply there to “ease their guilt.”
While a few people left, most of the approximately 200 people in attendance chose to stay to hear what the group had to say.
The #BlackPride4, Black Queer & Intersectional Columbus and several others staged the “Shame on Stonewall” demonstration to shine light on what they called an all-too-real problem: police brutality on people of color, especially transgender individuals.
The groups said Stonewall Columbus has not only refused to hear them out behind closed doors but also has neglected to provide any tangible support for the individuals arrested at Pride.
“The conversation so far has been insulting,” said Dkeama Alexis, one of two founders of Black Queer & Intersectional Columbus.
Police say the four demonstrators arrested — Bennet, Kendall Denton, Ashley Braxton and Deandre Miles — were blocking the June 17 parade route and resisted being moved out of the way. The protesters say they planned to silently and peacefully block the parade for seven minutes to draw attention to the injustices faced by LGBTQ people.
They specifically said they were protesting the recent acquittal of a Minnesota police officer who killed Philando Castile during a traffic stop. The group said it also hoped to raise awareness about the violence against LGBTQ people of color and the 15 trans women of color who have been murdered in the United States this year.
About a week after the arrests, Lori Gum resigned her post as Stonewall Pride festival and program coordinator, citing the organization’s failure to issue a meaningful statement after the incident. Well-liked, Gum’s departure touched off a firestorm of dissent within the LGBTQ community, specifically concerning whether leadership changes need to be made within Stonewall. It also raised questions about what more can be done to address the concerns of minority LGBTQ members.
Among many demands, the protesters want Stonewall Columbus to fire its executive director, Karla Rothan, and want the executive board to resign.
When questioned Monday night by the groups about whether she intended to resign, Rothan didn’t answer, nor did the board members. But after the protesters left, Rothan said she had no intention of leaving.
“I didn’t know how deep the pain in my community is, and for that I am truly sorry,” she said. “It saddens me that people don’t feel included, and I feel their pain.”
Rothan said she couldn’t help make the situation any better if she were to just walk away from Stonewall.
Some Stonewall supporters who declined to give their names said the protesters wouldn’t answer many questions and bullied others at the meeting the same way they complain that police bullied them.
Stonewall board member Jay Coleman called the unexpected takeover of the meeting and conversation a good start toward mending hurt feelings and addressing the very real problem of minority LGBTQ members feeling marginalized.
“One of the most important things for a group that feels like they haven’t been heard is to give them an opportunity to be heard,” he said.
The protesters said they intend to host their own community conversation on these issues at 6 p.m. July 24 at the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Northside branch, 1423 N. High St.