A Dream Unrealized, But A Movement Unwavering and A Spirit Unbroken…
By Amber St James
At the conclusion of Black History month, I reflect on my place in the movement as a black, queer, transfemme, nonbinary icon and revolutionary. I consider where the movement is headed and where it has been. As we observe a world that is unrecognizable, consumed by hatred and violence, fueled by ignorance and swaddled in white supremacy, where can we find the light at the end of what feels like an unending tunnel?
The future feels filled with anxiety and fear of the unknown. It feels like there is an uncontrollable wind sent to snuff out our light as we watch our community be stripped of its humanity and its history. It feels as if the future is our past relived, returning us back to the roots of our movement. We see echoes of our past in school board meetings where we fight for our youth, the life force of our present and our future. We see the dehumanization in the medical field as we fight for the right of our trans community to access lifesaving gender-affirming care and in society where their entire existence has been criminalized. We stand in solidarity as we continue to build with our most marginalized communities of color as they fight for their right to a life not dripping in violence and death. Through all of these battles, we find the fuel to keep our light burning bright in the dark times, for this is not the first time our community has been under attack and this is not the first time we will be ready to fight back.
Taking inspiration from organizers and activists of the 1980’s AIDS crisis, they used to say: “We bury in the morning, we protest in the afternoon, and we dance at night.” We must continue this movement using their example; we work through the pain and make space for the joy that sustains our light. We are the fuel that helps that light continue to burn bright. The political landscape may make us feel that the dreams of our past have been dashed and deferred, but we pull from the strength of our ancestors and empower the possibility of forging new beginnings. The spirit of this movement comes from the hopes and passions which remain unbroken, a spirit that can not be erased through policies, a spirit that will not be silenced through violence, a spirit that can move mountains to create new horizons for our freedom and liberation.
Our unbroken spirit is reinforced by the work of our ancestors and elders like Lady Java, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and San Diego warriors like Miss Tracie Jada O’Brien. We uphold the work of these brave individuals everyday, by daring to live in our truths and to move throughout the world in the face of fear and bigotry, unashamed and defiant. We continue this work through actions like protesting local policy makers and officials, voicing our positions in public meetings, and advocating for budgetary support for our community. We create space for joy in a fight that seeks to steal it by refusing to fall into the narrative that tells us we are not allowed to have happiness. We fight back by doing the things that bring us comfort and delight, be it going to the local drag show, getting together with chosen family, or engaging in community events.
We must continue this work and this commitment to fighting oppression in all its pervasiveness. We must choose to fight for the hopes of a new beginning and a new sunrise, for this is where we find a new dream, a new hope, a new light. In the words of Amanda Gorman, “For there is always light, if only we are brave enough to see it, if only we are brave enough to be it.” So continue to nurture that light of hope and live by that unshakable spirit because, together, we are the movement. With our pride and our power, we will remain unbreakable.