Ahead of Today’s Historic March on Washington, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson Delivers Remarks to Crowds Gathered at the National Mall: “Let Us Continue the Fight and Let’s Get Free”

by Cullen Peele •

WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — joined a chorus of civil rights leaders championing the continued fight for equality and social justice ahead of this afternoon’s historic March on Washington.

Below are the prepared remarks from HRC President Kelley Robinson, a co-chair of this year’s event being held in the lead-up to Monday’s sixtieth anniversary of the original March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom:

HELLO! I’M KELLEY ROBINSON. I USE SHE/HER PRONOUNS.

I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN,

OUR NATION’S LARGEST LGBTQ+ CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION.

I’M HONORED BE HERE IN THE LEGACY OF DR. KING, OF JOHN LEWIS, AND OF BAYARD RUSTIN

BAYARD RUSTIN WAS THE LEAD ORGANIZER OF THE FIRST MARCH ON WASHINGTON

HE LIVED HIS LIFE LOUDLY AND PROUDLY AS A BLACK GAY MAN

HIS COURAGE AND LEADERSHIP PROVE THAT, WE (LGBTQ PEOPLE) HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE!

(NOT JUST AS YOUR UNCLE’S LONG TERM ROOMMATE BUT AS STRATEGISTS AND ORGANIZERS AND LEADERS)

AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE HERE - TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOM WITHOUT EXCEPTION

TODAY, I’M JOINED BY THE BALLARD FAMILY

ZION BALLARD IS 18 YEARS OLD,

PROUDLY BLACK, PROUDLY TRANS.

WHEN HE CAME OUT TO HIS PARENTS 4 YEARS AGO, THEY REACTED LIKE EVERY PARENT SHOULD: WITH UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

AND ULTIMATELY THAT’S WHY WE ARE HERE.

THIS FIGHT IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT LOVING EACH OTHER ENOUGH TO FIGHT

FOR OUR COLLECTIVE FREEDOM

FREEDOM TO DANCE OUR HEARTS OUT,

WITHOUT GETTING STABBED LIKE O'SHAE SIBLEY WAS.

FREEDOM TO WAVE OUR PRIDE FLAGS,

WITHOUT BEING SHOT LIKE LAURI CARLTON WAS.

FREEDOM TO SEND OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL,

WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT WHAT

THEY’RE BEING TAUGHT OR IF THEY’LL MAKE IT HOME.

FREEDOM TO LIVE IN AN AMERICA WHERE THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN AND WHO YOU LOVE NEVER DICTATES THE LENGTH OF YOUR LIFE.

THE LEADERS WHO DREAMED AND DECLARED 60 YEARS AGO RECEIVED MORE CRITICISM THAN COMPLIMENTS IN THEIR TIME.

THE PROGRESS THEY WON, FELT IMPOSSIBLE, NOT INEVITABLE. BUT STILL, THEY KEPT GOING. BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT NOT ONE OF US IS FREE UNTIL ALL OF US ARE FREE

SO I’M ASKING YOU ..

IF YOU HAVE A QUEER OR TRANS CHILD,

LOVE THEM—COMPLETELY.

IF YOU’VE GOT A PRIDE FLAG,

FLY IT—PROUDLY.

AND IF YOU’VE GOT A VOTE, BY GOD YOU BETTER USE IT.

AND IF YOU’VE GOT A FOLDING CHAIR, WELL .. I WON’T GO THERE

(PAUSE)

I GOTTA BELIEVE THAT THERE’S SOME GOOD TROUBLE FOR US TO GET INTO

I GOTTA BELIEVE THAT WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY TO FINISH THE WORK THAT WAS STARTED 60 YEARS AGO

I GOTTA BELIEVE THAT IF WE CAN LOCK ARMS AND FIGHT TOGETHER THAT THERE IS FREEDOM WAITING FOR US ON THE OTHER SIDE

LET US CONTINUE THE FIGHT AND LET’S GET FREE!"


Kelley Robinson, Human Rights Campaign President

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