The demonstrations marked nearly four weeks of civil unrest across the country following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Queer March for Black Lives draws hundreds

Several hundred people marched from LOVE Park to the Art Museum Sunday afternoon in a Pride march that focused on elevating the voices of Black transgender women.

The Philly Queer March for Black Lives didn’t have the usual floats and performances associated with June Pride month events. Instead, Black trans women took the mic to share their experiences in Philly queer spaces.

Ebony Fierce emceed the event and spoke about how trans women like her are often on the front lines of marches demanding equality for Black and queer communities. Still, Fierce laid out in a poem how trans voices are often pushed aside.

“You are the beginning of pride and activism, and marches, and HIV awareness, and ballroom, but when will it be seen?”

Fierce and other speakers said the Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ movements need one another to create real change. And now, as protests over racism continue into their fourth week, they are more than ready to see that change.

“We will no longer be pushed to the side, we will no longer be ignored,” Fierce said. “WE WILL BE SEEN!”

Kimberly Paynter / WHYY

Ebony Fierce MCs the Queer March for Black Lives at Love Park.

“So often we are left out of the conversation as Black queer people,” said Tariem Burroughs, who sits on the board for Philadelphia Family Pride and the Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club. “It’s important for both of these movements to be visible together, because that’s the only way that we’re all going to move forward.”

Liberty City Dems board member Ted Bordelon echoed Burroughs’ sentiment, adding that the theme of Sunday’s march is recommitting to pride.

“We have to remember our roots, that Pride originally — the Stonewall Riots — were led by Black trans women,” Bordelon said.

“The point of this is not to be performative or a party atmosphere. This is a protest,” Bordelon explained. “We’re taking the moment usually reserved for Pride and letting Philadelphia see that the queer community is committed to Black lives.”

At the Philly Queer March for Black Lives organized by the Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club. The theme today: Recommit to pride. No corporate sponsored floats. No performances. The focus is on Black trans members of the community pic.twitter.com/VZpLrTH6hI

— Ximena Conde (@RadioXimena) June 21, 2020

Madelyn N. Morrison, a Black trans woman who directs the Bryson Institute at Philadelphia’s Attic Youth Center, spoke to what she described as the often-overlooked efforts of her community.

“That changes this season,” Morrison said. “Our voices are not asking to be heard. We demand it.”

VinChelle, a Philadelphia drag queen, told the crowd she hopes to see the same number of people advocating for Black lives, especially Black trans lives, during next year’s event.

“This is not a trend,” VinChelle said. “This is not a TikTok dance.”

At the Philly Queer March for Black Lives organized by the Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club. The theme today: Recommit to pride. No corporate sponsored floats. No performances. The focus is on Black trans members of the community pic.twitter.com/VZpLrTH6hI

— Ximena Conde (@RadioXimena) June 21, 2020

Speakers also remembered Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells, a Black trans woman who was found dismembered along the Schuylkill River in early June. Philadelphia police are searching for the man who they say is wanted in Fells’ murder. Akhenaton “Akh” Jones, 36, of the 3900 block of Powelton Avenue, faces charges for murder, tampering with evidence, abuse of corpse and related offenses.

Rev. Andrea Lamour-Harrington, a Black trans woman and associate minister at Whosoever Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia, said she came to the march for trans women like Fells, who can no longer speak for themselves.

“I really do have a dream that we have a world where me being trans … has nothing to do with people being nice to me,” Lamour-Harrington said. “Where me being trans won’t be the reason why I may get killed or harmed.”