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Dear John,

In 1959, a decade before the Stonewall riots, another courageous act of LGBTQIA resistance made history. Cooper Do-nuts was one of the few local businesses in Los Angeles that welcomed trans and nonbinary customers when most others turned them away fearing police harassment. Legend has it that one day, police officers illegally profiled and attempted to arrest five people at the café for being queer—which was criminalized at the time. When one of the five people resisted, it sparked a powerful moment of solidarity. The entire community took a stance with chants and acts of civil disobedience and the cops left the area.

Renowned author John Francisco Rechy, who witnessed the incident, later wrote “...the street was bustling with disobedience. Gay people danced about the cars." His statement captures so naturally how protest and joy are deeply interlinked for LGBTQIA people. Even today, as we witness attempts to roll back on rights, LGBTQIA movements are leading with strategic joy, strengthened by the wisdom that as Audre Lorde said, “we are powerful because we have survived.” We have been here before and won.

As we wrap up Pride Month, we celebrate this unbreakable spirit, knowing that progress is rarely linear and that sustained collective action for mutual liberation will succeed. As we celebrate, we also recognize that the movements led by our grantee partners and activists around the world on the streets, in the courts, and within communities are far from over. We must continue to support and resource them with fierce solidarity. Join us ([link removed]) to help sustain movements for liberation.

In solidarity,
Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism

Photo credit: Ted Eytan

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