My colleague, Senator Mallory McMorrow, spoke boldly against hateful nonsense last week on the Senate floor. The message is clear: Hate won't win.

We are in a critical moment in history. The continued police brutality against unarmed Black Americans, legislative attacks on LGBTQ children's humanity, continued hate crimes against Asian Americans, and attempts to whitewash our nation's history call for us to speak out and take bold action.

Yesterday, I condemned the recent threats against public officials and also called on allies to support and lift up LGBTQ and people of color-led movement groups.

Let’s fight back against hate by supporting these groups. Join the growing movement to engage in our democracy, call out hate and then most importantly, act. 

To those who are feeling outrage about the hateful rhetoric against LGBTQ kids, don’t fight hate with hate. Let’s support the expansion of the Elliot-Larson Civil Rights Act to protect LGBTQ individuals from discrimination.

To those who are feeling outrage against attempts to whitewash history, funnel that anger towards pushing for bills that would ensure that we teach every Michigan child about the contributions and struggles of people of color in this country.

To those seeking to further their allyship, take the time to learn about the history of marginalized groups. Learn about Stonewall, Vincent Chin, and Native American boarding schools.

Funnel anger toward supporting the people of color led organizations on the ground who have been fighting for change and leading our racial justice movements for many decades. Transform anger into working even harder for police accountability and other policies that can bring about a more just world. 

Dr. King said: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." 

Please consider supporting and lifting up LGBTQ and people of color-led movement groups in this important moment. Here are a few of many local community organizations who are doing this critical work:

• Affirmations - goaffirmations.org
• American Citizens for Justice - americancitizensforjustice.com
• APIAVote - Michigan - apiavotemi.org
• Black Lives Matter Detroit - blmdetroit.com
• Detroit Action - detroitaction.org
• Detroit Branch NAACP - detroitnaacp.org
• Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation - dhdc1.org
• Detroit Justice Center - detroitjustice.org
• Equality Michigan - equalitymi.org
• Rising Voices - risingvoicesaaf.org
• Ruth Ellis Center - ruthelliscenter.org
• LGBT Detroit - lgbtdetroit.org
• Michigan Liberation - miliberation.org

LGBTQ folks and people of color have been fighting for justice for decades. We are fired up for change but we are also exhausted from the constant onslaught of hate. To allies and co-liberators, you are needed in this fight. So let's get to work – together.

With gratitude,