FIERCE in Detroit
FIERCE is a membership-based organization building the leadership and power of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth of color in New York City. We develop politically conscious leaders who are invested in improving ourselves and our communities through youth-led campaigns, leadership development programs, and cultural expression through arts and media.
FIERCE is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of social justice movement leaders who are dedicated to ending all forms of oppression. This past June, FIERCE joined hundreds of thousands of social justice leaders, organizers, advocates, activists, and visionaries in Detroit for the United States Social Forum (USSF). A FIERCE crew of eleven members and staff participated in workshops, organized discussions, created media and connected with organizers from around the country. The reflections below are from FIERCE Members Christopher and Balder.
My name is Christopher Baez, and I’m an active member at FIERCE. I have been involved with the organization for a year and a half. Growing up as a low-income LGBTQ youth of color in New York City, I wanted to create change for my communities. Over the past several years, I began to see that social justice work and organizing is where my passion lies. Throughout my time at FIERCE, I’ve been told that I am a very warm hearted person who attracts people. I feel that it is up to each of us to carve our way and build strong ties with people. The more people you know, the more you learn about yourself. In my lifetime, I aim to create change for my community, and part of creating this change is learning about social justice movements on a broad scale. We are all connected, and one fight for justice should not be isolated to just one issue, group or community. We must build together.
It’s important to look at our community as one collective movement. We are one heart that keeps beating and pushing through all the obstacles we face. We have to break the barriers that exist for all of us. Often our communities suffer from oppression, phobias, and biases. We have to demonstrate that we are united and strong.
On June 21, 2010, I decided to face my fear of flying and go to the US Social Forum in Detroit, with a FIERCE team of fellow youth members and staff. Part of why I went to Detroit was to continue to work with Grassrots Global Justice (GGJ) on solutions following the G20. People were split up into groups according to region. I was in the North East. I learned that the only way we will see a better tomorrow is if people take the power and fight for reform collectively. We must seek reform through mobilizing and sticking together. Some of my other highlights from the USSF were seeing Detroit. Detroit was definitely a city hit hard by the economic crisis and at times, it felt almost empty. I saw tent cities and remember there were tent cities in Pittsburgh too.
I am motivated to fight so that everyone can have access to their rights. We still have a lot of work to do!
Hi, my name is Balder, but during the United States Social Forum, I went by Elegost or Rudy. I am an active member of FIERCE. I attended the USSF because it was a great chance for me and FIERCE to meet new people outside of New York; to really connect with activists and organizers from around the nation.
It was also an amazing chance to learn new things from the huge selection of workshops. One of my favorite memories of the USSF was back at the Westin Hotel pool. It was the first day of the USSF and we had just participated in the long opening march to CoBo Hall where most of the workshops and assemblies were held. It was close to closing time for the pool when security came in saying that the pool was closing and that we all had to leave. Everyone in the pool starting doing chants like “Whose pool? Our Pool” and “Security needs a raise” to help keep the pool opened longer. It worked for about 15 minutes!
I really enjoyed that moment, most of all because it showed our unity. Whether we were queer or straight, we all chanted for our love of the pool.
As a FIERCE member who had the opportunity to be in Detroit for the USSF and the Allied Media Conference, I really want to bring a contagious momentum to keep everyone involved and the centering practices to keep us calm and focused as we lead and continue building our movements. I can use the breathing activities to help keep us calm in stressful times, and I can keep the thought of unity and remember we are all in this fight for social justice and social freedom for all people.