So, here’s the deal.

Three months ago, we were in the midst of planning for the biggest Prideraiser campaign yet. Then the world shut down, and we didn’t know what to do. But as tens of millions of folks have been laid off from their jobs, the needs for basic services has swelled throughout the country. In our local community, service agencies have been especially taxed in providing basic services.

In Detroit, the Ruth Ellis Center provides safe, welcoming services - everything from food to medical needs - to an LGBTQ+ youth community that is predominantly persons of color. One of REC’s core tenets is transformative justice, which seeks “safety and accountability without relying on alienation, punishment, or State or systemic violence, including incarceration and policing.”

It would be a mockery to support the celebration of Pride and be complicit in dismissing the racism gripping our communities. We stand for the rejection of state sponsored violence, of police brutality, of incarcerating folks because of racist and homophobic policies and officers. In this moment, we need to stand up and support those who are being trampled, whose voices are being crushed under by the systems and oppressors of this world.

To that end, we’re asking you to make a donation to the the Ruth Ellis Center, to continue to support their critical work for our LGBTQ+ community.

Against racism. Against fascism. Against sexism. Against homophobia.#UTFC