We at La Clinica del Pueblo also believe that racism is a public health crisis and that racism is a LGBTQ+ health crisis
We at La Clinica del Pueblo are committed to LGBTQ+ health as we believe that health care is a human right. Our mission firmly states that we aim to build a healthy Latino community through culturally appropriate health services, focusing on those most in need.
During the last weeks, we have been reminded that all forms of violence and oppression are connected, and that endemic racism presents a daily threat to the health of Black and brown communities in this country.
Like the American Public Health Association (APHA) states, we at La Clinica del Pueblo also believe that racism is a public health crisis and that racism is a LGBTQ+ health crisis. Until Black and Brown people are able to experience their full human right to health and well-being, we will continue to challenge racism and do our part to dismantle it.
Pride month takes place in June of every year to honor, celebrate, affirm, and elevate the LGBTQ+ community and its history, LGBTQ+ culture, and our continual effort towards achieving LGBTQ+ rights. Since the beginning, Pride month is celebrated to honor the Stonewall Riots and similar revolutionary events for LGBTQ+ and civil rights in the 1960s.
The Stonewall Riots occurred on June 27, 1969 after several LGBTQ+ community activists of color, namely Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, and Stormé DeLarverie, politically organized against police brutality and oppression in New York City. This year, similarly to how they stood against state-sponsored violence, we at La Clinica stand against it too and encourage everyone to do the same.
Join us in celebrating #PrideMonth by encouraging our families, friends, and community members to continue educating ourselves on the importance of standing with our black sisters and brothers and taking action with them in solidarity. To echo the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “no one is free until we are all free.” Today and always, we must follow the steps of Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Stormé DeLarverie, and other important leaders to help create a more healthy, inclusive, and equitable community for all.
And, as a reminder: #BlackLivesMatter #BlackTransLivesMatter #BlackQueerLivesMatter.
La Clinica del Pueblo, Inc.; June, 2020