Vigil reflecting on U.S. racism, Stonewall protests held Saturday afternoon

BOSTON — More than a thousand people gathered at Franklin Park in Boston on Saturday for a march to support the black and brown transgender community. The event was hosted by the group Trans Resistance, and donations made benefited the Transgender Emergency Fund of Massachusetts.

According to the groups executive director, Chastity Bowick, their mission is to provide housing assistance and support to the homeless transgender community.

“Today we’re here to say that we have a voice. We’re taking back our pride, as transgender women of color started pride, and we’re taking it back and we’re here to say no more,” Bowick told Boston 25 News.

The vigil came one day after President Trump removed healthcare protections for transgender patients that gave them the ability to fight against discrimination by doctors, hospitals and health insurance companies.

“The White House does nothing but fuel hate toward our community and allow other people to feel like they have the right energy to beat us, to abuse us and to deny us basic services,” said Bowick. “Things that we had coming up, you know, medical appointments, surgeries scheduled...all of those are up in the air now because he wanted to take those protections away from us. But we say no more.”

Others attending the event called for the crowd of supporters to speak up and demand action for transgender civil rights.

“It makes it all worth it because you know you’re not the only one who cares and is trying to fight,” said Adam Marchand, one marcher at Franklin Park.

Lade Adeniyi, a Boston resident, shared a similar sentiment.

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“This is a movement, it’s not a moment, and I think this can attest to that,” she said, pointing to the large number of people on the grass. “I’m happy to see that you have people from every race; black, white, it doesn’t matter what community you associate with, everyone is here to kind of support one general cause. So it’s honestly amazing."

A Pride flag was raised at the Massachusetts State House on Friday, celebrating Pride month. Saturday would have been the 50th annual Boston Pride parade, but it was pushed to next year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It is one of the few times that flag has been raised at the State House, as it has usually flown over Boston’s City Hall Plaza.

With the parade postponed, activists planned a vigil in Boston instead, which was meant to reflect on racism in the United States and honor black and transgender women who helped lead protests at the Stonewall Inn in 1969.

The Pride parade was first celebrated 50 years ago in response to police brutality against gay patrons at the Stonewall Inn in New York. It is Boston’s single-largest annual parade. Even though this year’s parade was postponed, thousands attended today’s vigil and march as the group reflects on racism.

It comes one day after Boston Mayor Marty Walsh declared racism a public health crisis and announced a reallocation of police overtime funds. Walsh also launched a task force that will review police use of force.

“We’re not going to let this moment or this movement to pass us by,” Walsh said. “We’re determined to accelerate our work toward systemic change to renew our nation and our city’s promise of equal opportunity and justice for every single person.”

After the vigil, marchers made their way to Nubian Square where they continued to protest outside of the Boston Police Department.

According to Boston 25 News Crews that were there, it appeared as though the vigil remained overwhelmingly peaceful.

Rally scheduled after Pride parade canceled With the parade canceled, activists are planning a vigil in Boston instead, which is meant to reflect on racism in the United States and honor black and transgender women who helped lead protests at the Stonewall Inn in 1969.

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