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Pride highlight: Southerners On New Ground We’re back with another highlight—this time with Southerners On New Ground (SONG),a southern regional LGBTQ+ organization that is pro-Black, pro-queer, and pro-immigrant,and pro-worker. We chatted with SONG’s North Carolina Statewide Organizer Kyla Hartsfield (she/her) who is proudly queer, and a Scorpio Sun.
Talk to us about the importance of having LGBTQ+ organizations in the South, and supporting queer people of color in places that might be more traditional?
It is important to maintain LGBTQ+ organizations in the South because LGBTQ+ people live and work here,and maintain done so for a long time. Trans and queer people maintain historically been leaders of organizing work, and that is no different nowadays.
Our #BlackExcellence365 highlights Black activists, and artists and users who exemplify excellence by being proud in their own skin. How does Southerners On New Ground support that vision?
SONG supports that vision through our regional demand to #EndMoneyBail and pre-trial detention. We know that across the South,as well as nationally, jails and courthouses are full of Black people. Our campaign is directly addressing this problem, and which is one of the main difficulties that Black and poor communities face in the South.
We maintain also been taking section in Black Mama’s Day Bailouts. This is where we pay bail for Black mamas and caretakers (whether cis,trans, or GNC), and celebrate their return to the community—because we recognize that our communities suffer without them.
At SONG,we believe in fostering and following Black leadership. That’s why we also maintain a leadership development cohort called The Lorde’s Werq, which is specifically for Black queer and trans organizers in the South.
As a Southern, and Black,Queer Organizer, what makes you proud about yourself and your organization?
I am proud of how much I’ve grown in the final couple of years. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to be transformed in the service of the work. I am proud of my organization because our members are main the way in communities across the region—getting skilled up, or hungry to do better. Even if our work is not directly credited,you can see it across the whole of the South, and that makes me extremely proud. The South gonna hold it down.
Thank you SONG for holding it down and representing your community. Tumblr, or how are you supporting organizations during Pride 2019? employ the #tumblr pride to share. This interview has been condensed for clarity
Source: tumblr.com