New Orleans, LA – On Friday, September 5, members of the Queer and Trans Community Action Project held a rally outside of the Louisiana Department of Health to protest Medicaid no longer covering hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This loss of coverage, combined with the recent anti-trans legislation introduced by Louisiana’s Governor Jeff Landry, has sparked outrage among the queer and trans community in New Orleans.

Protesters rallied with slogans such as, “HRT saves lives” and “Protect trans healthcare” in response to the Louisiana Department of Health secretly changing their policy to prohibit federal funding for HRT. The only exception to this policy is those with medically diagnosed gender dysphoria.

Many trans people in Louisiana rely heavily on Medicaid’s low-cost health insurance to provide them with affordable medication.

Rory Macdonald of Freedom Road Socialist Organization began their speech by chanting, “When HRT is under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” They went on to say, “LGBT people are twice as likely to be on Medicaid as other Americans. By taking away insurance coverage for life saving medication, Trump and Jeff Landry hope to impoverish trans people even more.”

In 2021, there was a unanimous resolution at the New Orleans city council to protect transgender and gender non-conforming people’s healthcare and wellbeing. Since then, no changes have been made in the city to keep LGBTQ people safe.

Molly Frayle from the Queer and Trans Community Action Project (QTCAP) said, “The city council's resolution to keep New Orleans a safe place for its LGBTQ citizens has produced nothing. There has been no material, concrete protections enacted. It makes you wonder if it was all a political game, like they are using us as tools to advance their careers.”

Another QTCAP member, River Lynn, expressed their personal experiences with the new changes within Medicaid’s policy. “Being wholly dependent on Medicaid to fund my prescriptions, I have lost access to the medical treatments that I need to survive and survive well.” said River. “Cutting access to gender affirming care among the poor and disabled is akin to practicing cruel medical experiments on innocent human beings. Decades of research have already given us the results: people die.”

Members of the rally sent a clear message that attacks on the transgender people of Louisiana will not stand. The LGBTQ people of New Orleans will continue to fight with allies at their side.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #LGBTQ #Trans #QTCAP

New Orleans, LA – On the evening of June 14, around 30 community members and organizers gathered outside of Louis Armstrong Park to protest Shell Oil’s Pride sponsorship and march ahead of the New Orleans Pride parade.

“If Shell gets to roll through our streets with a police escort, then we are going to march. You don’t get to attack us and expect us to play nice,” said Molly Frayle from the Queer and Trans Community Action Project (QTCAP).

Heavy thunderstorms threatened to shut down both the parade and the protest, but the rain eventually receded, and the parade was only delayed by an hour. Chanting, “We refuse to be silent, Stonewall was a riot,” the protesters jumped into the street and began marching in front of the parade’s police escort to denounce Shell’s corporate greed.

Police attempted to hinder the march when the parade route turned into the French Quarter. Two police vehicles blocked the right side of the road where protesters attempted to turn, and officers threatened to escalate if the march tried to get through. Undeterred, protesters marched onto the sidewalk and moved around the police cars, chanting “Bottoms and tops: we all hate cops!”

The march continued down Royal Street while demonstrators chanted, “Gave half a million to the right, Shell’s not with us in this fight!” and “Queer people know the time, it’s time to stand with Palestine!” Paradegoers cheered in support.

As the march ended back at Louis Armstrong Park, Blu DiMarco of QTCAP closed out by saying, “Shell likes to pretend they care about LGBTQ people. But they use their politician dogs to attack us year ‘round. We’re not fooled by their little ‘ad-on-wheels’ [parade float] at Pride. We know what they are: the enemy of LGBTQ people in this country and around the world.”

Organizers with QTCAP will be holding a People’s Pride event on the anniversary of Stonewall this year – Saturday, June 28 – to honor the historic uprising and a long legacy of queer resistance. The rally and march will begin at Washington Square Park, near the city’s Marigny neighborhood, at 5:30 p.m.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #LGBTQ #QTCAP #Pride

New Orleans, LA – On April 9, a crowd of pro-choice activists rallied outside of the Louisiana Right to Life headquarters to protest the organization’s oppressive anti-abortion agenda.

Louisiana Right to Life (LARTL) actively works to introduce anti-abortion legislation at the state and federal levels. They profit off of misinforming the public, particularly minors, about abortion and villainizing people who are fighting for their bodily autonomy. LARTL claims Louisiana is the second most “pro-life” state in the country. On the contrary, the state ranks fourth highest in maternal mortality rates and fifth highest in infant mortality rates. 20% of Louisianans are also living below the federal poverty line.

“We all came out here today to call out the hypocrisy of places like this that claim to work on the basis of cherishing life. Let’s get one thing straight: you don’t cherish life, you’re not ‘pro-life,’ you’re pro-forced birth!” said Olivia Wagoner, an organizer with the Queer Trans Community Action Project.

The headquarters are located in a conservative suburb on the outskirts of the city. Many cars honked in support as they drove by in the rush-hour traffic.

The protest lasted over an hour, with chants such as “Right to Life is a lie, you don’t care if people die!” and “Not the church, not the state! People must decide their fate.” The crowd was amped up and showed their willingness to fight back against the state’s and Governor Jeff Landry’s attacks on reproductive rights.

As the crowd gained more attention, the people working in the office came out to antagonize the protesters. This did not work, as the chants only got louder and fiercer. Right before 5 p.m., the bigots retreated once their workday was over. The pro-choice activists remained. Molly Frayle, a member of the Queer Trans Community Action Project, called out their insincerity by stating “They were out here because they got paid to do so! We are out here because we care!”

The fight for reproductive justice is far from over, but the people will continue to push back. As the LARTL staff scurried away, protesters yelled “We will be back!”

#NewOrleansLA #LA #WomensMovement #Abortion #QTCAP #Feature

New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, March 8, about 70 people gathered in Lafayette Square in downtown New Orleans in honor of this year’s International Women’s Day.

The crowd rallied around a banner demanding “Protect women’s and trans rights! From Palestine to Mexico, end all family separations!” Several speakers from grassroots movements discussed the urgency of gender liberation and the need to carry on the legacy of resistance from the revolutionary women of the past.

Molly Frayle, a transgender activist with the Queer and Trans Community Action Project, spoke about how the holiday was organized first by working-class socialist women in the United States and Germany, and historically celebrated striking workers who sparked the February Revolution in Russia in 1917.

“They got into the streets, and they started marching,” Frayle said. “It was that very day the Russian revolution started. A whole country had a revolution because women stood up! They won the right to vote, abortion on demand, the right to divorce without their husbands permission! All that to say when we fight, we win!”

After more speeches, the crowd took to the streets. Chants of “Not the church, not the state, women will decide our fate!” and “International Women's Day, time to make the bosses pay!” filled the busy downtown thoroughfare. Protesters carried signs saying “My body, my choice!” and “Stop the deportations now!” as they marched to the Hyatt Regency, where ICE offices are located in New Orleans.

Once there, organizers spoke about the increasing terror and repression that Black, brown and immigrant communities face under the Trump administration. But they also highlighted the power of fighting back in the spirit of revolutionary women.

“Again and again, the ruling class underestimates the power of women's militancy. Women have led the labor movement, striking for real gains. Mothers of victims of police crimes have been fighting for justice – the attacks that we face are meant to intimidate, confuse us, disorganize and demoralize us. Do you know what they do instead? They light a fire in us!” said Antonia Mar, an organizer with the Freedom Road Socialist organization.

With more chants, the protesters took the streets back to Lafayette Square. Once there, organizers emphasized that this action was only the beginning and that these organizations are committed to uniting and struggling against Trump and his reactionary administration every step of the way.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #WomensMovement #LGBTQ #InternationalWomensDay #QTCAP

New Orleans, LA – On Saturday, February 1 New Orleanians from diverse communities took the busy downtown streets at rush-hour to voice their anger. The protest was organized by the Queer and Trans Community Action Project (QTCAP) in response to several executive orders that Donald Trump passed in his first few days as president. Around 100 protesters marched with signs and flags behind a banner reading “Protect LGBTQ+ youth!”

The march featured chants and speakers reflecting the wide range of attacks that Trump has launched against immigrants, trans people and reproductive rights. Some protesters carried the flags of countries like Mexico and Honduras to show their pride and commitment to defending immigrants from Trump’s attacks. Trans speakers repeatedly encouraged solidarity with immigrants facing repression with chants like “We’re here, we’re queer, immigrants are welcome here!”

Protesters first gathered at the Hale-Boggs Federal Building in downtown New Orleans. Streets were crowded with cars and pedestrians as New Orleans prepares to host the Super Bowl and as Mardi Gras season begins. Speakers from QTCAP and Union Migrante, a grassroots immigrant-rights organization, fired up the crowd to take the busy streets. QTCAP organizer Molly Frayle said, “Trump has been clear and open about his repressive agenda, and we have been angry. Now we must channel our anger and build resistance!”

The crowd marched to the downtown tower that houses ICE’s New Orleans office, chanting “El pueblo unido, jamas sera vencido!” Adam Pedescleaux of New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police told the protesters, “Trump and Landry are in a marriage to ruin our lives,” adding, “They want to bring slavery back! That is why it is important that we fight for community control of the police.”

The protest then marched on nearby New Orleans City Hall. The area in front of City Hall, including the sidewalk, was blocked off with caution tape for Super Bowl-related renovations. So, protesters took the whole block in order to stop and give final speeches in front of the building, with protest marshals rushing to redirect traffic for safety.

A Students for a Democratic Society member said “As a foreign student, I almost decided not to come out and speak to you today but now is not the time to hide. It is time to fight!” SDS members from three New Orleans universities endorsed the march and supported it by leading chants and providing security.

Trans Income Project (TIP) is a local grassroots relief organization by and for trans people. A TIP speaker emphasized the resilience of the trans community and reminded protesters that they can give and receive direct support from their communities, despite inhumane treatment and targeted attacks from the government.

Lucas Harell, a trans college student and member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, delivered a fiery speech. He told the crowd “Right now we stand at a turning point in history; we live in a time where reactionary forces embodied in Donald Trump and his allies seek to drag us backward, to divide us and to erode the very fabric of our collective progress. But we in the Freedom Road Socialist Organization say we will not give up. We will not bow to the forces of greed, hate and oppression.”

Protesters departed from City Hall to march towards Canal Street, the epicenter of downtown New Orleans. As the police realized where the march was heading, they attempted to mislead the protesters and say that Canal Street was “off-limits” for multiple reasons. One officer stood in front of the protest signaling in the direction that the march had come from. The protesters asserted their First Amendment rights and marched directly past the officer to remain on their planned route.

The energy on Canal Street was high as the determined protesters occupied three lanes of traffic. While a few Trump supporting tourists yelled obnoxiously, the march received claps, cheers and raised fists from most of the workers and onlookers they passed. Participants and organizers committed to continue taking the streets in response to Trump’s attacks to show their opposition, their strength and their collective perseverance. Marching under the palm trees and sunset the crowd chanted “Who’s streets? Our streets!”

#NewOrleansLA #LGBTQ #QTCAP #NOCOP #SDS #TIP #FRSO

New Orleans, LA – On November 20, over 70 trans community members, their loved ones and friends gathered at Hunter’s Field park in the city’s seventh ward, for the 9th annual Trans March of Resilience, hosted by longtime Black trans organizers in The House of Tulip.

November 20 is recognized nationally as Trans Day of Remembrance, created in 1999 to honor the life of Rita Hester, a trans woman who was murdered in Massachusetts, and generally recognized by the community as a day to honor trans and queer siblings that have been lost.

Before the march, the community gathered to hear words from the march’s lead organizer, Milan Nicole Sherry, whose voice carried far in spite of the highway noise roaring overhead, “Some people think the underground railroad no longer exists, but our Black, trans, queer and nonbinary people have continued to utilize the underground railroad to this day,” she said, highlighting our communities' continued history of resistance regardless of the circumstances.

Sherry continued “Now is the time to band together, pool our resources, and plan. I’m not gonna act as if we’re not going to keep doing our work, and that’s unfortunate for Donald Trump.”

After the speech, the community gathered behind banners honoring Trans Day of Remembrance and Resilience and took to the streets. They marched throughout nearby neighborhoods, holding trans and nonbinary flags, fans and signs asserting rights to bodily autonomy. These neighborhoods were chosen for the route because the march wanted to honor several oppressed nationality trans women whose lives were lost there, such as 26-year-old Ciara McElveen, who was brutally murdered in the neighborhood in 2017.

Marchers shouted chants of “Keep your laws out my drawers and thank you very much!” and “When trans lives are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” as they made their way through winding neighborhoods. In spite of harassment from some passersby, spirits remained high throughout the march, with call and response song mixed in with chants.

After the march, the Queer and Trans Community Action Project (QTCAP) held a vigil at the park. A little over 40 attended, some staying from the march and some joining late. An altar with candles was constructed, listing the names and photos of transgender folks who were lost this year. Overhead, above the steps, a banner reading “Mourn the dead, fight like hell for the living!” was displayed.

Space was made for people to speak and honor those they’ve lost, but also talk about the fight ahead.

Quest Riggs, an organizer with QTCAP, stated, “Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Riviera identified as revolutionaries, they identified with the Black Panthers who were facing political repression, they identified with the Vietnamese who were facing a genocidal war. Today trans people in America – we’re making the connection to Palestine. We see people who are being slaughtered and fighting back in the face of being slaughtered and we can connect with that.”

Juleea Berthelot of LUNO Students for a Democratic Society told the crowd, “Our fight does not end with remembering the names of those lost, we honor them by continuing the work of liberation. Let tonight remind us that we are powerful, we are survivors, that we are worthy of more than just remembrance, we are worthy of freedom!”

Several community members continued to come up to the mic to reflect and honor the community, and the crowd ended the night with a song honoring the fighting call of our ancestors.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #LGBTQ #QTCAP

New Orleans, LA – On August 13, pro-Palestine activists rallied to protest President Biden as he visited Tulane University. About 50 people came together outside Tulane’s campus, including locals and university students. Many stayed home out of fear of the dozens of local and federal police cars that were watching the area.

The protest was organized by students and their allies in less than 48 hours. Tulane tried to prevent a response to the visit by slyly calling it a “scheduled event” in communications with students. The protest focused on Biden’s support for Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people. It is estimated that more than 186,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since October 2023.

Protesters also pointed out the hypocrisy of Biden’s support for cancer research while expanding oil and gas usage in the U.S. “My great-grandfather died of cancer. My grandfather died of cancer. My uncle is dying from his fourth time with cancer. I will die of cancer someday, because we live in Cancer Alley, a toxic region of Louisiana created by the oil industry that Biden supports,” said Jack Saucier, speaking for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

LGBTQ liberation activists also came out to protest Biden. “We will not see trans and queer liberation here while our president is eradicating our queer siblings in Palestine,” said Blu DiMarco, speaking for the Queer and Trans Community Action Project. Protesters wore shirts that read “Queers for Palestine” and held signs with slogans like “End U.S. aid to Israel.” Security volunteers handed out water to keep people safe in the 100-plus degree heat.

Before Biden arrived, police officers made metal barricades two rows deep. When people saw Biden’s car, the crowd burst out with energy, booing and chanting, “Genocide Joe has got to go!”

After about an hour of chanting and making noise while Biden was on campus, the action ended with a collective shaming. The crowd shouted “Shame!” in unison three times. The cry was audible a block away, while the president was in a building less than 150 feet away.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Biden #FRSO #QTCAP #

New Orleans, LA – On June 24, Donald Trump arrived in New Orleans for a fundraising dinner as protesters disrupted the event with a rally. The protest was organized by the Queer and Trans Community Action Project (QTCAP) and New Orleans for Community Control of the Police (NOCOP). They chanted and demonstrated the opinions of the working-class queer and Black people of New Orleans, with additional speakers in solidarity to the Palestinian liberation movement.

The dinner, hosted by shipyard CEO Donald Bollinger and real estate magnate Joe Canizaro, cost $3300 per ticket for one person, with an additional approximate $22,000 for an opportunity to take photos with Trump. Bollinger and Canizaro are two of the most generous donors to the Republican Party in Louisiana.

U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise was also present at the event, described as a “guest of honor.”

The fundraiser occurred just weeks after Trump was found guilty of 34 felony charges, and almost a year after his last New Orleans fundraiser, where protesters forced him to shut down the event early.

The protest began roughly an hour before Trump’s motorcade arrived. Members of the crowd held up signs reading anti-Trump and anti-GOP slogans, such as “Lock Trump up!” and “Stop the racist GOP agenda!” as Palestinian and transgender Pride flags fluttered in the wind above onlookers.

“These people would like to force their ideology of Christian-fundamentalism onto future generations, force their ‘free market capitalism’ – that really means exploiting the working class and continuing racist oppression here in the South,” said Quest Riggs, representing QTCAP. “The legacy of Jim Crow, continuing the legacy of red-lining, continuing the legacy of wealth inequality that still exists in New Orleans today.”

“They want to hold onto that wealth with their bare knuckles, but they know, we know, the youth know, that their kind is a dying breed, theirs is a dying country, theirs is a dying mentality,” Riggs asserted.

“I can’t stand to see our rights taken away. We are people that believe we’re not just tokens, to be sold and given away for free, to be traded, or to be collected like cards in hand by greedy men with wicked ideas, and wicked aims, and self-entitlement. We’re more than that. We’re people – we’re people with rights. All of us,” said Toni Duplechain-Jones, a representative of NOCOP.

“They don’t just take away our rights, they take away our basic standard of living. In this city, Black people make up a majority. In this country, there’s no one who’s worked harder than Black people to build this country. Yet, year after year, our wealth has been going down,” Jones continued. “A recent report of New Orleans stated that white people in New Orleans, in the north, have 16 times the wealth of Black people.”

Speakers of the rally chanted with the crowd, “Donald Trump has got to go!” as counter-protesters attempted to agitate members. The New Orleans Police Department ushered the anti-Trump group away from the public sidewalks of Audubon Place, the gated community in which the fundraiser was held.

The police did not require the counter-protesters to move.

As the presidential motorcade arrived, protesters approached Audubon Place once more, gathering on the neutral ground in front of the gates. Rain began to fall, but it failed to dull the energy of the demonstration as counter-protesters dispersed. Jones declared that rain would not stop them from protesting against oppression, shouting “Rain or shine, you can’t hide – you’re supporting genocide!”

Around 20 minutes after it began to rain, it began to thunder. The organizers only concluded the rally when lightning picked up.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #LGBTQ #RNC #NOCOP #QTCAP #Palestine #Feature

Mandeville, LA – In a groundbreaking advance for the Louisiana LGBTQ rights movement, a Pride parade has premiered in Mandeville for the first time on June 1. Organized by Queer Northshore, over 500 people signed up to participate in the historic march called “PRIDE Northshore 2024.” The parade’s slogan was, “Y’all Means All.”

Mandeville is a strongly Republican-governed city on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain near New Orleans. With a population of roughly 14,000, it is located in Saint Tammany Parish, with Tangipahoa Parish and Washington Parish collectively known as the Northshore.

In the state of Louisiana, three anti-LGBTQ bills were proposed this year, and the nationwide book-banning movement all originated borders of Saint Tammany. In a 2023 incident a billboard that said, “Ban hate, not books” and illustrated by a transgender teenager was burned down in Abita Springs.

“It’s visibility. When people see trans people and queer people in our communities and begin to become familiar with them, the kind of boogeyman bullshit from the far right starts to dissipate,” states co-founder of Queer Northshore, Jeremy Thompson. “That was the point of [our PRIDE Northshore] billboard too, to be an invitation, and also as a reminder that we’re your neighbors – that we do live there, and you probably know us and don’t even realize it.”

The parade began at 5 p.m. on Lakeshore Drive, with participants and krewes marching down the scenic Lakefront behind a specially-created art piece of the “PRIDE Pelican,” which was designed and illustrated by Ashley Franklin and then sculpted by Ruby Porter. Immediately following the sculpture were large, colorful letters that spelled out “PRIDE.” held by volunteers who marched along the route. Over 25 walking krewes participated in the event, including several groups that varied from local library anti-censorship movements to LGBTQ-inclusive churches, as well as healthcare that support women’s rights and gender-affirming care.

One of the contingents appearing in the parade consisted of Louisiana Allies for Palestine and Northshore Community for Collective Liberation, which also included members of the Queer and Trans Community Action Project (QTCAP) and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). This contingent was cut from all media attention on local news stations but was included within Queer Northshore’s online archive of photos taken at the event.

“Look at the struggle that queer people have faced here and still do. People have died for being who they are right here,” says Jasmine Joumah, an Arab-Mexican member of Louisiana Allies for Palestine. “Love is always the root for every revolution. Whether people accept it or not, there are queer Palestinians and every LGBTQ person deserves to be seen and fought for. Struggles recognize other struggles. We can’t have full liberation if everyone isn’t liberated.”

Days before PRIDE Northshore debuted, a rainbow flag that flew in front of a Queer Northshore member’s house was ripped and burned in the street. In response to this event, the individual received Pride memorabilia and flags from supportive neighbors across the parish. Homophobic hate groups posted to their social media accounts, planning to disrupt the action. PRIDE Northshore participants stayed steadfast and disciplined in their mission to display their Pride for the first time.

This mobilization of the masses draws similarities to the first Pride parade that took place almost 54 years ago, in commemoration of the Stonewall riots. The initial revolutionary character of Pride continues even in the suburbs, where no corporation has sanitized a natural escalation of the social and political oppression felt by queer and queer-allied Northshore individuals.

Until now, many have lived in silence due to fear of hate and violence. PRIDE Northshore defies the previously established status quo and sets a new precedent for the area, setting the stage for more mobilization and organizing for liberation of not just queer individuals, but all of those affected by capitalist exploitation and oppression.

“Corporations don’t care about queer identity or culture, instead they use us, and pride parades, as a means for profit,” says Blu DiMarco, a member of QTCAP. “Queer liberation will never come from those in positions of power that [are] capitalist tools of oppression, but instead will and should come from the actual queer community. We hear and see each other as people, not a means of profit, and queer resistance has and will always be about community and collective liberation.”

Mel Manuel and Jeremy JF Thompson, the co-founders and co-directors of Queer Northshore, initially founded the group in 2022 in hopes of building a community of LGBTQ people in a place that lacked LGBTQ visibility. Since then, they have held over 100 events for the queer community in their area. Manuel is also the Director of Operations for the Louisiana Abortion Fund, and both have experience representing the working class. Notably, Thompson is also Manuel’s campaign manager as a congressional candidate, where they are hoping to establish a universal basic income, uplift voices of LGBTQ individuals and people of color, and support reproductive rights.

Manuel, raised in Covington, recalls that growing up queer on the Northshore felt isolating and unwelcoming. “I knew lots of queer people, but I didn’t know I knew lots of queer people, because nobody was out. I felt like there was something wrong with me, that I was weird, and I wasn’t like other people. In reality, there was just no visibility in the queer community, so I felt like it was only me. As an adult, you know there are a lot of queer people. But when you’re eight, that may not be so apparent.”

While separate grassroots movements based upon different issues in the area exist outside of Queer Northshore, PRIDE Northshore successfully united many of these groups in a single march with demands of visibility, equality and community.

With 30 events coming in the next month from Queer Northshore, parade-goers and those unable to attend are encouraged to attend future events in the area, which includes support groups, parties, book club meetings, and more.

Despite the challenging political climate throughout the state, the first PRIDE Northshore proved to be a historic and monumental moment in the fight for queer liberation in Louisiana. Thompson states that “queer joy is an act of resistance” in the context of the social oppression of queer individuals in the area.

Thompson also discussed the willingness of the community to show up and be visible together, with 60 volunteers coming together among the hundreds of participants to help with the more organizational aspects of the parade. When asked what the organizers wished for guests to leave with, they wanted guests to leave with hope for the future, and new connections with the community around them. In a context where the queer community was not incredibly visible, yet had such a strong turnout, it was an astounding success and opened a new chapter for many queer individuals.

Thompson said that PRIDE “was a demand the people clearly wanted. It’s not like we had to beg them to come out.” On account of how successful the event was, they likened it to Saint Tammany’s Coming Out Party. “You know, now that we’ve come out, we can’t go back in.”

The results of the event far exceeded any expectations Thompson or Manuel had, further proving that this was something the LGBTQ community wanted, and simply needed strong enough organization to make such a large event happen.

“I think we can leave now, knowing we can see each other,” Manuel says.

After the parade, an afterparty was hosted at Pat’s Rest-a-While. On June 28, at 6 p.m., Thompson and Manuel will host a Pride Talk on Queer Joy to close out Pride Month at the Hammond Library.

On June 8, at 5:30 p.m. at Jackson Square, QTCAP and other organizations are calling a rally against New Orleans’ corporate and pro-Zionist Pride.

#MandevilleLA #NewOrleansLA #LA #LGBTQ #Pride #QTCAP #FRSO

Baton Rouge, LA – On April 22, over 50 students and community organizers rallied on the steps of the Louisiana State Capitol demanding an end to the GOP’s reactionary agenda. The protesters then took to the streets and marched to Governor Jeff Landry’s mansion for a rally. This action served to unite the people against the Republicans and bring the people to the march on the Republican National Convention this summer in Milwaukee.

The demands made during the action included the need for community control of the police, protecting LGBTQ youth, defending DEI programs, legalization for all immigrants, enshrining workers’ rights, and ending U.S. aid to Israel.

Protesters called out the state senate, which was set to vote on SCR 21, a resolution that affirms Louisiana’s undying allegiance to Israel. Chants like “GOP, KKK, IDF they’re all the same!” disturbed legislators taking calls and posing for photo ops on the capitol steps.

At the pre-march rally, student organizers spoke on the struggles they face on campus and how they relate to the legislative session. “You are trying to silence students who are against the funding of a genocide and the funding of an occupation – looking at you, Tulane University. You are scared as a revolution is happening, a revolution where all nations deserve to be free of oppression,” asserted Anthony Franklin, a member of Tulane Students for a Democratic Society.

As the demonstrators marched toward the mansion, organizers chanted, “Not the church, not the state! Trans people decide our fate!” and “Racist, sexist, anti-gay. GOP, go away!” energizing the crowd. Once they gathered at Governor Jeff Landry’s mansion, more speakers highlighted the importance of keeping the fight in the streets as legislators attempt to remove the people’s democratic rights.

Ryan Spalt, a member of LSU SDS, stated, “At the beginning of 2023, legislators attempted to pass the ‘trans bathroom bill’ and ‘don’t say gay bill’ both of which didn’t pass because of actions like this one. And here we are, in 2024, seeing the same bills that seek to erase trans people’s existence, and once again, we see LSU administration support this sentiment by shooting down our student government’s trans housing bill!”

Organizations from across the state joined in solidarity for this multifaceted event. Multiple SDS chapters (LSU, Tulane, and Loyola), the Queer and Trans Community Action Project (QTCAP), Unión Migrante, New Orleans for Community Oversight of the Police (NOCOP), and New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP), Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the Democratic Socialists of America made this action possible. The broad coalition shows the importance of solidarity among struggles and the need to unite against the reactionary Republican agenda.

#BatonRougeLA #NewOrleansLA #LA #StudentMovement #PeoplesStruggles #LGBTQ #DEI #GovLandry #SDS #QTCAP #NOCOP #NOSHIP #FRSO #DSA

New Orleans, LA – On March 31, over 200 LGBTQ folks and allies gathered in Washington Square Park near the French Quarter. Just an hour before the annual Gay Easter Parade, the crowd came together to hear opening remarks from organizations.

After a brief introduction, Lucas Harrell of the Queer and Trans Community Action Project defined the attacks that the LGBTQ community in Louisiana is facing. “We face oppression, we face violence, and we face censorship. And we cannot be silent about these injustices! It’s up to us to defend ourselves, as Democrats have proven to be spineless, while profiting off of our most vulnerable, just like our Republicans!”

This Trans Day of Visibility rally comes in the context of a flurry of homophobic and transphobic bills that have been filed in the Louisiana state legislature. These include a Don’t Say Gay bill that would ban teachers from discussing sexuality and gender in the classroom, as well as a Deadname bill that would require educators and staff to deadname and misgender students. While the previous Democratic governor sometimes vetoed these kinds of bills, the current far-right Governor Jeff Landry will make the fight tougher for the LGBTQ community.

A memorial was held before the march. Speakers read aloud the names of trans and queer siblings lost over the past year, including Nex Benedict, the transgender student from Oklahoma who was murdered by one of their classmates in February. Afterwards, organizers conducted a ceremony, passing out flowers to and honoring the trans folks in attendance.

Just before the march, Toni Duplechain-Jones of New Orleans Community Oversight of the police addressed the crowd about the importance of resisting the increasing waves of political repression in the state. Duplechain-Jones stated, “69% of trans people with HIV in New Orleans have been incarcerated, and that number is only increasing, and our most vulnerable are only facing more discrimination and more incarceration. That’s exactly why I wanted to be here today with the position of fighting back against police brutality and police discrimination on our trans siblings.”

With banners and signs declaring “Resist Landry!” and “Protect trans youth!” and waving transgender and non-binary flags high, the protesters took to the streets to cut straight into the heart of the French Quarter, surprising the waiting Gay Easter Parade crowd with chants of “Jeff Landry you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide!” and “When trans kids are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” The march continued for several blocks with cheers of solidarity from the crowds gathered on the sidewalks and leaking out of bars and restaurants.

Eventually, the march made its way back to the park where speakers from other organizers showed how their struggles were intertwined with the trans struggle.

“On the job, in this state, in our country, it is clear that there is a war on our bodies and our existence. I say bring the war! It’s important to center ourselves on fighting anyways,” said Abbey Lodwig, a trans organizer for Starbucks Workers United.

Lodwig continued, describing the Starbucks campaign, “They took back their promise to take transphobia seriously and made it clear that the boss and customers’ comfort was far more important than our safety. Do you think me and my coworkers backed down?” The crowd responded to their question with a resounding “Hell no!”

The march ended with an open space for everyone gathered to breathe and be present with the community that had gathered there. At the same time, organizers reiterated the urgency of continuing the fight against political repression and violence from Landry’s administration.

The trans and queer community of New Orleans said it loud and clear – they will keep the fight for their rights in the streets!

#NewOrleansLA #LGBTQ #Trans #TransDayOfRemembrance #QTCAP #NOCOP