rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/petition/center-justice-now?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-petition-area-center-justice-now' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> Queer Alliance https://actionnetwork.org/users/queer-alliance/profile https://actionnetwork.org//images/generic_facebook.jpg Please sign the petition to encourage the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center to courageously confront and dismantle its own privileging of perspectives which are overwhelmingly white, moneyed, cisgender, and able-bodied. From the hostile work environment that the Center has created for Black women... to the white privilege and clear lack of anti-racist commitment embodied in the Board President's public statement that "All Lives Matter"... to the lack of adequate (and in some cases any) wheelchair and language access to the Center... to to the toxic patterns of paternalism and entitlement that its Executive Director has perpetuated for employees and community members... to the many stories from community members about feeling alienated, underrepresented, or pushed away by the Center due to the flippant and optics-centered attitude to racial and economic justice... to the lack of community transparency, economic accessibility, and inclusive and equitable representation on the Board... to the misgendering of community leaders and members at public events and in private... to the featuring of police officers during 2019 Pride events... and more... The Center has been called out on these things before and largely has upheld an attitude of defensiveness, combativeness, condescension, or in some cases retaliatory attitudes against people who have spoken out privately or attempted to create change. So we are calling on the Center to address these issues and work for a more just, equitable, and decolonized institution. Our hope is that they will react to these demands with courage and openmindedness. Our hope is that the Center's leadership will be willing to make the changes necessary to embark on the sometimes uncomfortable journey of institutional transformation, community engagement, and dismantling privilege. If you have a story of prejudice or other equity issues at the Center, or if you have suggestions, complaints, additional demands, or other input, we encourage you to submit them here (anonymously if desired): https://bit.ly/37pRaE3. https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/center-justice-now