From the Executive Leadership of the National Black Caucus of the Green Party of the United States
https://www.gp.org/caucuses#black

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2020

Contact:
Darryl! LC Moch, co-chair, [email protected]
Robin Harris, co-chair, [email protected]

Concerning Disruption and Violence at Green Party public events and online, specifically the Ohio State Party meeting and Presidential Forum.

We, the National Black Caucus of the Green Party of the United States (NBC-GP) unequivocally and full-throated state that we denounce any and all violent acts by anyone, but especially from Greens against Greens either online or in public forums. Let this be known that the National Black Caucus officially denounces the actions of Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza Curry and Chad Wilson, as well as Dennis Lambert and those who remained silent lending tacit approval of the debacle, and we will have no further public engagement, promotion, or support for them until and unless they issue public apologies to Ms. Rios, the event organizers, and the general public that were subjected to their selfish and immature behaviors that are an embarrassment to the NBC and the GP as a whole; as well as to the entire progressive movement communities.

During this current Presidential cycle, the NBC was proud to start the process of Presidential Debates among the candidates vying for the GP nomination. We did the best we could, at the time, to address issues that could lead to a need for disruption, even posting our rules online in advance and having those rules of engagement presented at events. Despite this some of the candidates choose to be disruptive not for any reason but simply to be disruptive. We dealt with this and increased our measures on who would be invited, how, and the process for the events. Nonetheless, these same pranksters, masquerading as candidates (assuming they even want to be taken seriously) opt at every turn to be instigators of chaos rather than agents of change and drawing our part and the people we seek to represent closer together.

So, we state here, and the actions mentioned, to officially distance ourselves and the NBC from those who not only chose to disrespect the children, voters, and people at the forum in Ohio but also led an effort that resulted in actual physical violence perpetrated on Anita Rios, one of our allies, a woman and a woman of color, who also happens to be both a state and a national leader in the GP. We have absolutely no tolerance for such actions. While we do support civil disobedience and recognize that there may even be a time to take up arms; we are clear that this disobedience and taking up of arms should not mean personally focused acts of violence to any member of our party or community. Acts of disobedience, disruption and self-preservation, are always possible in the political arena but to turn those actions towards a single person as a personal attack is wholly unacceptable and reprehensible.

Concerning the Georgia Green Party and the Transgender specific related issues.

The National Black Caucus of the Green Party of the United states (NBC- GP) considers its role and relationships with other marginalized people and our allies to be a cornerstone in our work. We value discourse and reflective inquiry to resolve conflicts and the many pressing issues in out society today. As such we do not, yet, support expulsion of any affiliated state or caucus, on the issues of languaging around Women’s rights, Children’s rights, and Transperson’s rights. We are stating without reservation all of these are human rights and need to be take seriously. To this end we are aware that there are issues on many sides of these issues that need to have serious consideration. We are talking about real people with real issues and their concerns cannot be taken lightly.

In times like these we need to be the Party that leads. We cannot dig into silos and demand that others meet us where we are; but we need to be willing to meet each other in a space where honesty and integrity can be found. Where we recognize that we may not always get it right, we may not always use the right phrase, or the terminology but what we will always get right is the intention to live in harmony and promote the best possible change to advance progressive causes and human rights.

So, the NBC, affirms our commitment to solidarity with women, transpersons, and all people. We declare the right of people to determine for themselves how they want to identify and that they have the right to be respected in those identities. We also stand firm that we must do all we can to protect the rights of the oppressed, marginalized, and most vulnerable in our communities. So, again, now is the time that we show resolve to be better than our pain and stronger than injustice and seek out truth that we can live together in a world we want to live in and leave to our children.

The NBC will continue to work to be a beacon of hope and change in the progressive communities as well as the Green Party. We will continue to build bridges and ensure the voices of marginalized people, including people of color, but especially Black voices, Black experiences, and Black bodies are considered in our social, cultural, and political struggles.