As an organization deeply committed to building the equitable world that our LGBTQ+ pioneers have spent many decades fighting for, SAGE cannot stay silent in the face of the onslaught of racist violence against Black people in this country. We know that these issues run deep and have been part of our social, political, and economic climate in various ways since the beginnings of our country.
Whether it is the senseless killing of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police; the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery by white vigilantes in Brunswick, Georgia; the weaponizing of racism by a white woman against Chris Cooper in Central Park; or the relentless stream of violent attacks on Black transgender women all across this country – SAGE says “enough.”
These are not isolated incidents. Instead, they form a dangerous pattern of hate, violence, systemic racism, and un-checked white privilege that is wracking this country.
In the face of this steady stream of racist events, we have seen far too little action in response at both the local and national level. Even worse, we have seen repeated efforts at the highest levels of government to take advantage of racial division and pit racially-divided communities against each other rather than build unity.
This hatred and violence deeply affects our community members and it must stop. It is the antithesis of the equitable world SAGE works to build.
We commit to joining with our peer organizations and people of good will to be part of the solution. Join our voice in the movement and join our hands in the work. As our LGBTQ+ elder pioneers have taught us – we refuse to be invisible, we refuse to be silent.
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ABOUT SAGE
SAGE is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) older people. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources to LGBTQ+ older people and their caregivers. SAGE also advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBTQ+ elders, provides education and technical assistance for aging providers and LGBTQ+ community organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging, and cultural competency training through SAGECare. With staff located across the country, SAGE also coordinates SAGENet, a growing network of affiliates in the United States. Learn more at sageusa.org.
