A Statement Shared from Roc at the Justice for Tony McDade Virtual Press Conference on Monday, June 1, 2020

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"When we say Black Lives Matter we mean each Black life. Queerphobia and Transphobia are both anti-Black and violent. 

 

I didn’t know Tony and I didn’t need to know him to feel his humanity and to feel and understand his pain in both life and death, which ultimately was sanctioned by the state. Tony McDade was a Black Trans Man, a resident of Tallahassee  The Capital of Florida which leads in alignment with the violence of colonialism.  

 

City Manager, Police Chief, and others in public office-if language reveals how society is organized, so does your silence. You work for this community, you work for us and both your actions and inactions are failing with violent and deadly consequences for Black people. 

 

The well-being and safety of Black queer and trans people is paramount. Rather than keeping Black trans people safe the  Tallahassee Law Enforcement have shown their commitment to anti-Blackness and transphobia through the distrust of terrorizing and traumatizing our communities with no accountability. How do y’all sleep at night? 

 

We need systemic change in Tallahassee to reduce the power of the police, to increase community control, and seriously value the existence of Black Trans people."