Katie Phang

There's nothing ordinary about this president removing the pride flag from Stonewall.

There's nothing ordinary about them cutting billions of dollars from HIV prevention and throwing it into building more ICE detention facilities.

We need healthcare, we need food, we don't need mass incarceration.

And there's certainly nothing ordinary about this government murdering United States citizens.

Rene Good should still be alive.

Alex Pretty should still be alive.

Ruben Ray Martinez, Dr. Linda, Keith Porter Jr., and all the other people who died in ICE custody should still be alive.

These right here are serious times that require serious leadership.

And if that leadership isn't going to come from the White House, it sure as hell going to come from people like us gathered like this to create change and fight for freedom and not give up on our country.

Isn't that right?

So I want to say this, I pray that one day my children will grow up in a world where they feel just as safe surrounded by the American flag as they do when they are surrounded by pride flags.

And the only way that that day will come is if we show out and vote this November, if we talk to our neighbors about things that matter, if we don't give up on one another and don't give up on this country.

And I'm reminded by the words of the great Ella Baker, y'all.

She said, we who believe in freedom cannot rest.

We who believe in freedom cannot rest.

We who believe in freedom cannot rest.

And I'm not going to rest while our immigrant neighbors are under attack.

I'm not going to rest while they keep coming for our queer and trans youth.

I'm not going to rest while they try to unravel our democracy.

Are you going to rest?