In DC — For many years, Capital Pride has ignored the concerns of queer, trans, Black, Latinx, and Two-Spirit communities in D.C. regarding its complicity with entities that harm LGBTQ2S people. Since March 2017, No Justice No Pride has been working to ensure that Capital Pride addresses our concerns.

1. PRIDE
RECLAIM
www.nojusticenopride.org
2017 Action Framework

2. No Justice No Pride
Action Framework
Who:
No Justice No Pride is a collective of organizers and activists from across the District of
Columbia. We exist to end the LGBT movement’s collusion with systems of oppression
that further marginalize queer and trans individuals.
General Goals:
1) Unseat and Replace Capital Pride Board with members from historically marginalized
communities, Shift power around LGBTQ+ rights from D.C.’s elite to historically
marginalized communities, and allow campaigning around critical issues.
2) Change the narrative that D.C.’s government and MPD are doing “right” by our
communities.
3) Create a community of resistance and radicalism around LGBTQ folks.
4) Correct the falsehood that Pride would not be possible without corporate sponsorship
and branding, and bar from participation all industries that profit from war, detention and
incarceration, environmental destruction, evictions, and community displacement.
Why:
Pride has historically been a protest march for LGBTQ rights, commemorating the Stonewall
riots of 1969. These riots were a direct response to police oppression and brutality, and saw
trans women of color at the forefront of a diverse group of LGBTQ+ people.
The current political moment is marked by hate, with many members of the Trump
Administration pursuing anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ, anti-women, anti-Muslim, anti-poor, and
White supremacist policies. It is a time for resistance, not “celebration”.
Pride organizers in ​LA​ and ​New York​ recognize this. In DC, Capital Pride has consistently
ignored calls for divestment from corporate sponsorship​, ​concerns raised about predatory
financial institutions’ presence at the parade​, and pleas to ​focus on broader community needs​.
Capital Pride claims that corporate sponsorship makes the event possible at the same time as it
charges non-profit local communications over $700 each to participate ​in the event.
Many Capital Pride sponsors are deeply harmful to our communities. By giving them platforms
and proclaiming to the world that these state agencies and private companies are
“LGBTQ-friendly” Capital Pride disguises the harms they perpetrate.
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3. The overwhelmingly white, cis, professional, citizen, middle-aged Board Members of Capital
Pride simply do not care about the harms committed by their “allies” against black, brown,
trans*, low-income, Muslim, immigrant LGBTQ+ people in and outside our DC community.
Capital Pride’s sponsors read like a Rogue's Gallery of harm. These organizations--regularly
protested in DC because of their investments in militarized border walls, oil pipelines, detention
centers and prisons, racist practices, environmental degradation, destruction of native lands,
predatory lending, financial fraud, war, drone strikes, mass surveillance, police brutality, and
more--are​ actively celebrated ​at DC Pride. For example:
PNC Bank, Capital One, SunTrust, Wells Fargo, TD Bank and CitiGroup:
● Found guilty of ​redlining​, and ​discriminating against Black and Latinx homeowners​. In
the DMV, ​Black homeowners in particular​ are suffering the consequences of a banking
crisis made possible through structural racism.
● Settling investigations by the Justice Department to avoid criminal prosecution for
financial fraud​.
● Heavily invested in private prisons and immigration jails​, sectors in which ​stocks rose
100% in the first month of the Trump Presidency​. Mass incarceration is destroying
predominantly POC and low-income communities across the United States.
● Directly funding the Dakota Access Pipeline​--a project opposed by the Standing Rock
Sioux and allies, restarted by Donald Trump. Native Peoples and environmentalists are
calling on institutions to ​divest from these destructive banks​. Even the Women’s March
organizers ​call for divestment.
● GetEqual challenged Capital Pride to end its association with Wells Fargo in 2016​.
Capital Pride ignored them. In fact, Capital Pride currently banks ​with​ Wells
Fargo--​transferring its accounts to the notorious bank in exchange for sponsorship​.
Donations to Capital Pride, hitting $1+ annually, ​directly​ contributes to these
“investments.”
● Use of a community-based bank or credit union would see Capital Pride funds support
local, productive, projects.
● LGBTQ community members who have fought foreclosures, seen loved ones detained
or imprisoned, or defended indigenous land from environmental destruction, should not
be forced to clap as their oppressors float by on ​Piscataway land​.
Lockheed Martin, Leidos and Northrop Gruman:
● Business is booming for these weapons manufacturers​ under President Trump,
unsurprising because all dedicated to the expansion of U.S. bombing campaigns; drone
strikes; militarized border walls; and the intense surveillance of civilian populations.
● These groups work closely with ​with Saudi Arabia​ (where homosexuality is punishable
by execution, imprisonment, or public flogging) and Israel (an apartheid state).
● War is, in short, ​extremely​ profitable​ to these companies--especially Lockheed Martin,
which engages in illegal ​lobbying​ activities in order to meet its goals.
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4. ● Presidential plans to pour billions into the Defense budget, while offering tax breaks to
the wealthy and stripping funds for social programs; the arts and humanities; public
schools, and vital services are tearing apart our communities, cause these companies to
“​pop champagne corks.​”
● The celebration of weapons manufacturers at Pride gives new meaning to the phrase,
“silence = death.”
The CEO and president of ​Maryland’s Live! Casino is David Cordish​, “one of the key alliances in
President [Trump’s] inner circle,” according to the ​Financial Times​.
The CEO of​ Ernst and Young is Mark Weinberger, a proud supporter of President Trump, and
member of his Business Advisory Counci​l. Pride-goers who boycotted Uber for the same
connections will be expected to clap for Ernst and Young.
Parade and Festival participants also benefit from the pinkwashing effect:
● The FBI/CIA
● Metropolitan Police Department
● Local Police Departments
● Politicians with well known views that harm our communities
More in-depth reporting on the above agencies to follow.
At the corporate level, these corporations may provide excellent support to individual LGBTQ
staff members. A “100 rating” on the HRC “Equality Index” (a “bar is so low, it’s underground”
according to ​AutoStraddle​) only disguises the broader harms that these companies commit.
Sponsors and corporate participants gain more from Pride than the community members it is
intended to represent. Capital Pride spokespeople agree, framing Pride-goers as “a whole
market” ready to have their buying choices “influenced” by sponsors, ​when promoting
sponsorship opportunities to companies.
Capital Pride claims that their events could not take place without high-profile sponsors like
Hilton and Marriott, two hotel groups very ​actively and explicitly courting their slice of the $202
billion LGBT travel market​. As community groups continue to pay huge sums to merely
participate, ​Capital Pride is a money-maker for its corporate “partners”​.
These sponsors dictate the tone of the event: Capital Pride cannot be explicitly political or
explicitly oppose Trump Administration policies, so long as sponsors ​gain from​ President
Trump’s policies and demand a “feel-good” factor to drive customers their way.
A community-led, low-cost alternative is not only possible, but necessary.
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5. Pre-Pride Trainings and other activities:
What's being suggested -
- May 7th - NJNP Second Large Meeting
- May 8th - Capital Pride Meeting - Pack the Board Meeting
- May 10th - Second Blockades WG Conference Call
- May 24th - Local Union Leaders Conference Call
- May 25th - NGO Conference Call
- June 3rd - PoC NVDA and Tactics Training
- June 4th - General NVDA and Tactics Training
- June 6th - First Action Spokes Council
- June 8th - Second Action Spokes Council
Festival:
Aims & Priorities:
- Local community-led; intended primarily for local community-building, education,
celebration and organizing.
- The Pride that ​we​ want to see: centering marginalized voices; explicitly political; no
corporate presence; no state agent presence; accessible; affordable; all-age friendly
- A celebration, with music, speakers.
- A space for community dialogues; workshops; trainings etc.
- Open to suggestions re: name. Queer + Trans Festival of Resistance has been
suggested and is the current working title.
- We should start promoting asap… (once basic logistics are in place? Or even in a “save
the date” / more details coming sort of way…?)
- Need for workshops, events, etc. in the lead-up for (a) community-building and (b)
fundraising
Direct Action:
Goals:
1. Plan series of decentralized actions using a range of tactics to physically and
symbolically shut down floats by toxic sponsors (Wells fargo, Lockheed Martin, etc). This
will either force the parade to be delayed or create a crisis in which Capital pride will
have to respond
2. Set the stage of Queer and Trans Resistance in the District for the next four years of the
Trump administration. Setting the stage lets Cap Pride know, change or will be back
3. Build skills, capacity, and relationships for community-based organizations and activists
in DC and throughout the region
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6. Synopsis: ​In 2012 and 2013 a loosly affiliated collective of individuals going by the name of
Pride Pirates set out with the mission of protesting the pink washing of Capital Pride. In those
years the tactics used were symbolic blockades in front of floats like Wells Fargo, and Capital
One by dancing and singing in front of the floats. One year the pride pirates actually boarded
the Wells Fargo float causing the Parade to be held up by ten minutes. For every minute the
Parade runs late Capital Pride is forced to pay thousands of dollars to the city in fines.
We are suggesting that groups set up blockades to prevent the more toxic sponsors floats from
proceeding. These blockades can be set up according to the affinity groups planning, based on
their own numbers and comfort level.
In the past, the police often wouldn't get involved and would generally be left puzzled however
Wells Fargo and other corporate floats had security who were aggressive. Since we are being
kinda open about our plans we believe the police will be better organized and we will recruit
deescalators that helped at the disruptj20 checkpoint actions to help provide a safer
environment for blockading activists. Additionally we will coordinate Non Violent Direct action
trainings, know your rights trainings and deescalation trainings for all participants who wish to
join.
Why we are being kinda public
The organizers of #NoJusticeNoPride are well aware of security culture and the difference
between public events and ones where you don’t want the cops or your opponents to be for
warned about before you come. We also know that movements grow when we reach out to as
many people and communities as possible. We might not need everyone in order to win but we
do need as many as possible. We have always been public about our intent to disrupt capital
pride if they don't concede to demands made by the larger community and in the next couple of
weeks this plan will become somewhat more public.​ We won’t be posting names of
organizers, affinity groups, or anything of that nature. ​We will be making it public what
issues and communities will be represented where so those who wish to join are able to do so
and provide generic emails that folks can contact if needed.
We know that state repression against organizing is real, and we expect it to get worse under
the Trump Administration. We don’t take it lightly and intend to consistently be strategic in the
way we organize.
What we expect from affinity groups/clusters adopting blockades:
1. To fully participate in the spokescouncil process that is being set up for this action
2. Adhere to the DC Organizing Principles and the St Paul Principles
3. To actually do the work needed
4. Craft at least one demand they would like to put onto capital pride, (we will push this out
with others via our media team)
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7. What we are providing: ​No Justice No Pride will be providing the following to those looking to
take action against Captial Pride’s parade:
1.) Overall Coordination of the week and weekend- to ensure groups can work together and
not compete with each other
2.) A Public Permitted rally and festival to table at.
3.) NVDA trainings, space for art and equipment builds (in landover), coordination with
escalators from ally groups, film screenings and other prepride festivities
4.) Legal support, space for meetings, spokes councils for groups to coordinate, a media
team that can get your message out
Suggested roles:
● Facilitator: Please ensure you have one person who can represent your affinity groups
plan at the spokes council(s) and ensure folks are doing the work they committed to
doing.
● Media: Please ensure you have one person who can report to the media working group
and write your press release. The Media Working group will send it out.
● Police Liaison: Please ensure you have one person to deal with the police the day
Outreach​: You are responsible for your own outreach. While we do expect folks to show up the
week before and day of- you should be doing your own intentional outreach to groups that are a
part of your issue or community. Do make your own facebook event but more importantly talk to
people. Organizing is about making relationships with folks to move them to collective action.
If you do make a facebook event, we can boost it on our #ResistThis page to help drive people
to your affinity group.
Disruptions:
Night Marches:
TBD
Bougie Events:
TBD
Post Pride
FYI
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8. Things to know about the many police departments in DC: ​While the Pride is going to be
unique time in DC, there are some things to know about the many police departments we have
here in DC.
● The Metropolitan Police Department is also know as MPD. They have a special unit that
is responsible for dealing with protests, known as the Special Operations Division and
they are different then regular beat cops. The Special Operations Division has
responsibilities that range from guarding the presidential motorcade while it travels
through DC to issuing permits for the protest and marches. They have been sued more
times then they care to admit and this has altered their standard operating procedures
greatly. This only applies to MPD’s procedure during protests- this doesn't mean they’re
not racist asshats but it does dictate how they are suppose to interact with police.
● Mass arrests and kettling are illegal in DC. Up until #J20 police hadn't used this tactic in
nearly ten years. Soooo back in the day MPD kettled several hundred protesters into a
park- then shot tear gas at them. They then got sued and lost tens of millions of dollars.
Part of the verdicts from these lawsuits was a mandate to outlaw this from ever
happening again. In responses MPD, Park Park Police, and Capitol Police all must follow
a specific arrest procedure. While they didn't do this on #J20, this means they need to
clearly make it known they are planning on arresting folks, give three warnings that are
over amplified sound that are spaced far enough apart so that folks can leave an area,
and there to a clear exit point out of the area.
● It is extremely rare for MPD, Capitol Police, and Park Police to use chemical crowd
control agents such as pepper spray or mace. In the past ten years they have only used
it twice against protesters. The last use before #J20 of tear gas was in 2001 during the
IMF/World Bank protests in which they were sued for millions. It is unlikely they will use
chemical crowd controls during the Pride because they are indiscriminate on whom they
impact. If your affinity group is blockading a security checkpoint and they shoot tear gas
at you to make the crowd disperses- it won’t only affect you but it will affect people who
are actually here to see trump become president.
● MPD, Capitol Police, and Park Police will get physical and are not afraid to touch you. If
you use lock boxes or other technical gear (and aren’t secured to heavy weights) they
will not be afraid to just pick you up and move you. Additionally they have been known to
swing those batons like baseball players.
● Secret service and the National Guard are wild cards… sort of. Secret service is
probably the most incompetent police force in the district and while on paper they and
the National guard are in charge of policing the inauguration they don't have the people
power to do actually do all the enforcement and will rely heavily on MPD, Park Police,
and Capitol Police.
● We have over 60 police departments in DC. Check out this page to learn more about
them ​http://washingtonpeacecenter.org/dccops
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