NoH8 In The Beloved Community

It has now been 6 1/2 months since the assault in Piedmont Park. As court proceedings involving the 6 young people arrested continue to drag on with little or no progress measured, I have felt a growing frustration at the masquerade of court personnel and lawyers who do not seem to have any sense of urgency in bringing this case to a close so that the 6 young people, their families, myself and the other victims can put this behind us once and for all.

There have been moments in the process where I have felt my anger start to get the best of me, but in spite of my periodic short-sightedness, I have felt a greater purpose at work. During the times of anger and frustration, I have felt a strong urge to make something positive come from this. That is when I got the idea to bring the NoH8 crew to town for the first ever open shoot in Atlanta.

I had seen photographs of folks who had been a part of the NoH8 Campaign and thought it was a brilliant way for people of all walks of life to take a stand for love. I contacted the Campaign and they were moved by my story and especially excited about tying NoH8 into the legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 25th anniversary of the Holiday dedicated to his ideals in his hometown of Atlanta. Soon after, my friends Carlton Mackey and Nikki Noto enthusiastically agreed to come on board as the primary local organizers for an event that quickly started to take on a life of its own. Saint Mark United Methodist, the Emory University Center for Ethics, and the W Atlanta Midtown exceeded all of our expectations in providing the financial foundation to make it happen. It was as if everything we wanted on our wish-list for this event was freely given to us as we worked to bring it all together.

I was nervous as the day approached, but when the people started lining up early I knew that something amazing was about to happen. People started pouring in from far and wide, bringing with them positive energy and excitement about adding their voice to something much larger than themselves. Indeed we saw the very presence of the Beloved Community before us in a tangible way as people got the NoH8 tatoo applied to their faces and encouraged each other as the line advanced.

With each smile, each welcoming hug, and each snap of the camera I felt myself being transformed by the love I felt. It was a vivid testament of the way that love can transform trauma and pain into something beautiful and powerful. Many of the people who came to be a part of NoH8 Atlanta did not know my story, but their presence alone contributed to my journey toward healing and to the greater journey towards creating a culture where everyone is respected and accepted for who they are; that is a vision of total relatedness, transcends all demographics, embraces all, with justice for everyone, sees the alleviation of economic and social inequality, and where everyone has the physical and spiritual necessities of life.

Indeed there is NoH8 in the Beloved Community. I was proud to be a part of it over MLK weekend in Atlanta and I look forward to the next opportunity to make the Beloved Community appear again in our midst.