Bay Area group spreads awareness on Black LGBTQIA rights with a colorful message

OAKLAND, Calif. -- During Pride weekend, a group of Bay Area human rights defenders and Oakland volunteers created a colorful 10-word statement to support all marginalized Black lives.

"So the words that you see here today in our design read, 'All Black Trans Queer Nonconforming Woman Disabled and Imprisoned Lives Matter' because these are lives, these are identities that don't always make the news media when our lives are in danger," said Human Rights Defender and Lead Organizer, Kin Folkz, who heads the Oakland-based Queer Arts Center.

160 gallons of paint and 7 different colors were used to spell out the powerful statement, including colors that align with established causes, such as yellow for Black Lives Matter and pink in the transgender flag.

Kin Folkz sees the project as a platform to spread awareness.

"This represents the way that people live in the world, and we deserve the right to live," said Folkz

"We really want to focus on healing," said Human Rights Defender and Organizer Guerrilla Davis. "Putting out a message not just to Oakland, but to the whole world that all Black Lives Matter and what does that mean? That means queer people, trans people, women, disabled, nonbinary, and imprisoned lives matter."

Get more information on Queer Arts Center's work here.