stop the hate | by lisa lipsey
I know you all are busy reading fabulous cover story in The RAGE Monthly’ and checking out upcoming events, but I wanted to take a moment to share a story. It’s a short story of a boy who failed to pass first grade and then learned that he had ADHD and dyslexia. He knew that he was different and thus viewed his small world differently than those around him. As much as he wanted to find joy, he felt that he had a little black shadow, and it would follow him for years.
As time moved forward, the boy’s interest in joining others in sports became another disappointment. Other kids were calling him names such as sissy, gay or faggot. He learned what these names meant and was ashamed. His little black shadow now became a rainstorm. One, which at times, felt as if he could have drowned. Yes, the boy did see the world differently; he knew when the rain stopped there was something beautiful that could appear in the sky — a rainbow. His parents once said there is a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow, and although he wasn’t interested in a pot of gold, he was hoping he could find a safe place with others like him.
That boy was me and that is my story. Gratefully, I did find my safe place and it is often shared in the pages of The RAGE Monthly magazine. Once I found others like me, I also found talented writers who have their own unique stories to tell in a complicated and very diverse community. I wanted their stories to be read and heard. I wanted to help others by publishing their voices and producing a national quality magazine for the LGBTQ+ community. I wanted to make sure that it is distributed widely, and free to pick up.
I am hopeful you find my story, and stories like mine, inspiring. I hope if you have a hard day, a day of feeling bullied, or perhaps ashamed, that you share your story and keep looking for rainbows. We need all our voices.
How can we support “Stop the Hate”? By telling our stories and spreading more love.
– Jay Jones
RAGE Monthly Magazine is proud to be a recipient a 2023 California State Library Stop the Hate Media grant.
Free support is available to victims and witnesses who report hate. CA vs. Hate is not affiliated with law enforcement, and your report can be made anonymously, regardless of immigration status.
Your voice matters in the fight to reduce hate. Join us in our mission of making California a safer and more inclusive place for all. cavshate.org
Hate incidents are acts directed against a person(s) based on the victim’s actual or perceived race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability or gender. Hate incidents also include hate crimes, which violate criminal laws.
Hate symbols on stickers, drawings or writings on objects
Threats made by any means to hurt someone because of their race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, etc.
Making derogatory comments about another person(s) because of their protected characteristics
Cyberbullying and targeting a gay teenager
Throwing rocks or spitting at a university student while telling them to “go home”
Distributing hate material in public places or displaying hate material on private property
ANTI-HATE BOOKS
Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittany Cooper
“Female rage” is a tough enough topic, especially in a hetero-normative world. Will the phrase “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” ever go away? But there are legitimate reasons for individuals and whole communities to feel a slow-simmering rage. What will you do with it? How can you harness it and make it your superpower?
Brittney Cooper, author and professor of gender and Africana studies at Rutgers University, uses her own experiences to talk about the power of Black female rage and how it can drive revolution and change the world. She is pointed but also brings humor, as we know all humor comes from deeper experiences. Cheers to more Black voices and more joy.
Latino Film Festival — Call for Entries
It’s time to submit entries for the 31st anniversary San Diego Latino Film Festival. Learn more at sdlatinofilm.com. The festival will run March 14-24, 2024.