[Music] in the arena 10 years ago
in the arena 10 years ago
in the arena 10 years ago fresh out of law school I joined CRLA to
fresh out of law school I joined CRLA to
fresh out of law school I joined CRLA to help launch a first-of-its-kind program
help launch a first-of-its-kind program
help launch a first-of-its-kind program to provide free legal services to
to provide free legal services to
to provide free legal services to vulnerable LGBTQ people in rural
vulnerable LGBTQ people in rural
vulnerable LGBTQ people in rural California the program was inspired by a
California the program was inspired by a
California the program was inspired by a client that Sierra had represented she
client that Sierra had represented she
client that Sierra had represented she was a transgender woman from Mexico she
was a transgender woman from Mexico she
was a transgender woman from Mexico she had spent years working in a packing
had spent years working in a packing
had spent years working in a packing shed since she was a young girl as early
shed since she was a young girl as early
shed since she was a young girl as early as she could remember excuse me a young
as she could remember excuse me a young
as she could remember excuse me a young boy she had been labeled male but she
boy she had been labeled male but she
boy she had been labeled male but she always felt that she was a girl for
always felt that she was a girl for
always felt that she was a girl for years she worked at that packing shed
years she worked at that packing shed
years she worked at that packing shed and slowly but surely she climbed the
and slowly but surely she climbed the
and slowly but surely she climbed the ranks of management at one point she was
ranks of management at one point she was
ranks of management at one point she was supervising over a hundred employees
supervising over a hundred employees
supervising over a hundred employees then she decided to start publicly
then she decided to start publicly
then she decided to start publicly living as a woman almost immediately she
living as a woman almost immediately she
living as a woman almost immediately she was demoted she started to experience
was demoted she started to experience
was demoted she started to experience daily verbal harassment she was even
daily verbal harassment she was even
daily verbal harassment she was even threatened with violence
threatened with violence
threatened with violence fortunately Sierra CRLA was able to
fortunately Sierra CRLA was able to
fortunately Sierra CRLA was able to represent her and after resolving her
represent her and after resolving her
represent her and after resolving her case there was a sense that this was
case there was a sense that this was
case there was a sense that this was just the tip of the iceberg that there
just the tip of the iceberg that there
just the tip of the iceberg that there were many more people like our client
were many more people like our client
were many more people like our client who needed help because they were LGBTQ
who needed help because they were LGBTQ
who needed help because they were LGBTQ our attorneys and staff they wanted to
our attorneys and staff they wanted to
our attorneys and staff they wanted to do more many of my colleagues had gay
do more many of my colleagues had gay
do more many of my colleagues had gay brothers and sisters who passed away in
brothers and sisters who passed away in
brothers and sisters who passed away in the 80s or the 90s at the height of the
the 80s or the 90s at the height of the
the 80s or the 90s at the height of the AIDS epidemic and their memories they
AIDS epidemic and their memories they
AIDS epidemic and their memories they wanted to do more California had a set
wanted to do more California had a set
wanted to do more California had a set of newly minted civil rights protections
of newly minted civil rights protections
of newly minted civil rights protections to protect LGBT people from
to protect LGBT people from
to protect LGBT people from discrimination
discrimination
discrimination slowly but surely we trained a small
slowly but surely we trained a small
slowly but surely we trained a small army of attorneys and staff at CRLA to
army of attorneys and staff at CRLA to
army of attorneys and staff at CRLA to provide legal assistance to this
provide legal assistance to this
provide legal assistance to this previously overlooked community over the
previously overlooked community over the
previously overlooked community over the years we’ve represented hundreds of LGBT
years we’ve represented hundreds of LGBT
years we’ve represented hundreds of LGBT people in many different types of cases
people in many different types of cases
people in many different types of cases though primarily employment sometimes
though primarily employment sometimes
though primarily employment sometimes education and immigration law as well
education and immigration law as well
education and immigration law as well through doing this project we’ve had to
through doing this project we’ve had to
through doing this project we’ve had to combat
combat
combat – – really difficult mess first that
– – really difficult mess first that
– – really difficult mess first that LGBT people are primarily white and
LGBT people are primarily white and
LGBT people are primarily white and wealthy and living safely in big cities
wealthy and living safely in big cities
wealthy and living safely in big cities like San Francisco LA and New York
like San Francisco LA and New York
like San Francisco LA and New York rather in places like the rather than in
rather in places like the rather than in
rather in places like the rather than in places like Monterey County we’ve also
places like Monterey County we’ve also
places like Monterey County we’ve also had to combat a notion that rural towns
had to combat a notion that rural towns
had to combat a notion that rural towns and small cities are inherently
and small cities are inherently
and small cities are inherently unwelcoming to LGBT people fortunately
unwelcoming to LGBT people fortunately
unwelcoming to LGBT people fortunately one of the great privileges that I’ve
one of the great privileges that I’ve
one of the great privileges that I’ve had and doing this work is working with
had and doing this work is working with
had and doing this work is working with amazing LGBT leaders and allies in
amazing LGBT leaders and allies in
amazing LGBT leaders and allies in places like Salinas Watsonville Gonzales
places like Salinas Watsonville Gonzales
places like Salinas Watsonville Gonzales Merced countless small towns even though
Merced countless small towns even though
Merced countless small towns even though sent it all down on the US Mexican
sent it all down on the US Mexican
sent it all down on the US Mexican border and we all share this common core
border and we all share this common core
border and we all share this common core belief this faith that equality belongs
belief this faith that equality belongs
belief this faith that equality belongs everywhere and slowly but surely we’re
everywhere and slowly but surely we’re
everywhere and slowly but surely we’re going to accomplish that many people
going to accomplish that many people
going to accomplish that many people have asked me how did I come down this
have asked me how did I come down this
have asked me how did I come down this path in my career how did I start
path in my career how did I start
path in my career how did I start practicing LGBT civil rights and
practicing LGBT civil rights and
practicing LGBT civil rights and especially in rural communities well I
especially in rural communities well I
especially in rural communities well I think you know jumping in terms of
think you know jumping in terms of
think you know jumping in terms of jumping in the arena like President
jumping in the arena like President
jumping in the arena like President Teddy Roosevelt likes to call it
Teddy Roosevelt likes to call it
Teddy Roosevelt likes to call it oftentimes we jump into the arena
oftentimes we jump into the arena
oftentimes we jump into the arena because our own life experiences for me
because our own life experiences for me
because our own life experiences for me I remember growing up in Salinas and
I remember growing up in Salinas and
I remember growing up in Salinas and everywhere we lived we lived next to the
everywhere we lived we lived next to the
everywhere we lived we lived next to the fields there was one period of time
fields there was one period of time
fields there was one period of time where we live next to the jail but by
where we live next to the jail but by
where we live next to the jail but by and large we live next to the fields so
and large we live next to the fields so
and large we live next to the fields so every morning when I would get up to go
every morning when I would get up to go
every morning when I would get up to go to school whether I was walking to
to school whether I was walking to
to school whether I was walking to school I was jumping you know onto a
school I was jumping you know onto a
school I was jumping you know onto a school bus I’d look out and I could see
school bus I’d look out and I could see
school bus I’d look out and I could see already crews of moms and dads
already crews of moms and dads
already crews of moms and dads grandparents cousins already hustling up
grandparents cousins already hustling up
grandparents cousins already hustling up and down the rows of strawberries
and down the rows of strawberries
and down the rows of strawberries bringing produce to the trucks and it
bringing produce to the trucks and it
bringing produce to the trucks and it amazed me that people could work so hard
amazed me that people could work so hard
amazed me that people could work so hard and yet barely make ends meet and I
and yet barely make ends meet and I
and yet barely make ends meet and I wasn’t related to these workers in the
wasn’t related to these workers in the
wasn’t related to these workers in the field but they were only a generation
field but they were only a generation
field but they were only a generation away from me in terms of my life
away from me in terms of my life
away from me in terms of my life experience and my family’s experience so
experience and my family’s experience so
experience and my family’s experience so like many of my family members
like many of my family members
like many of my family members especially the older ones who spent time
especially the older ones who spent time
especially the older ones who spent time working in the field
working in the field
working in the field I just couldn’t fathom that people could
I just couldn’t fathom that people could
I just couldn’t fathom that people could work so hard in this back-breaking labor
work so hard in this back-breaking labor
work so hard in this back-breaking labor and yet have such a tough time whether
and yet have such a tough time whether
and yet have such a tough time whether it’s in getting the right schooling for
it’s in getting the right schooling for
it’s in getting the right schooling for their kids or whether was gettin safe
their kids or whether was gettin safe
their kids or whether was gettin safe housing sometimes we see injustice in
housing sometimes we see injustice in
housing sometimes we see injustice in our own community and we don’t have any
our own community and we don’t have any
our own community and we don’t have any choice we want to jump in and help and
choice we want to jump in and help and
choice we want to jump in and help and for some of us were thrown into the
for some of us were thrown into the
for some of us were thrown into the arena through no choice of our own I
arena through no choice of our own I
arena through no choice of our own I remember as a teenager coming out to
remember as a teenager coming out to
remember as a teenager coming out to myself as a lesbian and realizing that I
myself as a lesbian and realizing that I
myself as a lesbian and realizing that I felt this sting of stigma and
felt this sting of stigma and
felt this sting of stigma and discrimination I was coming into my own
discrimination I was coming into my own
discrimination I was coming into my own as a young adult as a teenager like so
as a young adult as a teenager like so
as a young adult as a teenager like so many others realizing that we were faced
many others realizing that we were faced
many others realizing that we were faced with this reality where there were
with this reality where there were
with this reality where there were states that banned marriage that LGBT
states that banned marriage that LGBT
states that banned marriage that LGBT people couldn’t serve openly in the
people couldn’t serve openly in the
people couldn’t serve openly in the military there were some states where
military there were some states where
military there were some states where courts were stripping child custody for
courts were stripping child custody for
courts were stripping child custody for gay parents just based on their sexual
gay parents just based on their sexual
gay parents just based on their sexual orientation alone so gay parents could
orientation alone so gay parents could
orientation alone so gay parents could lose their kids so it was really
lose their kids so it was really
lose their kids so it was really dehumanizing for me and I think in many
dehumanizing for me and I think in many
dehumanizing for me and I think in many ways angering and fortunately I had a
ways angering and fortunately I had a
ways angering and fortunately I had a great education and I had wonderful
great education and I had wonderful
great education and I had wonderful opportunities so later in life I had the
opportunities so later in life I had the
opportunities so later in life I had the golden opportunity of having my dream
golden opportunity of having my dream
golden opportunity of having my dream job as an LGBT civil rights attorney in
job as an LGBT civil rights attorney in
job as an LGBT civil rights attorney in my own hometown Salinas I also had an
my own hometown Salinas I also had an
my own hometown Salinas I also had an opportunity when I was working in San
opportunity when I was working in San
opportunity when I was working in San Francisco with a firm to represent a
Francisco with a firm to represent a
Francisco with a firm to represent a group of renowned constitutional law
group of renowned constitutional law
group of renowned constitutional law professors in an amicus brief to the
professors in an amicus brief to the
professors in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court we were struggling to
Supreme Court we were struggling to
Supreme Court we were struggling to overturn proposition 8 in this case and
overturn proposition 8 in this case and
overturn proposition 8 in this case and I was burning the midnight oil working
I was burning the midnight oil working
I was burning the midnight oil working on this this brief poring over trial
on this this brief poring over trial
on this this brief poring over trial transcripts I’d come home at an ungodly
transcripts I’d come home at an ungodly
transcripts I’d come home at an ungodly hour
hour
hour I’d scoop up my newborn baby Carmela and
I’d scoop up my newborn baby Carmela and
I’d scoop up my newborn baby Carmela and I’d snuggle her for a bit and then I
I’d snuggle her for a bit and then I
I’d snuggle her for a bit and then I climb into bed and my wife would already
climb into bed and my wife would already
climb into bed and my wife would already be fast asleep I felt like in that time
be fast asleep I felt like in that time
be fast asleep I felt like in that time I was just reclaiming a little bit of my
I was just reclaiming a little bit of my
I was just reclaiming a little bit of my dignity just by merely standing up and
dignity just by merely standing up and
dignity just by merely standing up and fighting and having this opportunity to
fighting and having this opportunity to
fighting and having this opportunity to go to court my behalf and on behalf of
go to court my behalf and on behalf of
go to court my behalf and on behalf of my loved ones and my community so I
my loved ones and my community so I
my loved ones and my community so I think for many people
think for many people
think for many people jump into the arena because you don’t
jump into the arena because you don’t
jump into the arena because you don’t feel like you have no choice of course I
feel like you have no choice of course I
feel like you have no choice of course I know a lot of the LGBTQ attorneys on
know a lot of the LGBTQ attorneys on
know a lot of the LGBTQ attorneys on that case felt similarly and many of the
that case felt similarly and many of the
that case felt similarly and many of the civil rights attorneys that I work with
civil rights attorneys that I work with
civil rights attorneys that I work with and other folks who are activists feel
and other folks who are activists feel
and other folks who are activists feel like our work is not done at all yet our
like our work is not done at all yet our
like our work is not done at all yet our communities are still profoundly
communities are still profoundly
communities are still profoundly segregated based on race and class too
segregated based on race and class too
segregated based on race and class too many politicians resorts escape goading
many politicians resorts escape goading
many politicians resorts escape goading Latinos Muslim people immigrants rather
Latinos Muslim people immigrants rather
Latinos Muslim people immigrants rather than relying on good governance to win
than relying on good governance to win
than relying on good governance to win boats so our work isn’t done by any
boats so our work isn’t done by any
boats so our work isn’t done by any means and when I think about what it
means and when I think about what it
means and when I think about what it really takes to create lasting social
really takes to create lasting social
really takes to create lasting social change and civil rights and the arena of
change and civil rights and the arena of
change and civil rights and the arena of civil rights and and human rights really
civil rights and and human rights really
civil rights and and human rights really what matters most is society at large
what matters most is society at large
what matters most is society at large the victories of courtroom warriors that
the victories of courtroom warriors that
the victories of courtroom warriors that can be short-lived if society as a whole
can be short-lived if society as a whole
can be short-lived if society as a whole our moral compass collectively doesn’t
our moral compass collectively doesn’t
our moral compass collectively doesn’t shift so in saying that what really
shift so in saying that what really
shift so in saying that what really matters the most is whether or not
matters the most is whether or not
matters the most is whether or not you’re gonna jump in the arena and when
you’re gonna jump in the arena and when
you’re gonna jump in the arena and when you jump in the arena what are you gonna
you jump in the arena what are you gonna
you jump in the arena what are you gonna stand for so join me
stand for so join me
stand for so join me [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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