Brody's Notes... Flash Protest Planned by Students for the National Equality March

Photo By Nicholas Pineiro

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) Oct 9 | Dave Valk, Student Outreach Coordinator for the National Equality March, announced that the student group is staging a flash protest for Saturday, October 10th, to protest the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy with the full details to be announced via text message on Saturday morning.

I spoke with David earlier today during an impromptu interview at the Lambda Rising Bookshop in Dupont Circle.

BL: David, tell me a little about how this effort got started.

VALK: I was able to get involved as the Student Outreach Coordinator for the NEM by way of David Mixner.  I had tried unsuccessfully to get in touch with Robin McGehee and Kip Williams to be involved.  It took a phone call from David Mixner, who I guess had seen the organizing we did in Los Angeles, and voila I had a job.  We created a group called "Students for the National Equality March" (NEMstudents) and I have been traveling for the past month to campuses in Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, Miami, New York, and Washington DC to get students ready for the march.  This has entailed building awareness on campus, organizing events and fundraisers, and raising money for students so they could afford to travel to DC to be part of the NEM.

BL: Your group is targeting The George Washington University Campus as part of this protest. Is there a specific reason for that?

VALK: There is a sophomore at GWU, Todd Belok, who was kicked out of his ROTC unit because he was seen at a frat party, a non-ROTC function, kissing his boyfriend. We see it not as only just a Gay rights issue or even a military issue, but a student rights issue.

BL: Have there been problems with fund raising for this effort?

VALK: I have asked repeatedly for NEMstudents to be part of the organizing budget and have continually been told that there is no money for other groups. I have found this to be the fundamental flaw of Equality Across America.  They say they want to provide equality for everyone, but they do not want to work with everyone. I mean, we needed money not just for basic stipends, like which they are providing for themselves. I needed cash so I could buy things like posters and put up a website.  At the moment I've been working out of pocket and was fortunate to travel because JetBlue had a great all you can jet pass travel deal which allowed me to travel as much as I wanted for one month for a price less than NY rent! So with no money, zero dollars for building a budget, yeah it was frustrating. I believe that students will create a huge buzz for this march and I'm disappointed that there's no return.

BL: Tell me David,  how you see things for Sunday's events as well as your protest tomorrow?

VALK: As for Equality Across America and the National Equality March? I am not really upset with these organizers so much as I am disappointed.  There has been criticism far and wide of the NEM from day one, and even before getting on board, I have fought to maintain that this was an important and necessary action that was being directed in a new fashion, as opposed to the older, established LGBT organizations, some of whom were part of the Prop 8 mess. [In California] However, I am not sure that NEM has created change, instead they have attempted to create just another organization.  I don't mind though, you have to understand, my personal goal was to work with students and create an opportunity such as a flash protest so those kicks would feel the things I felt while protesting in Los Angeles against Prop 8, and they too would feel empowered to stand up for what they believe in, and legitimately create the future they want to be a part of.

BL: David, were you asked to speak on Sunday, representing the Students?

VALK: It was interesting that Students for the National Equality March was excluded from the line-up of speakers for the main event on Sunday.  Instead, a student who fit their agenda was chosen.  I'm not bothered though. We have our opportunity to speak on Saturday and I do think we will be heard.  I never understood the goals of the NEM in terms of changing policy. Congress is out of town,so when I got involved I focused all of my energy on students, because if anything, this is an opportunity to get more young people involved, and move forward in the future.  I'm not interested in organizing people based on mutual grievances.  Instead, I think it's far more empowering to organize students and young people, especially those just coming out and those from less progressive areas with less opportunities, to be organized based on our mutual desires to create real, legitimate, positive change.

BL: Your group has a mission statement I believe.

VALK: Yes, It reads: "The United States must end its system of Apartheid that continues to discriminate against LGBTQ Americans, denying equal opportunity to serve one’s country, denying the equal right to marry, and denying equal access to over 1,000 rights, benefits and protections granted to all American citizens. As student leaders we refuse to remain silent in the face of what we know is the greatest civil rights movement of our generation.  We must speak out and be among those who express outrage at the hatred and discrimination that is inflicted upon our fellow citizens. To remain silent is to endorse hatred. So we add our voices to the increasing millions who demand justice, freedom, and equality for America's LGBTQ citizens. 

We urge all students to converge on Washington D.C. on October 10th & 11th for the National Equality March.  We urge our students, no matter their sexual orientation, to organize buses, planes and trains, so we may express our unity and unwavering commitment to freedom and equality.  Now is the time to speak out against this outrage and now is the time to march side by side in a powerful show of force in the struggle for freedom."

BL: Thank you and it was a pleasure to meet you.
 
VALK: Thanks Brody, Tonight we have an event at Town. [LGBT Nite Club]  It's a fun night for students from around the country to get together and dance and have a great time, but myself and a group of students will be there to get work done. We set up this event so we could get everyone in one place and get them signed up for the text campaign.  Our goal is to have at least 1000 people signed up to receive the text message tomorrow, which will announce the exact location and time of the flash protest.  I GREATLY appreciate your help getting this out.

Photo Courtesy of David Valk

Contact:  Dave Valk
dvalk@ucla.edu
949.350.8773
Students to Protest “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” During National Equality March 

Los Angeles, CA, September 22 | On Saturday, October 10, the day before the National Equality March (NEM), students will come together with service members organizations, including the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Servicemembers United, Knights Out, and the GW Veterans, to protest and call for an immediate end to the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, which denies students equal opportunity to participate in ROTC programs and gain access to grants and scholarships. 
According to Dave Valk, student outreach coordinator for NEM, it will be a silent protest with participants wearing duct tape over their mouths.  The protest will move to George Washington University where Lt. Dan Choi and other leaders will speak and ask participants to tear off the duct tape, "because we will no longer be silent on these issues." 

"The Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy is discriminatory, wasteful, and dangerous," said Valk.  "The sight of thousands of young people protesting the policy in the streets of Washington will make it clear that the policy is doomed." 

The call to action has received endorsements from over 100 student leaders, including the student body presidents of top universities.   "This is more than a student movement-- it's a civil rights movement," said Valk. Details of the protest, including the exact time and location to meet, will be announced to all participants by text message.  Protest organizers will be working with NoH8Campaign.com to get more friends to sign up for this free service at http://NEMstudents.org.