Suffice to say, Jesse Garcia has never tried to hide his sexual orientation and won’t be going back into the closet anytime soon.
After all, Garcia is the immediate past president of Stonewall Democrats of Dallas and the current president of the city’s gay LULAC chapter. So we’re pretty sure Garcia mentioned an LGBT issue or two — like maybe the fact that incumbent Rick Perry has a virulently anti-gay record — during his recent interview with The Dallas Morning News about the governor’s race.
But guess what? The DMN didn’t say a word in the story about Garcia’s sexual orientation or his status as a gay-rights activist. Seriously, this is akin to straight-washing Elton John.
Garcia was featured in a piece, shown below, about the Hispanic voting bloc, which is expected to heavily back Democrat Bill White. The focus is Hispanic — fair enough — but we’re sorry, you’ve gotta at least mention that Garcia has made a name for himself as a gay activist, and that the LGBT voting bloc is also expected to heavily back White.
Otherwise, it comes off looking like the newspaper gives less than a shit about gay issues. Either that or they just agree with Perry.
I noticed the same situation with Steve Sprinkle last year during the protest over the Rainbow Lounge raid. The Fort Worth Star Telegram would make no mention of Steve being gay alto Steve spoke at length about being out and proud of it. I think many in the media think it is a controversial subject and should be avoided, which indicates a homophobia on the part of the news media. I think our family needs to know about all the positive role models like Steve Sprinkle.
I think Jesse Garcia needs to come out of the closet and stop giving his age as 39.
And herein lies the problem with our GLBT leaders. Is Garcia out there fiighting for the rights of gays or hispanics or only gay hispanics? Because these two do cross intersections at the corner of Rights and Religion.
I’m not Jesse so I’m not gonna try to speak for him. I’ve worked with him on several projects and we have similar views on activism. Although I respect those LGBT activists who focus on specific issues that affect our community, I am more than just a bisexual. I am a woman. I am African American. I am non-christian. I come from a family who have served in the military. These things shaped my life and my social/political views. I fight for all causes, not just the ones that benefit the “gay agenda”. The sooner we all figure this out, sooner we can start building coalitions and worked with other oppressed communities for the good of all Americans. Stop trying to put activists into little boxes.
The activist put themselves into little boxes. Garcia seems to spend far more of his efforts for the Hispanic community. Be whatever you want to be. I am sick of this shit tha the Dallas Voice is basically the Stonewall Voice and anyone who questions their authority is considered a pariah. Garcia is a Catholic hispanic first and gay comes in around 3rd in his priority. But someone anwer the question…..what has Garcia and Moore done for local gay Dems other than ask for our money? When it comes to getting things done is Dallas, the Log Cabin team have the Stonewall Dem bunch beat to the punch. So let’s just face the fact that we have no gay leader in Dallas is is just devoted to our cause. The Catholics, like the Mormons, like the evangelicals are not our friends. I don’t but the love the sinner hate the sin crap.
What Jesse is doing is building a relationship with the Hispanic community as a gay hispanic man. He is highly regarded among his hispanic brothers and sisters which is bringing support to LGBT issues. Many of us marched in May for immigration reform and have been very vocal about the racist law in Arizona. The local and national LULAC has come out in support of repealing DADT and inclusive ENDA. That would not have happened if our queer brothers and sisters of color didn’t go back to their communities and fought for LGBT visibility. Mainstream LGBT organizations are gonna have to do more than just come around when they need some brown and black votes. They are gonna work hard to show interest in their struggles as well.
I’m not a part of Stonewall Dems and probably never will so I can’t speak on what they’ve done or haven’t done. All I can do is make sure I’m doing what I can to help. That is all any of us can do.
Well you go out of your way to stick up for a man who in your own statement confirm what I am saying.
While I think you can be a member of as many groups as possible, I don’t think you can properly lead two groups where there is direct conflict. AGAIN….no one ever comes in to say what EXACTLY Stonewall does for the GLBTQ community. Just list a few things. Someone. Anyone. Instead of constantly shooting the messenger…..answer the question. What sort of salary does Moore and Garcia recieve? Who do they report to? It doesn’t matter, the movement is so fucked here. Stonewall and Dallas Voice busted Blake Wilkensons ass at every corner. Even calling him a JERK, yet they seem to have their lips surgically attached to Stonewall. It is a money thing, and it isfucked up.
Jack,
The reason I have LaTisha McDaniel defending me is because she knows me and the work I do. I’ve yet to see you at anything. I am a civil rights activist that has worked for the last 10 years for several progressive causes. You assume a lot of things about me without even doing your research first. First of all, I am not a Hispanic “Catholic.” I am a member of the United Church of Christ and became one several years back at the Cathedral of Hope. I contribute on a monthly basis to the church because I believe in its ideals and inclusiveness. Second, I have never just advocated for Hispanic issues, or just Hispanic Gays. My next Gay LULAC meeting will feature Dennis Coleman, executive director of Equality Texas, so he can speak of proposed pro-LGBT bills in 2011. We meet in Oak Lawn. Not in Oak Cliff or Pleasant Grove. In the gayborhood. And this is just not a one-time thing. For the last four years I have been having conversations with the Hispanic community about LGBT equality. No one else was doing it, so I took on the challenge for the Gay community. I, along with other Rainbow Council members, have stood up at conventions and spoke about our community in groups where we didn’t know if we would be welcomed. Thankfully, all the experiences have been positive. Currently, I’m working with the Texas LULAC state director on drafting a letter of support for anti-bullying bills supported by Equality Texas for next year’s legislative session. The Hispanic civil rights community will stand with its LGBT brothers and sisters on this issue. Next, I’ve spent several weekends at the corner of Cedar Springs and Throckmorton registering LGBT voters and at the Pride Picnic. So to say I’m only “concentrating on Hispanic issues” is the perception you choose to have of me. Regarding Stonewall, I’m very proud of my work with Stonewall Democrats. The fact that we register people throughout the year and connect them with elected officials and candidates is something we have done for the past decade. We work hard to elect local officials who will go to bat for us and who respect us. We coordinate phone banking, block walks, distribute yard signs, hold meet and greets with the candidates. We also drive voters to the polls. Judge Ernie White, whose court put away Jimmy Lee Dean’s attackers, and Judge Tena Callahan, whose court stood up to our state’s ban on gay marriage, are some of the people I am most of proud. Our District Clerk who has been lauded every year since he took office, the Hon. Gary Fitzsimmons, got his start in Stonewall Democrats. Dallas City Councilwoman Delia Jasso, who was aided in her run by Stonewall Democrats, has delivered a LGBT taskforce that discusses ways to improve our standing within the city. If Stonewall garners more press than other organizations, it is because we’re doing events every quarter to make sure our voting bloc remains informed. Stonewall Democrats exists to remind folks that you can bitch all you want on blogs and tear down others with your falsehoods but at the end day you need to vote to make your community matter and support candidates who support your issues, not just attend your functions and “agree to disagree” like other organizations. Lastly, when I’m not busy advocating for the LGBT community in the Hispanic civil rights arena through LULAC and empowering LGBT voters through Stonewall Democrats, I am working to help raise funds and awareness for the treatment of HIV/AIDS and its prevention. I volunteer as Secretary for the AIDS Arms board of directors. There is no 1st, 2nd and 3rd priority for me. There are no salaries involved (nice try on insinuating that my work doesn’t come from a good place). I do this all for free. All of these organizations and causes are a priority. Dallas has been good to me, so I’m giving my time, money and effort to help all these causes because I believe in this community. I wish there were more people who cared enough to make things happen, rather than blog posters who only care to promote hatred and themselves.
Mr. Garcia. I question how you know you have never seen me at any event when you don’t even know who I am. I have seen you. Secondly, I am not promoting hate by disagreeing with you nor do I have any reason to promote myself. However, if you are giving money to the GLBTQ community and not taking a salary at any of these organizations then I owe you an apology as I assumed you were a paid employee of LULAC and Stonewall. I will introduce myself to you the next time I see you at a function and you can explain how I am promoting myself.
Jack:
Jesse is all that he is and he was represented by a newspaper, one with questionable politics, the way that *they* chose to represent him. People identify how they identify and they don’t have to answer to anyone. They also don’t have to prove their worth and their commitment just because you want to exert your sense of entitlement on everyone. Jesse adheres to the agendas of his organizations and serves the mission of his organizations. That’s all he has to answer.
Human beings are a whole, composed of different parts. There is no duality, no us vs. them, or black & white. We are all oppressors and oppressed (mostly). When we fail to see this, we fail ourselves and we fail our communities. Whatever intolerance, whatever racist baggage that you may have, Jack, you need to deal with that on your own and not take it out on people who fully embrace their whole selves instead of fragmenting their identities to make *you* feel comfortable. You also need to do a reality check and realize that your narrow construct of Latinos and other communities of Color doesn’t help you at all in gaining sympathy from those whose work and lives you readily exploit by living in this system.
Here Here Jesse Garcia. Thanks for all you do in our community. Most folks take things with a grain of salt when people write using first names or pseudo names only, those who stand behind their full names are taken more seriously. In fighting is exactly what the other side, Republicans, want. Stand tall, stand proud and continue the fight for minorities, including LGBT, and the working class in this country. If the Dallas voice was truly the Stonewall Voice, they would have included pictures of Bill White in the Gay Pride Parade on page one, but they didn’t. They wouldn’t include articles pertaining to the LCR, but they do. . They would be talking about the fact that Republican party in no way stand on our side of any issues when it comes to LGTB.
Jesse Garcia is bridging the gap between the LGBT & Latino/a communities. I am a proud member of the LULAC 4871 Rainbow Chapter and it’s current Vice President. We are the only predominantly LGBT chapter in the LULAC nation. It was started four years ago by a group of LGBT Latinos who decided it was time to make sure that our communities understood each other because we know that together we can make things happen. In LULAC 4871’s very first year, the National Delegation of LULAC honored 4871 with a nomination for chapter of the year. In that same year over 4000 delegates unanimously ratified a resolution to end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. National LULAC has since sent to President Obama & Congress countless emails and letters demanding DADT be ended. In 4871’s 3rd year, another resolution passed again unanimously by the national delegation in full support of a fully inclusive ENDA. And in 4871’s 4th year 2010 The National Delegation of over 4000 unanimously honored LULAC 4871 – Rainbow Council with it’s most prestigious award of National Council of the Year. Promoting LGBT civil rights is the mission of LULAC 4871. And because of members like Jesse Garcia, who only became the councils President in it’s 3rd year, has faster than any other council helped lead the oldest hispanic civil rights organization to quickly come to the defense of it’s LGBT brothers and sisters, and in full unity. So to say that Jesse Garcia is only fighting for Latino civil rights is an egregious misstatement. LULAC is now working on helping to create more LGBT councils across the nation. These bridges are being built day in and day out. The past two years countless LULAC LGBT allies marched with us in gay pride parades, and even in Lifewalk. They have shown up to help us collect food for people living with HIV/AIDS. They are writing letters, emailing, and calling local, state, & national elected officials advocating for our rights. This has all happened because of strong leaders like Jesse Garcia who is not afraid to stand up for what is right.
Furthermore, Stonewall Democrats of Dallas does a ton of work! I personally know because I am the current SDD Political Affairs Chair. At Stonewall we register voters, so far this year we have registered over 1,000 LGBT & allies. This past year we screened over 115 candidates who were seeking the Stonewall Democrats of Dallas endorsement. The endorsement does not come easily. Over 70 members spent over 30 hours interviewing these individuals. Stonewall sends out election reminders to thousands of LGBT households in Dallas County. Stonewall members attend phone banks & block walks. We raise money for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention & hold a toiletries drive for the homless people living with HIV/AIDS. We raise money for children’s literacy projects. We collect books for the Oak Lawn Library that are LGBT oriented. We call our Senators & Congressmen & women, city council members, constables, sheriffs, mayors, district attorney’s, school boards, DART Boards advocating on behalf of the LGBT community. We serve on city wide & county wide boards. We have members who serve on the Texas Stonewall Caucus, and National Stonewall leadership boards. We help out our community by getting people elected who are with us not against us. We participate in rallies, parades, forums, debates, and countless other events. If Stonewall happens to get some coverage it’s because we are out there constantly working to get things done. We had the first ever Governor nominee for Texas march with us in solidarity during this past gay pride parade. I didn’t happen to see the current Governor marching in it… did you? I may have missed it so let me know if I am wrong on that account.
I rarely respond to these blogs because half the time the people on here give misinformation about things they do not know or understand. They enjoy stirring the pot and hiding behind their computer and keyboard. Perhaps if more of these bloggers would get off their computers and head out to a meeting or a rally they would feel as if they were part of the process? There are countless other organizations out there not just Stonewall and LULAC. Instead of fighting us, work with us. Help us to create a stronger LGBT community. Together in unity we can make change happen. Division only causes the process to last longer.
Lastly, I would like to inform you that no member of Stonewall Democrats of Dallas or LULAC 4871 – Rainbow Council are paid. We are all 100% volunteers. We volunteer because we love our community, our city, our state, and our country.
Jack,
As a board member of LULAC 4871, I extend an invite for you to attend our next meeting, which will take at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at Havana. We welcome anyone who believes in our mission of equality, and by attending you will see we truly are the “rainbow” council in every sense of the word. You also can become better informed about all that we do and the causes we support.
My one question to leave you with to ponder is this: You come to this online forum to criticize and critique the work Jesse Garcia has done for the community, but what, sir, have YOU done to promote LGBT, Hispanic, or civil rights as a whole?
I look forward to continuing this dialog in person.
Regards,
Patrick McCoy
If you believe in all that you say,then I assume you would allow someone to have an opinion different than yours without the name calling. But your words are hollow. I offered an apology to Mr. Garcia as I assumed he was paid by Stonewall and LULAC. Since he is not, and all his servces are gratis then, please by all means, carry on. But my god, allow someone to have a different viewpoint. Now enough of the bashing. Call off the Lulac brigade and try to be civil. Read your own words and then talk to me about “undertanding”.
The End.
I am astounded as to your misinformation! Jesse Garcia is one of the most instrumental voices concerning various human/civil rights. I am Hispanic. I am female. I am a democrat. I also happen to be a lesbian. I do not let just one of these things define who I am as a whole. I am all these things and I EQUALLY support the fight for all the aspects of who I am. Jesse does the same.
In reference to not having a gay leader that is solely devoted to “our” cause…I wouldn’t want one!! I would never want someone leading me and my loved ones who doesn’t understand that we are not the only ones struggling. How in the world do you expect to get allies if we don’t reach out to other communities? How dare do you think that we should even ask for their support for “our” fight without extending our support for theirs? Jesse understands AND advocates this. Don’t you feel that having a gay leader who only leads gays is like preaching to the choir? We know our struggles and our oppressions, we know what needs to be done (although many don’t care to get involved)…what we REALLY need is to inform the ignorant of those issues and get support from them as a unified DIVERSE voice. That’s when it becomes an impact.
It’s funny that you say that the Dallas Voice is the Stonewall Voice…if that’s the case then why do you turn around and say there is not enough information on what Stonewall does for the LGBT community? So is there not enough information or is there too much information…which one is it. If you are so interested in what Stonewall or LULAC does for the gay community then why don’t you research it. Go to a meeting. Check out our websites. Volunteer with us. OH!! By the way…you assuming that Jesse, or anyone for that matter, gets a salary for their involvement in a community organization further indicates that you are a grossly informed individual that should have done his research before bashing any group or individual. We all do this voluntarily-Jesse especially. If anything Jesse gives ssssooooo much of his own money TOWARDS his organizations and takes NONE from them. He donates his money, his time, his energy, his passion, his dedication, his loyalty, his compassion, his advice, his leadership, his guidance, etc…his gives his all 200% in everything he does. You should support him and if anything try to learn from him. As far as asking for money from people…yes, but what non-profit, group, politician, etc. doesn’t? The thing that you should really assess is why do they keep giving it? If Jesse wasn’t an excellent and honest leader or a person of substance why would people constantly and continuously give with no question when he does ask?
I feel that my fellow members have done an excellent job at explaining what our groups are about and what we have done so I will not get into that. Like I said before that should have been something you researched on your own instead of asking someone to do it for you. I decided to give you information that can only come from a personal level and that is the character of who Jesse Garcia is.
I could go on and on about Jesse, Stonewall, or LULAC but I will end it here as I know you are ignorant as to what you say. Next time use the time and energy you spent to start this asinine banter towards making a difference in the community you say is so neglected.
JESSE FOR PRESIDENT!!
Jack,
You posted your last comment prior to my clicking submit on my comment so I will answer that as well. We are not saying that you have no right to have your own view point or opinion on anything…what I feel is being stressed as that you should inform yourself correctly before verbally (and in such an open way on the internet) making that opinion or viewpoint. As far as the “bashing”…Jesse is a highly loved and respected person in so many different communities…what did you think was going to happen?
Alvarado. I am not going to get into a bitch fight. I have apologized but still the venom comes. LIke ( I know you are ignorant) You don’t know me from Adam so how did you come to this conclusion. I am a private person and will remain so. Even more so after reading some of your remarks. Consider this apology number three.
Ahhh Jack E Jett again speaking for Blake. Again in bed w/ LCR. What does Rob have on you, that makes you defend this group?
Just for the record Shannon, these are not my post. I post under the above name, email and website. I am not one to shy away from my views nor to attach my name to it. I am not about to start now. I have made MY views known on Mr. Garcia before and proudly attached my name. Also, I don’t speak for Blake. He does a fine job of than himself. Further, to insinuate that I am in bed with Republicans is false. I HAVE been in bed and fucked my fair share of Republicans, they usually have nice firm butts and are kinky as hell. So while I have bedded them in the true sense of the word. I am not, at this point, a member of LCR. If I ever decide to use another name, it will be SuposiTori Spelling. I hope that clears things up a bit for you. Now, carry on.
Jack, Jack E, or Tori, whatever you want to identify by. But I must say Jack here sounds kinda like the Jack E that again used the same sad attack against Stonewall when Sessions bailed on LCR. They do nothing and only want our money. And that Jack E also mentioned that Blake was run out of town. So go by what , its obvious who you are.
https://dallasvoice.com/dallas-congressman-pete-sessions-thinks-appearing-tonights-log-cabin-fundraiser-1045175.html
Shannon, I really am at a loss as to what point you are trying to make. Yes I have made an opinion known on this blog about Garcia. And, per you link, have done so using my name and experiencing the wrath of his supporters. Why someone is not allowed to speak of a different viewpoint is beyond me. BUT let me be very clear…whoever YOU are, I ONLY post under my name and that is Jack E. Jett. It seems you will not accept that. I really don’t know how to change that. Yes, I am outspoken. Yes, I am not a favorite of some local gay organizations. I am use to not being liked. However, you should at least respect that I always post my viewpoint with my name. If you disagree, you have every right to post that, complete with name calling etc.
I have tried to respond to you in earnest but I am now getting emails on this issue. I am currently dealing with an elderly dog who is passing, so perhaps if you could just get off my ass for a few days, I would appreciate it. Again, ALL comments made by Jack E. Jett have the name Jack E. Jett attached. I am not going to post another item on thi board, so thay should at least suffice to stop the bashing and trashing for something I did not do. Thank you in advance. Just take one moment and think…what if you are wrong.
Jack E, my heart goes out to your dog. I know that pain. Not sure what emails you are getting. But I will not sit by and allow you to attack Jesse w/o facts. As a former Board member of Stonewall I can assure you no one is paid. We do/did what we do for our rights. We put our hearts, souls, and money into our belief. Have I disagreed w/ Stonewall? Hell yes, hence the former Board member. I am as out spoken as you. I just don’t have or want the forum you use. I always agreed w/ Blake and loved his approach. But for you to say he was run out of town? PLEASE. I have no issue w/ you disagreeing w/ anyone. That’s your right. Just have the facts please.