Tags
19th Legislative District, Agenda 2025, Kansas City, LGBTQIA+, missouri, town hall, Townhall, Wick Thomas
“…If someone hands you their playbook, read the playbook, read the plays…”
“…But I think that there is a lot of reason to be hopeful. They have really, look, they’ve rallied us, you know. How many times have we seen this many people in a room together, uh, working towards a shared movement? When was the last time you saw that or felt that? We use this moment, and we keep going forward…”
Missouri Representative-elect Wick Thomas (D) – 19th Legislative District.
On Sunday night the LGBTQIA+ community in Kansas City, Missouri held a Townhall in a supportive establishment on Main Street. More than 150 people attended the over two-hour standing room only event.
Missouri State Representative-elect Thomas Wick (D):
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….We’re underrepresented in that building um, and we did change that. Um, I’m gonna do what I can, um, behind the scenes. I need everyone here to come visit [Jefferson City], though. I need everyone here to lobby. And I’m gonna, we’re gonna be doing a lot of trainings. We’re gonna, uh, be explaining how to get down there, but that’s the people’s house. That is not, that is not their house. That is the people’s house, that is everyone in this room’s house. So, please come visit. Uh, I’m gonna need some friends and some friendly faces I think….
[….]
…[bill] prefiling has started for the next session. Um, there are about six bills I think so far that specifically target our community. Um, they are actually not quite as egregious as I had expected the prefiled bills to be so far, But they are not, uh, they’re not good. Um, and there’s very high opportunity for there to be more [inaudible]. We’re still in prefiling so none of these will be moving forward yet.
Uh, we have to be really smart about how we move forward….
[….]
….Our community is gonna be targeted. I have here with me, uh [voices: “Boo!”], everyone’s favorite book Project 2025, but, and I know, I know, right. But I am a librarian, I’m not leaving this here but if you want to look through it, I have been trying to get through to any of the parts that address gender, or sex, um, or marriage, or anything that affects our community.
Um, there’s a lot in there. If someone hands you their playbook, read the playbook, read their plays. So, we’re gonna have to be really smart, we’re gonna have to be really organized, we’re gonna have to be really educated, and we’re gonna have to come together as a community. That’s the biggest piece. Look how many people are in this room right now. This is just the people who could be here tonight. There’s so many people that care about this community, that care about us, that are our allies that we would never know. And we have to start building those coalitions, um, some unexpected coalitions. I have some people who supported my candidacy that I never, never would have thought would have supported me and our community in the way that they have.
We’re gonna have to be really bold, reaching out to people that we wouldn’t have expected to be our allies because it is going to be bad. I’m not going to sugar coat it. There is a lot working against us. Um, we are obviously being targeted, as a state vote for poor governance, we are not going to allow that anymore, though. And, hopefully I can open up those halls and, uh, and help everyone get down there, start lobbying. ‘Cause again, they need to hear. They need to hear from each of this in this room.
Uh, that’s, that’s how we’re gonna make this change.
And, please vote. Please, uh, do, but also, like be active in your communities. Do direct action. Do whatever you think is your place in this movement, but do it all. You know, like I believe in a multitude of tactics. We’re gonna have to, have to use all of them in the coming years.
But I think that there is a lot of reason to be hopeful. They have really, look, they’ve rallied us, you know. How many times have we seen this many people in a room together, uh, working towards a shared movement? When was the last time you saw that or felt that? We use this moment, and we keep going forward….
Previously:
LGBTQIA+ Townhall Meeting – Kansas City, Missouri – December 8, 2024 (December 9, 2024)
Justice Horn – LGBTQIA+ Townhall Meeting – Kansas City, Missouri – December 8, 2024 (December 10, 2024)
Liz Davis – LGBTQIA+ Townhall Meeting – Kansas City, Missouri – December 8, 2024 (December 10, 2024)
Arden Pearson – LGBTQIA+ Townhall Meeting – Kansas City, Missouri – December 8, 2024 (December 12, 2024)
