The Voices 4 Chechnya took to the streets of New York City to march and rally for our LGBTQ+ people trapped in Chechnya and mainland Russia this pastSaturday, and demanded humanitarian parole/resettlement visas from the U.S. government to aid in their survival, and their futures.
Hundreds of New Yorkers joined the event, which also served as a fundraiser for RUSA LGBT, an advocacy group that provides international support for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers.
The action began at Stonewall Inn, before heading up Sixth Avenue to Trump Tower at United Nations Plaza, and ended with a rally that included powerful speeches from Russian American journalist and activist Masha Gessen, Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Voices founder Adam Eli, and founding member Marc Sebastian Faiella. RUSA LGBT member Nina Zaretsky was joined by Voices founding members Ricky Santana and Lae DuBoi who each read personal letters obtained by RUSA LGBT from Chechen asylum seekers and survivors.
Here are photos from the day taken by Tayte Hanson.
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