All Black Lives Matter: My Week at the United Nations
i: Myra on the balcony of the Church Center of the United Nations, May 30, 2023.
by Myra Rosa
I knew I was a human rights defender in 1987 after my friend Jackie, a Black trans woman, died from HIV complications following a battle with pneumonia. Eleven months later, my friend Ivette, a Black trans woman, was murdered during an act of trans violence. I was only six years old and had already suffered two tremendous losses. Jackie’s death was like a gut punch, but it was easier to understand than Ivette’s murder. I did not understand why anyone would want to hurt Ivette for being trans. My mother attempted to explain both deaths to me in the best way she knew how. Fortunately, my mother was my first teacher. She taught me that people should be able to exist without fear that their lives will be cut short. Following Ivette’s murder, I promised myself and the Black trans community that I would do everything possible to fight for trans lives. Jackie and Ivette were the first humans outside my mother who taught me how to live freely and authentically.
My first memory of being an activist happened after someone in my kindergarten class asked me to help them stand up to their bully. I proudly stepped in to stop that injustice. The trend of me standing up to any injustice I witnessed followed me over the next 30 years. I have experienced a few career changes while incorporating advocacy into everything I do. I consider myself a change agent for the underserved. Last month, Josué asked me to assist him with partnership building at the Afro Latin@ Forum. I am willing to connect with humans globally to enact the necessary changes to empower marginalized communities. I attended the Second Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) at the United Nations (UN). It was the most rewarding professional experience of my life.
Throughout a few of the panels at the UN, I heard the murder of George Floyd mentioned as the catalyst that propelled social movements to protect Black life. Floyd’s lynching was not the first time I was exposed to the brutalization of a Black man by police. I was nine years old when the police brutalized Rodney King—five days of riots ensued. I remember. I vividly recall the murder of Amadou Diallo. I was in my late teens. Floyd’s senseless murder merely triggered existing trauma. I am often in disbelief that this is still happening. Police have brutalized many Black men before Floyd, and many will be degraded after him. The tragedies that colored my childhood set me on a path to protect Black life by any means necessary. I grew up in the South Bronx, not far from East Harlem. Black people will always be a part of my history. I also know that underserved communities lack the resources to enable upward mobility. Systemic racism is the root of why marginalized communities are suffering.
I am one human in a global community of nearly 8 billion people. My week at the UN reiterated my belief in Pan-Africanism and that human effort can improve the world. I was reminded that my voice matters even when others disagree with what I am saying. Throughout the week, I crossed paths with many Black leaders who used their privilege to denounce anti-Black racism and demand tangible changes to protect people of African descent. I treated my time at the UN like I was on the field as an anthropologist excavating stories that would help me understand how to continue connecting with the humanity of others. Meeting like-minded souls who share my core values helps lighten advocacy’s emotional burden. Many people stressed that my attendance at the UN was historical. I understand what it means for me to be there as a Black woman who boldly stands against injustice.
My week at the UN triggered memories of my childhood and my promise to the Black trans community over 30 years ago. I attended the UN in honor of all the Black people who have lost their lives to racism. They are not here to enjoy their lives. The least I can do is continue to use my voice to stand against all injustice. I am indebted to the Black trans community for empowering me before I understood how advocacy would transform my life. In the spirit of pride month, I want to highlight that the Black trans community supported me when I was a lost kid who lacked a sense of belonging. They are always brave despite the social terrorism that is their daily reality. They inspired me to build the self-confidence to face a judgmental world that, instead of honoring my differences, weaponizes them against me. Thank you to all the Black trans people who gave my life meaning before I understood that a better world was possible.
Highlights from my week at the United Nations
ii: Epsy Campbell Barr, Costa Rican politician and Chair of PFPAD, addressing the audience at the Thematic Discussion: Global Reparatory Justice, May 30, 2023.
May 30, 2023
I am a global citizen and student of life. Anti-Blackness was my reality growing up, as I think it is for many Black people. I was not taught to embrace my Blackness, but I learned how to love myself by having Black role models. I was not formally introduced to my African history until I went to college. Experiencing anti-Black racism for much of my childhood compelled me to understand why it happened. Society demonizes Black life globally. I can attest to experiencing many racial reckonings throughout my life that makes me prouder of my African ancestry. I am deeply rooted in my identity and am thankful to all the Black thought leaders who taught me that my Blackness was a significant part of my power. I learned much more about my history during my week at the UN. I attended a panel on Confronting Anti-Blackness in Global Migration on May 30. I met fellow anthropologist Dr. Nisrin Elamin, who reminded me that being in racially charged environments does not mean I cannot change a facet of a community that systematically excludes marginalized identities.
May 31, 2023
I learned much about Black unity during the Pan-Africanism for Dignity, Justice, and Peace thematic discussion on May 31. I felt deeply connected to my roots. I was reminded that although progress is not linear, that does not mean historic achievements toward Black liberation have not been made. I will continue to be critical of how I show up in the movement for Black lives and remain cognizant of how we are progressing as I move forward in search of permanent liberation for people of African descent. I met Amara Enyia, who came equipped to teach us what it means to be African and what it will take to change the paradigm to ensure civil society remains engaged in social justice. I feel safe knowing other Black women like me are interrogating oppressive systems and working to reframe our approach to human rights. Amara shared this powerful quote that Thomas Sankara delivered in his 1987 speech, “A United Front Against Debt,” “We must accept to live as African – that is the only way to live free and dignified.”
June 1, 2023
My scholarship underscores how trauma disrupts the psychosocial development of Afro-Indigenous communities globally. The thematic discussion on Health, Well-Being, and Intergenerational Trauma on June 1 helped reiterate racism as a political issue. Racial trauma prohibits generative and cultural advancement in communities of color. Black people must be involved in internal decision-making for marginalized communities to experience upward mobility. Despite advances in Disability Studies, Black people who struggle to maintain their mental health and live with mental illness face discrimination. Jessie Schitt-Aine stressed the significance of a universal approach to mental health that prioritizes intersectionality. We must continue to advocate to raise awareness about racial inequities in healthcare.
Epsy Campbell Barr closed the session by addressing the mortality rates caused by racism that destabilize institutional advancement and are entirely preventable. Racial trauma compounds and exacerbates mental illness. Barr also addressed how mothers are impacted when their offspring experience discrimination. Institutional racism places racialized individuals at a double disadvantage when they encounter racism. Racism triggers severe health issues; therefore, adequate healthcare services are instrumental for healing. Community and ancestral knowledge are instrumental in the recovery from trauma. Although healthcare systems do not function in favor of mental well-being, that should not determine how mental illnesses are addressed.
Society must generate institutional spaces that support generational trauma work. Attaining reparative justice necessitates community involvement. We must collectively continue dismantling the colonial institutions we inhabit while amplifying the diversity of Afro-descendants. We must address discrimination in healthcare. It is possible to create comprehensive analyses of the impacts of generational trauma. If trauma cycles are not broken, we are destined to replicate them. I capped off my evening with Artful Rebellion: Artivism on the Frontlines of Transformative Change. This event was facilitated by UN Women’s Marie-Elena John and the Hannah Traore Gallery. The event, led by a short film by Yvonne Apiyo Braendle-Amolo, unpacked the powerful symbiotic marriage of art and activism.
iii: Myra meeting Hannah Traore, gallerist at the Hannah Traore Gallery, at the Artful Rebellion: Artivism on the Frontlines of Transformative Change, June 1, 2023.
June 2, 2023
Throughout the forum, I connected with leading Black activists whose work I respect. Brazilian activists are people I deeply admire because of their ability to speak truth to power fiercely. They remind me that anger is healthy, primarily when those feelings are utilized for transformative change. I met Lígia Batista, an influential Brazilian advocate fighting for justice. Marielle Franco would be immensely proud of how Lígia keeps her legacy alive. I was blessed by a Garifuna ancestor and midwife from Belize, Cynthia Ellis. Among so much wisdom, Cynthia urged me to continue speaking my Indigeneity into the universe. Meeting them was powerful.
Hearing Francia Márquez’s speech during the Adoption of the Preliminary Conclusions and Recommendations at PFPAD on June 2 was inspirational. Márquez displays an unwavering conviction in her mission to advocate for human rights. She addressed reparations for Colombia, the issue of whitewashing, and the physical and emotional toll of colonialism on Black bodies. She called slavery barbaric. Witnessing Márquez speak with the precision, passion, and assertiveness I continuously get censored for reminded me not to waver from who I am. Black women like Márquez are my heroes. Márquez highlighted the war on Haiti and how the country is being persecuted for liberating itself from colonialism. She mentioned the displacement of Afro-Indigenous communities and those forced into marginalization. The session concluded with an extensive synopsis of the recommendations presented throughout the week.
iv: Francia Márquez, VP of Colombia, addressing the audience during the preliminary conclusions at PFPAD, June 2, 2023.
My evening concluded at The People’s Forum with robust programming facilitated by the Black Women Alliance that focused on Brazilian leaders addressing their struggles with gender violence and racism. And most importantly, I learned to dance Samba! Throughout my life-changing week at the UN, I heard resounding mentions of CARICOM, the oldest surviving integration movement in the world. Reminders of my Caribbean ancestry are integral to remaining grounded in my identity. En fin, global reparatory justice means entering the “belly of the beast” to raise awareness about the existence of Afro-Latino identity in the United States. I was thrilled to return home for my first official visit to the UN. My beautiful friends shared the significance of my attendance at PFPAD. “This is for us, too!” they exclaimed. On my final day of attending panels, I was overwhelmed by the reality that many walked so I could run. I will continue to do all I can to center Black identity wherever I am. It starts with me and continues with my descendants.
Pa’lante!
Myra Rosa is a native New Yorker, born and raised in the South Bronx by a Puerto Rican mother. They are a meliorist who has been interrogating society and advocating for international human rights since childhood. Myra is trained as an interdisciplinary scholar, anthropologist, and critical race theorist. Myra is an M.A. student at New York University’s Interdisciplinary Studies XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement program. Their work underscores how trauma disrupts the psychosocial development of Afro-Indigenous communities globally. Their pedagogy uses multimedia to unearth how Afro-Indigenous healing rituals supersede colonial violence.
Myra provides institutional collaboration as an effective change agent for the underserved. The significance of mental health care and mentorship drives them. They support ending racial discrimination and ensuring educational equity for communities globally.
