The Stonewall Protests
By: Javier Pedroza
Joel Rivera, affectionately known as Joela Joela, was born and raised in the Bronx, New York to a mother with Trinidad and Tobago ancestry and a father from Borinquen (aka Puerto Rico). Ms Rivera is an incredible and inspirational 20-year-old Black Revolutionary who began her revolutionary work in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the rebirth of the Black Lives Matter Movement. This Afro-Caribbean young woman says, “my mission and message are rooted in both abolition and black liberation, believing that both go hand-in-hand.” In fact, she founded The Stonewall Protests to uplift, and inspire the Black Transgender & the Queer community by centering abolition and radical love.
The Stonewall Protests is a widely known organization that brought out hundreds at a time every Thursday for necessary civil disobedience and grassroots work. Joel’s passion, voice, and message reflect the reality that Black Transgender Women face every day. She consistently inspires love, courage, and self-sufficiency. Now, Joel, alongside other comrades of the Stonewall Protests, focus on mutual-aid and community building; Joella says “This new chapter of grassroots organizing and community building for The Stonewall Protests is revolutionary. The act of loving, supporting and uplifting Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities is a necessary form of protesting because in this society we are conditioned to be ignorant, societal robots. It is easy to serve but under this system they want it to be impossible. Once people start loving themselves, they see their worth and we are worth more than what this government gives/takes”.
The Stonewall Protests is actively hosting actions to provide for black and brown communities all around New York City. Joel’s life revolves around creating a new and better world for every human being and the Latino Commission on AIDS is recognizing her contributions. This Fall, Ms. Rivera will be awarded the 2021 Youth Ambassador Award at the annual “Cielo” (Heaven) Gala, held at the prestigious Cipriani Wall Street.
