As a community we are joteria. We are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Homosexual, Transgender, Intersex, Sexually Defiant, Downe, Queer and many other sexual expressions. We are Men, Womyn, Transgender and people who defy gender catefories. We are Raza of the Americas, de Nuestra America, Latinas/os and Chicanas/os. For the time being we are students although we are of the working class and lower middle class. We are a community from different nations and out existence defies the borders imposed by some of those nations. Although the word "joto" or "jota" has been used as an insult by those that wish to hurt us we have been able to turn that word around because who we are is not something shameful and when someone points out that we are different, we tell them: Y que?
The contradiction of our struggle is that it is very complex yet at the same time it is very clear. The objective of our liberation is to end all forms of oppression and exploitation: social, idealogical and economic. We must be clear that we are actively fighting against a capitalist empire that continuous to globalize not only its capital and free market trade agreements but also its institutionalized forms of sexism, homophobia, racism, xenophobia, heterosexism, and gender discrimination.
This conference is a tool we are using in order to fight the lack of education and political consciousness found in the joteria community. The education component must be geared towards the creation of concrete social, political and economic change so we do not get caught up with intellectual dilemmas. The constant attacks on our communities demand that we become organized, obtain collective demands and continue with the struggle.
It is essential to unite and become organized in order to fight for our liberation. No one else will do this for us and out community will be ignored if we do not make ourselves heard. We are committed to bringing awareness about Joteria issues to our communities and our allies because gender, race, class and sexuality affect everyonel. We fight by creating spaces like this conference to engage in raising consciousness. Outrmultiple identities demand respect, including our sexual identities.
It is necessary for us to continue with the struggle because the democratic process has failed to address our needs and concerns. We are fighting because we have witnessed the continual marginalization of Joteria from our community and political/social organizations. As Joteria we feel it is necessary for us to have safe spaces where harassment due to one's race/ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, and culture is nonexistent. We are fighting for justice, economic and social equality, and dignity. To quote Margaret Cho, "our revolution is long overdue."