Stories of the Resistance: Jose Vega, Oklahomans for Equality

Published in the Tulsa Voice Magazine and digitally via Issuu, November 2017

In its 12 years of existence, the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center in downtown Tulsa was never the target of serious vandalism—until 45 days into the Trump presidency. Police located 13 pellet bullets that punctured the Center’s front door and windows on March 6, damaging the bulletproof glass and alarming employees and volunteers.

The Center houses the LGBT advocate organization Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ), as well as Dream Act Oklahoma and Mosaic, Tulsa Regional Chamber’s diversity business council.

“The safe zones that have been created in our country are being eliminated one by one,” said OKEQ Program Director Jose Vega. “I believe my work is to rebuild them with more concrete reinforcement and pull in even bigger allies than before. The shooting wasn’t even considered a hate crime, because the state doesn’t have a law that addresses hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity. That has to change.”

Since the election, Jose says the number of suicide calls to OKEQ has tripled.

“After every presidential announcement or executive order, we keep getting calls saying ‘I feel bad and I don’t wanna live,” Vega shared. “So, we knew we had to be proactive. We recently provided a series of free suicide prevention trainings.”

The key to fighting the resistance in Vega’s mind? Allies.

“We need to break down boundaries,” Vega explained. “I identify as a Latino cisgender gay man, so while I connect and fight for Latino and immigrant rights, I’m also a huge supporter for all other movements, like Black Lives Matter. As an ally, you may have a different connection than they do. Be willing to give them those connections and let them be the face of the movement. That reinforces, ‘we’re all going to be behind you, helping you.’

But there’s hope. Vega see signs of unity coming out of the resistance.

“After every disaster, mishap, or whatever you want to call it, we are seeing unity,” Vega said. “All these very different communities are coming together, little by little. People want to be part of something, and since the election our number of volunteers has tripled.”