>be me >moved to lakeland florida with nothing because the repression is tangible and where there's friction, there's fire. i wanted to be where the queer community here is more militant, more radicalized, and more understanding of the stakes. >i live in a weekly motel, rent is $364 a week >work at taco stand for a kava bar >it's under the table, paid me more than McDonald's does. a lifeline. >there's a lil peep 'tribute' show happening >the vibe of the space is like this, very DIY, very community oriented, a regulars type bar, skaters, food service workers, its a diverse crowd >The venue is very queer friendly, there's signage that shows it's values >aSafe Space sticker right on the door. The notice about zero tolerance for racism, sexism, SA, etc. in the venue bathroom >free sexual supplies, tags all over the smoking area, a small blackbox venue attached to a third space style cafe/kava bar >I pushed hard to get a community pantry set up there when SNAP got shutdown >knowing that someone has to be asking who needs what, who's using it it, why people aren't using it, sorting and discarding bad goods, etc >though it was the community that provided the goods and shelving, and it wasn't just my idea, being there nearly daily i felt it was my responsibility, especially bc >I believed in the infrastructure, and E (let's call him that for the sake of anonomity) had clearly cultivated that post-occupy wallstreet build what we want to see in the world type energy >the importance of the space in a sea of conservativism >I cared a lot about the people and the space, if I didn't I would have never been so loud that night >this was the spot were i'd pick up all the cigerette buds at night to make sure it was clean for everyone, the spot where I felt at home and accepted >enough about the vibe >arrive at work >multiple people have screenshots of the performer posting ironic George Floyd shit on his tiktok, selling racist shirts >this was brought to my attention by various people in the community >i did not go looking for this information >realize that anyone who searches up this person who's playing at our venue would see this content as well >general vibe is that people aren't happy about this, smoke pit discussions about it stirred more patrons/community members to look into the person's digital footprint >Decide to print out photos of these screenshots, put them on our table and say we don't serve you, you're a bozo >during the show multiple people come to me and thank me for doing that call out >the door guy he hired? had no idea who he was, and thanked me personally, tipped heavily too >the crowd the person attracted was only there for the show >very few if anyone was around outside or in the cafe >at least two people who are not white tell me that they are glad I'm someone who stands on business about that >validating that i was correct to do that small action of printing a photo of the performers post >praxis is the connections we make between people on individual levels as working-class people, or atleast I tell myself that >or a second, the theory felt real >that thought that the revolution starts in your community first >when I was cleaning outside after the show i noticed multiple women waiting on the corner outside of the fenced in parking lot for their uber >i told them they should wait inside the cafe as we had someone get robbed outside of the cafe a few nights before >i didn't tell them that, but i let them know it was unsafe outside of the fence at night >they said they had never been to the space and were from Tampa >after the petty thief of a customer walking to the corner store on the same block as the bar, i went and talked to the homeless with a comrade >we also talked to some of the people who live in the nieghborhood, to keep everyone on the same page >safe space, that's what the spot is supposed to be >things escalate after the show >someone comes up to me in a shiesty, hood up, pressing me for the callout >claims that the posts were just him being funny, he didn't mean anything racist >and that i should watch myself, he gets into my face, and i back up >he grabs the photo of the screenshot we printed >I grab it back >suddenly, the performer and 6, maybe 7 other people hop out of their cars >talking shit, insulting based on class what do you drive? (they drive daddy's tesla) >the sort of behavior you'd expect from a suburban 23 year old white man who's cultivated an audience of 15 year old girls while doing dropshipping >yelling match ensues >the performer is pissed, threatens to throw hands, calls us fags, various other insults >very obvious they are not really interested in engaging in the threats they are making >make myself loud, and very clear, their insults are a waste of time, they need to leave, they won't throw hands, and I call them on that >I stand on business and tell him to get the fuck out before there's a problem, the crowd has already started heckling them back >he and his friend tell us they'll be back with something for us >no fighting happened that night, they circled around the block a few times yelling various racist slurs and bigoted language, along with your typical you're poor type comments >they didn't come back, because they had no interest in actually engaging in violence against someone clearly more willing to do so then they are >once the guy leaves, multiple people dab me up for standing on business >keep in mind >that while this was happening, the sound guy was actively working, having booked the show, getting paid a cut by the venue for his work >it's a known secret that the sound guy (now fired) has been liking and engaging with neo-nazi, white supremancist content online >the person I am selling tacos with had mentioned multiple times to me that they are not comfortable around him due to this knowledge >we serve him anyway, never once bringing up this knowledge, knowing that the fallout of this knowledge could damage the reputation of the space >but multiple people had seen what he likes, follows, and it was brought to me by multiple people, others mentioned that they had hear this person make racist comments or jokes to them, but assumed it was dark edgy humor liked ironically >the same way people brought to me the screenshots of the george floyd comic sans 'ironic edgy dark humor' that the lil peep cover artist posted >he was an open secret, something never to be publically acknowledged due to fear of retaliation >retalition from the sound guy >the day after the callout of the lil peep tribute artist >my friend's job was called, threats were made >that's not far off from calling ICE, is it? >so that fear is real >but there's no reporting mechanicism either >the expectation would be to tell the owner directly >but there's a feeling that confronting the owner about this is creating drama >i dont to make drama about it, but this is fucked up was something told to me by someone who found the liked memes in their own feed >after all, there's more lore here >the sound guy had accusations that were all over the internet for a time, this happened around the time I arrived in Lakeland, so I cannot speak on them >but i know he was banned for at least a month but they brought him back >in part because the drama had passed, the accusations seemed unfounded by the ownership >a long time friend of the ownership who did important work >hard to want to bring this up, i can imagine, for many of the regulars who might know >i just want to DJ after all, would speaking out about something like that be worth the potential of losing the space you hang out at with all of your friends? >for most, probably not, and its easier to just keep away from that particular person >i had spoken to the management (E) about the things people had brought to me, and things people had seen >it would be a PR disaster for the space if someone decided to make a big deal of it, >people are getting these memes in their feed because we all follow him for the work he does at the venue >one of the reasons I did this public callout is because I knew this person was booked by the sound guy who was still employed at the time of the show >with half a dozen community members being aware of the posts he'd engaged with online at the time, >based on the people who spoke to me both in private, or sent me screenshots of what they've seen on their feeds from him >by any measure it was an open secret >something that made people feel unsafe >especially in the era of ICE abductions >the idea behind posting the peformer's own internet content on our taco stand table? >send a message that we do know what you post, that when people in the community find things like this, it's acted on >we see what people follow and engage with and we don't want racists here and you can't hide your powerlevel >the callout didn't affect the show of the performer, we never went inside the venue, nor made an announcement >I did tell people when they asked who it was in the photo tht's the guy performing >but we never yelled into the crowd about it >after the show, the energy was overall very positive, a lot of the regular people were there >there was a sense that if something like that happened again, we'd all have each other's backs about it >two days later >sunday, working again >owner of the business (H) tells me that tonight will be the last time I step foot in that parking lot >i am informed that my presence makes it so some people don't feel comfortable coming to the location >and that those people spend money >that my loudness is bad for business >and my hotheaded actions are unsafe >this was all of the reasoning I was given >it was very quick, and there was no room for objection >no discussion of what was your side of the story >or explain what happened friday night >it was surgical, mid cleaning of our taco stand >he sits down >I say I have a feeling your about to tell me something I won't like >and he tells me that tonight will be the last time I step foot in that parking lot >he's walked back inside before I can process the ban >that was nearly a month ago. >i've not really left my motel room since >i've had a few people reach out and show love >friends who DJ have told me they don't really want to be DJing there as much anymore >other friends offer to write character witnesses >some important community members have directly advocated for my unbanning >but the decision has remained permanent and unilateral >the taco stand closed down, only being ran at events, too much work for too little pay for one person >and they're an ICE target so there's extra pressure >i am undecided on whether I should have spoken out that night >on one end, i feel like i did the right thing, it was my principles that compelled me to speak, and i feel like there was a level of trust between myself and the community of the cafe to speak >but on the other hand, maybe the owner is right, and the hotheadness of my action only served to endanger the community, after all the performer did call someone's job, and there was almost a fight >whatever the case, there have been many rumors spreading about this >i haven't spoken much at all about this aside from acknowledging that I am banned when people ask >i have felt like posting about this or sharing my side or making a public post would only actively hurt what I believe to be an important space >the fear of retalitation, both from the ownership revoking any potential for an unban, as well as the right wing sound guy potentially attacking say, a drag night have compelled my silence >but it has been a month, and there have been many rumors about me and what i did, so to protect my own character i have written this