Peace Angels
2014:
I heard about a group getting together to make angel wings at Irv's in Spokane. I volunteered to wear the wings the next day at Pride . I showed up that Saturday morning with two other people and we put on our wings and walked from Irv's to Riverfront Park to stand in front of a group of protesters. The Peace Angels started with Faye Wilson (myself), Chelsey Buffum and Amanda Kay Bailey-VanHook. We stood in front of the metal circle barricade that the protesters had to stand in the center of. We held hands while having to listen to the awful, hateful things they said, things no person should ever have to hear.
The ratio was our 3 to their 10 to 15 at times on bull horns and loudspeakers.
2015:
This year there were no Angels. I attended Pride with my family and was asked where the Angels were and that got me thinking.
2016:
I got in touch with the Board of Directors from OutSpokane (now Spokane Pride) and let them know that I would like to bring the Angels back to Pride and start blocking the protesters again. They all liked the idea and agreed to help me with getting the materials to make it happen.
This year we had 10 Angels and the protesters were down to about 8, but they still had their bullhorns and loud speakers.
I became a board member this year and took on the title of Director of the PEACE Angels
My dad, Bob Kernen took on the job of building all of the Angel wings and turning our backyard into an Angel wing building center.
2017:
The Angels are really starting to grow in numbers by this year and we had 10 Angels and the protesters had about 7 to 8. We were getting stronger and showing them we were not going to back down. This year was hard as it was the year the fountain was being built at Riverfront Park and there was no barricade area for the protesters, but we blocked them out.
2018;
The Angels have gotten really popular this year. The protesters were moved to a corner across from Riverfront Park and we were right there to block them even in the rain. We had 15 Angels show up this year and there were only 5 protesters. To see the smiling faces and get the hugs we got when the parade goers saw us instead of the protesters was amazing.
2019:
This was a busy year for the Angels.
This year we had a few Angels show up in Coeur d'Alene to block out some protesters for their Pride in the Park. The following weekend was Spokane Pride. We had our largest group of Angels at 23 and brought in some of our littles to help carry banners for us. This is the first year we actually walked in the parade and it was AMAZING!! There were about 6 protesters in the circle barricade on the corner. This is also the year that we had not only one, but two Drag Queen Story Hours. One was at the South Hill Library and the other was at the Downtown Library. We had Angels in front of the libraries on both days.
2020:COVID HITS BUT IT DIDN'T STOP US
This year Pride went virtual at Riverfront Park. The Angels put on their wings and stood outside to show that they were still there under the rainbow lights.
2021:
This was another year of virtual Pride.
2022:
Our group had to start building up again due to COVID. We had a small group this year at 10 Angels and we knew it was going to be small as everyone was still getting back to being out after COVID. We walked in the parade and as we walked into the park we noticed that there was only one protester who is known as the Street Preacher with the Cross.
2023:
There were 14 Angels that walked in the parade and some of our littles. It is wonderful to have the children join us as they hold the colorful banners we have and show what the PEACE, LOVE, and JOY that we want everyone to see is why the Angels are there. We had two locations with Angels this year. We had Angels on the corner around the metal barricade and Angels in front of the Street Preacher with the Cross.
Angels 14
Protesters 5
Street Preacher 1
2024:
Our numbers are back up to 20 and their numbers have stayed with 5. We see that there have been other people showing up in different areas, but they are calm and just want to talk to people so I didn't feel it was necessary to block them. The ones that we have been blocking all of these years hold vile signs and scream horrible, hateful things. This group of AMAZING INDIVIDUALS endure some of the worst things that can be said to anyone and stand there with their backs to those ones saying it to them so those attending the parade and watching the parade don't have to. I am so GRATEFUL and THANKFUL from the bottom of my heart for every Angel that has helped me over the years and continue to help. For those that don't know the story of how the Angels got started, it all happened in 1999 when a young man by the name of Matthew Shepard was murdered in Laramie, Wyoming. His best friend Romaine Patterson could not believe the hate his friends and family had to endure at his memorial service from the Westboro Baptist Church and others that were there to protest. Romaine came up with the idea of Angel Action and gathered a group of people to wear the wings and block out Westboro and any other protesters at the courthouse during the trial of the two men who murdered Matthew.
Please look up Angel Action, Romaine Patterson, The Laramie Project and The Matthew Shepard Story if you would like to learn more or reach out to Faye Wilson with Spokane Pride, she's always willing to share the story.
Angel Action is all about community standing up for what is right and just. In 1998, after my friend Matthew was murdered I was shocked by the hatred that I encountered at his funeral. The Westboro Baptist Church came to his funeral with their anti-gay hatred on full display. Even in a time when hate was literally the cause of Matthew’s death I could not believe the hate on full display by those protestors. How was it okay? Why was it allowed? They didn’t care who they hurt with their words and their actions. It didn’t sit right with me and it never will. When I heard that they would be coming back to Laramie to protest outside of the courthouse where Matthew’s killers would face justice I knew I couldn’t sit idly by any longer. I couldn’t help but think of Matthew’s parents walking by those protestors on their way to face their son’s killers. It would be hard on any given day but those signs depicting Matthew’s face with slogans like “Matt in HELL” and “AIDS Kills FAGS” made that walk unbearable. I thought of my own parents and I knew I would want someone to protect them, to shield them from that hate. The idea of the angels was born out of the bible itself. The religious right uses the bible as a weapon to make people less then, to hurl unfounded judgement on others. I wanted to flip that idea on its head as I had always seen the bible as a book of fables designed to teach us a lesson on how to be better, kinder and more forgiving. In the bible angels were used to deliver important messages to mankind and they had big ass wings. They made for the perfect device for the counter protest I planned. The idea being that we would use those big ass wings to shield the community from the hate behind them and in turn we would deliver a message of peace, love and respect. The best part was we didn’t even have to say a word. We simply stood silently in the face of all that hate and filled out hearts with love that we poured into our community. Angel Action was founded by a group of teenagers and young college students. Young people who when presented with the option of doing the right thing jumped at the opportunity even though many people told us it wasn’t a good idea or that it wouldn’t make a difference. We knew that standing up to hate wasn’t an option it was the only course of action. And it did make a difference, within hours of people learning about what we were doing community members in Laramie, WY showed up to offer their support. They brought us refreshments, and encouraging words. They understood that we were standing up for them and that while we stood there silently our message rang out. Prior to Angel Action anti-gay protestors often went unchallenged but that was all over once people saw that they were not powerless in the face of hate. No, in fact they held far more power than they ever realized. If a group of kids could stand up for what was right so could they. I am proud to say that over the past 26 years I have watched community after community use our example to stand together unified in a message of love and kindness. Angel Action has taken on a life of its own and I am proud to share that legacy with anyone who feels the strength to put on wings or stand up to hate. The angels bring communities together, they help unify, protect and hold dear the idea that hate is not something to give into but rather to stand up against. Today we need angels more than ever. We are living through a time where people want to divide us and sow hatred into the very heart of our country. I believe it is through us coming together, standing tall for each other, and doing the right things that we will see our way through the darkness. The angels bring forth a message of peace, love and compassion. My question is: Will you stand with them? Will you don your own set of wings and show though actions that you strive for a better world? Just as the whole world was watching Laramie, WY in 1998 the whole world is watching now. What do you want them to see? Hate or the loving faces of a community united and standing with hearts full of love?
I stand with the Spokane Angels, today and always.
Romaine Patterson
Founder of Angel Action and friend of Matthew Shepard
