Remarks
Hudson on Baldwin as a black gay man and truth as resistance
New York City Council · Aug 13, 2026 · starts 0:02:33 · 24 sec
Councilmember Hudson discusses Baldwin's refusal to make himself smaller as a black gay man, his understanding that telling uncomfortable truths is an act of resistance, and quotes his famous line about facing truth before change is possible.
Crystal Hudson
As a black gay man in a country that routinely denied both his racial and sexual identity, Baldwin refused to make himself smaller to fit within the limits society placed on him.
Crystal Hudson
He understood that telling the truth, especially when that truth makes people uncomfortable, can itself be an act of resistance.
Crystal Hudson
He once wrote, not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.