Past Events

LGBTSTGNC People from the Bay to Brooklyn Create Community Solutions to Violence

We are mourning the tragic deaths of 15-year-old African American Jaysen Mattison in Baltimore and 19-year-old Puerto Rican Jorge Steven López Mercado in Puerto Rico, and the countless others we have lost to hate violence.  Our sorrow and outrage go out to their families and communities: we know Jaysen and Jorge were taken from you too soon.  We recognize that there is a war against low-income, immigrant, and LGBTSTGNC (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two- Spirit, Trans, and Gender Non-Conforming) People of Color, and that our people are meeting early deaths at the hands of hatred, abuse, neglect, and oppression.

Unfortunately, the recent passing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the nation’s first ever federal LGBTSTGNC-inclusive hate crimes bill, will not stop the violence we face. The bill:

• Provides no funding or resources to actually prevent violence, but instead gives $5 million to expand the powers of local police and the FBI to investigate and prosecute incidences of hate violence.
• Strengthens a criminal “justice” system that funnels more and more poor people and people of color into prisons and away from our families.
• Supports the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the larger Defense Authorization Act, which allocated $130 billion to military efforts instead of to education, jobs, housing, and healthcare.
• Reaffirms the idea that safety comes through more police and more people in prison, instead of by addressing the real needs of survivors of violence, people who have been violent, and the communities affected.  

We believe that we can create our own safety.   We desire and demand solutions that challenge the real causes of violence: homophobia, transphobia, and economic injustice.  As we demand the basic necessities that we need to survive—jobs, housing, healthcare, and education—we know that we must create real ways for communities to respond to and prevent violence without relying on violent institutions.  We refuse to have our pain used to support violence of any kind.

JOIN US ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8^TH FOR A DAY OF RECLAIMING SAFETY. LGBTSTGNC communities from the Bay to Brooklyn will be strategizing and discussing community based solutions to violence.  If you are in the Bay Area or the NYC area, attend the events listed below. If you are not, we encourage you to plan a conversation or some other type of event and let us know how it went.

Together, we can turn the tides of violence

“When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” - Audre Lorde

This weekend long training is for: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non Conforming People of Color to

• Examine race, class, gender, police violence, transphobia and homophobia, immigration and health;
• Develop creative strategies for fighting oppression;
• Learn how to plan campaigns & actions;
• Build facilitation and leadership skills;
• Share personal stories and learn about the journeys of others
• Build both individual and collective power as a result of our training program!

Let's dare to make 2010 an even stronger year of resistance!

This training will take place 11AM – 6PM on both Saturday, November 14th and Sunday, November 15th, 2009. Lunch will be served both days at 11:30AM. 

Complete and return the registration form by 6pm on Sunday, November 1, 2009. Send form by email to jsage@alp.org or fax to 718.596.1328. You will receive confirmation of training registration and information regarding the site on or before Friday, November 6, 2009.

*** Please note that the training will be held in our Resource Room on the third floor. Unfortunately, our building does not have an elevator.

Are you a part of/Do you want to support the LGBTSTGNC people of color community ....

Have you been dreaming of an amazing volunteer opportunity with your favorite anti-violence collective.....

Do want to learn more about SOS.....

*************IF YES**************
THEN COME OUT on Tuesday night to the SOS collective's volunteer night, and learn more about the SOS collective. Volunteer night is a great chance for new folks to come out and learn about the various ways you can get involved as well as for current members to plug in:

-Help with outreaching to the LGBTSTGNC people of color community in Brooklyn

-Come into the office and spend some time learning about the SOS Safe Neighborhood Campaign and helping out

-Become an active member and get involved
___________________________________________

**Snacks and and METROcards will be provided**
For more information, please contact cjohnsonlong@alp.org

Join us as we open up the Audre Lorde Project space and discover all the ways that you can get involved with the Audre Lorde Project.