On Safety In The LGBT Community In New York, Glennda Testone's Open Letter

An open letter from Glennda Testone, Executive Director of New York's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center on safety.

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May 23 - June 6, 2013

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, the LGBT community has faced a recent string of hate crimes, including the horrific murder of a young man in the West Village and three more possible incidences just this week. We at the Center joined many of you to respond with sadness and outrage this past Monday for a March and Rally Against Hate Violence. Whether you were here in person or in spirit, you were a crucial part of spreading the message that the LGBT community is strong, united and unwilling to accept this senseless hatred and violence.

To help us all feel safer in these troubling times, the New York City Anti-Violence Project will launch the Friday Community Safety Nights initiative, beginning this Friday, May 24. Every Friday night through the end of June, AVP will be doing outreach in neighborhoods affected by anti-LGBTQ violence to raise awareness and provide people with information and safety tips. They will work to bring community members together to talk about what we can do to address and prevent this violence – and you can help! AVP needs dedicated volunteers and concerned community members to join them in bringing the message of safety to the streets.

To join AVP for the first Friday Community Safety Night, please contact Tasha Amezcua at tamezcua@avp.org. Please also know that AVP offers support and assistance via their free and confidential 24-hour bilingual (English/Spanish) hotline at 212.714.1141, where you can speak with a trained counselor and seek support. You can also report violence anonymously online to www.avp.org.

We are sincerely grateful to AVP for all that they do, and to you for being part of what makes our community so special. Stay strong, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the Center if you need help by calling 212.620.7310 or emailing info@gaycenter.org.

Yours in Service,

Glennda Testone

Executive Director

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center