Author: Beverly Tillery

April 13, 2024

On Friday, NYPD Commissioner Edward Cabán issued a late day press release announcing the two officers who killed Kawaski Trawick in his home nearly five years ago will not be fired for causing his death. “We are angry and dismayed at the decision to not fire the two officers who entered Kawaski Trawick's home nearly five years ago and killed him within a matter of seconds. This shameful decision by Commissioner Cabán shows a blatant disreg[...]

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February 23, 2024

The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs invites organizations, agencies, and programs that support LGBTQ+ survivors of any violence to attend information sessions on NCAVP 2024 focus initiatives, with opportunities for further engagement in collective strategies and action. The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs has been a consortium of organizations dedicated to addressing violence of all types against LGBTQ+ and HIV-affect[...]

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February 20, 2024

Dear Members of the AVP and LGBTQ+ Communities, Today, we share with you the news that AVP’s Executive Director, Beverly Tillery will be stepping down after eight years of dedication and service to survivors of violence, and the greater LGBTQ+ community. Her last day at the organization will be July 31, 2024. We are excited to celebrate Bev’s leadership and AVP’s accomplishments during her tenure and to begin the search for the next dynami[...]

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January 31, 2024

The New York City Anti-Violence Project joins Communities United for Police Reform and all of the New Yorkers who have advocated to pass the How Many Stops Act and the Solitary Confinement Ban in celebrating the override of Mayor Adams’ veto of those bills. We strongly believe that they are important for the safety of Black, Latinx, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities.  LGBTQ+ people, especially those who are Black and Latinx,[...]

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December 21, 2023

The two bills passed by the New York City Council aim to increase oversight over NYPD by requiring record-keeping for police stops and prevent senseless deaths at Rikers Island by limiting the use of solitary confinement.   The ban on Solitary Confinement in city jails is the result of years of activism by a coalition of family and loved ones, organizations and stakeholders including AVP, which was loud in its advocacy for justice in t[...]

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November 30, 2023

You are seen and loved. We know that when it comes to violence, transgender, gender nonconforming and non-binary people often face increased risks of harm. According to data from the National Transgender Survey, nearly one-third of respondents experienced workplace mistreatment or violence, and nearly half (46%) report experiencing verbal harassment while nearly 1 in 10 experienced physical harassment. More than half of TGNCNB people have exp[...]

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November 27, 2023

AVP was on the national stage once again as AVP’s Director of Community Organizing and Public Advocacy, Audacia Ray (they/she), testified in front of The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights during their public briefing on Racial Disparities in Violent Crime Victimization in the United States on Friday, November 17th in Washington D.C.  Sharing the history of AVP’s work at the intersections of multi-marginalized groups, particularly LGBTQ[...]

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November 15, 2023

This Transgender Awareness Month, we uplift the release of ‘Afterlives: The Layleen Polanco Story,” a new iHeart podcast about the life and untimely death of Afro-Latine trans woman, Layleen Polanco. In 2019, Layleen died while being held at the notorious Rikers Island in solitary confinement, despite known mental and physical health issues. On June 7th, 2019, Layleen suffered an epileptic seizure while in confinement and was rendere[...]

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October 31, 2023

In New York, specific laws govern whether or not an arrest is required in cases of reports family crimes related to of intimate partner violence. Often, an arrest may be required depending on the charge. Because of the dynamics of LGBTQ+ relationships, it may not be obvious who is a survivor and who is doing harm. This lack of clarity can result in misarrest, revictimization and other potential challenges for survivors. In this panel discussio[...]

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October 25, 2023

The annual event was held for the second year at the Tribeca Rooftop in Manhattan. AVP honored Qween Jean, Cameron Esposito, Our Lady J and the LGBTQ+ Safe Spaces of New York City. Courage Awards is AVP’s signature gala event honoring trailblazers in community who are using their power and platform to make change in our world. This year’s honorees have worked tirelessly to uplift the voices of our most marginalized siblings, such [...]

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October 19, 2023

Hate crimes against LGBTQ people increased since last year according to new FBI data. Bias crimes motivated by sexual orientation and gender identity were up in 2022 over last year, representing one fifth of total hate crimes tracked by the FBI.   Executive Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, Beverly Tillery, responds:   “This data reflects the sad reality our communities have known this past year[...]

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October 17, 2023

Cameron Esposito, Qween Jean and Our Lady J are trailblazers and changemakers for LGBTQ+ community who will be honored this year at AVP’s Courage Awards in New York.   (New York) The New York City Anti-Violence Project, the nation’s largest anti-violence organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ survivors of violence, is proud to announce this year’s honorees for its annual Courage Awards celebration. The 2023 Courage Awards will be held on[...]

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