Safe Spaces Archives - NYC Anti-Violence Project

AVP icon Victoria “Miss Vickie” Cruz reflects on the work healing from violence in “Pieces of Us” documentary.

May 31, 2023

Victoria “Miss Vickie” Cruz is a living legend and a well-known part of AVP history. Miss Vickie, a self-identified Stonewall veteran, broke a lot of barriers, including being the first transgender woman of color to receive the National Crime Victim Service Award from then-Attorney General Eric Holder. Miss Vickie supported survivors of all forms of violence, including intimate partner violence Her work helping survivors of hate violence whi[...]

AVP Condemns NYPD Violence Targeting Safety Marshals at “Care, Not Criminalization” March

May 26, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 25, 2023 AVP strongly condemns the violence the New York City Police Department inflicted upon community safety marshals on May 24 at the “Care, Not Criminalization” march. The event brought together advocates from across the city—including AVP — to call for the City budget to support social services and community-led safety work instead of increased policing. Members of Communities United for Police Reform (CPR[...]

Q & A with AVP Hotline Volunteers

May 15, 2023

New York City Anti-Violence Project’s (AVP’s) Hotline helps survivors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as they look to find resources and support before, during and after experiencing violence or harm. The hotline is staffed by trained crisis counselors and provides direct crisis intervention services to LGBTQ+ people, as well as people living with HIV, who are survivors of all forms of violence. This includes, but is not lim[...]

NYPD Trial Judge Weighs Tossing Illegal Trespass Charge In Discipline Case of Officers Who Killed Kawaski Trawick

April 14, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- Friday, April 14, 2023 MEDIA CONTACTS Kristine Mikkelsen, kmikkelsen@spitfirestrategies.com, 908.304.4869 Eliel Cruz, press@justicecommittee.org, 770.608.8725 Orie Givens, communications@avp.org, 212.416.5603 New York – Today, exactly four years to the day that Kawaski Trawick, a Black gay New Yorker, was killed by NYPD officers in his own home - and a week before the discipline trial is scheduled to begin -[...]

AVP condemns attempts by Republican New York State legislators to introduce anti-trans bills targeting youth

The NYC Anti-Violence Project strongly condemns any attempts by NYS Republican legislators to mimic the violent anti-trans legislation that is currently sweeping the nation here in New York, including the most recent bills S6259 and A6124, introduced by Sen. George Borrello and Rep. Andy Goodell. The New York we know aims to protect its LGBTQ community members, and this type of legislation has no place anywhere, especially here. This unnece[...]

AVP’s Walk-In Hours Now 4-Days-A-Week!

As the weather warms up and Pride season approaches, AVP is expanding our in-office walk-in hours! AVP’s walk-in hours are available four-days-a-week, Monday-Thursday from 12-4 PM at our lower Manhattan office. At our walk-in consultations, we explore all the ways AVP can support you, including free crisis counseling, legal consultations, and advocacy support. We will work with you to identify your priorities and connect you with the[...]

WEDNESDAY: Family of Black Gay Man Killed by NYPD Rally with Elected Officials & Groups to Fire Cops

April 10, 2023

Kawaski Trawick’s Family Travels From Georgia to Mark Four-Year Anniversary of Killing and Meet With Civilian Complaint Review Board Before April 24th Discipline Trial On Wednesday, April 12 at 1 p.m. – Following a meeting with the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) and just days before the four-year anniversary of the NYPD killing of Kawaski Trawick – family members, elected officials and community organizations across New York City[...]

#QueerSVAM: What is Sexual Violence?

April 4, 2023

April is Sexual Violence Awareness Month, an important time to raise awareness, support survivors, and highlight ways we can end this type of violence. Nationwide, the conversations focus on heterosexual, cisgender survivors, erasing survivors' experiences across the spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations. At AVP, we work daily to amplify the voices and honor the lived experiences of LGBTQ and HIV-affected survivors of violence. [...]

AVP RESPONDS TO THE TRAGEDY IN NASHVILLE

March 30, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Orie Givens, Director of Communications ogivens@avp.org (NEW YORK) The New York City Anti-Violence Project is angered and dismayed at the news about the tragic loss of six lives in Nashville at The Covenant School - yet another senseless act of school gun violence. We are angered that this violence continues. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and the entire community of Nashville, [...]

Survey: “We need help!” Three in five LGBTQ+ organizations nationwide experienced anti-LGBTQ hate incidents in 2022.

February 22, 2023

Nearly 300 American businesses, organizations and groups led by or serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people completed the inaugural LGBTQ Safe Spaces Protection Project National Needs Assessment survey so far. The online survey, conducted by the New York City Anti-Violence Project and Strength in Numbers Consulting Group, measured anti-LGBTQ hate incidents against LGBTQ spaces, businesses and organizations across the U[...]

New York City Anti-Violence Project to attend Creating Change

February 14, 2023

This February, the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) will attend Creating Change 2023 in San Francisco, CA with hundreds of LGBTQ organizations from around the country. AVP will release the preliminary results of the LGBTQ National Needs Assessment survey, along with strategic workshops to equip LGBTQ organizations with the tools to protect their spaces and community members. The troubling rise in anti-LGBTQ harassment and hate violenc[...]

AVP CONDEMNS BRUTAL HOMICIDE OF BLACK GAY YOUTH DEANDRE MATTHEWS

February 11, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Orie Givens, Director of Communications ogivens@avp.org (NEW YORK) The New York City Anti-Violence Project issues the following statement from Executive Director Beverly Tillery in response to the death of Deandre Matthews, a 19-year-old Black queer man from Brooklyn: “Every neighborhood in New York City should be a safe place for Black LGBTQ young people to be, and no one should have t[...]