AVP was founded 42 years ago in NYC by activists when the police and city officials refused to respond to hate violence against the LGBTQ community. This legacy is reflected in the unique approach to delivering critical direct services such as counseling and legal support, as well as bringing together survivors to build new models for safety and accountability, with an emphasis on support for those most likely to experience harm, such as the LGBTQ BIPOC community, Black trans women and undocumented immigrants. AVP has remained a responsive, confidential, culturally inclusive and affirming advocate for LGBTQ survivors through its distinct approach, which is anti-oppressive, survivor-centered, and breaks cycles of violence from the individual to the system in an intentionally trust-building environment.
AVP provides those resources by:
Providing crisis intervention and lifesaving client services via 24-hour crisis intervention hotline;
Responding to the immigration crisis and the civil legal needs of the community by providing free civil legal services; Building power within the LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities through organizing and advocacy;
and Raising visibility and awareness of violence within and against LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities by collecting data and reporting on violence to build public awareness and influence local and national policy platforms.
This year AVP will spend the month of April working to build awareness and raise $40,000 via small individual fundraisers in our Spring Crowdfunder. This effort is led by our board and volunteers. You can find a donation form and links to individual fundraising pages below, please do support us however you can.
Staff and Board Webpages:
Kito K. Huggins, Board Chair
Thomas Zuzelo, Board Vice Chair
Aswini Krishnan, Treasurer
Will Chamberlin, Secretary
Shannon Burke
Liz Edman
Devin Graham
Keisha Bell
Imara Jones
Racquel Joseph
Ben Lee
Jeremy Orloff
Jim O’Sullivan
Marquise Vilson
Richard Saenz
Beverly Tillery
Catherine Shugrue dos Santos