I started out at the Anti-Violence Project (AVP) nine years ago as the Volunteer Coordinator. Since that time, I have had the privilege of answering the phones at the front desk, coordinating a very busy 24-hour hotline, writing trainings, policy papers, grants and newsletters, meeting with the NYPD, elected officials, and community organizers, speaking one on one with clients, marching in the streets in protest, pacing the sidewalk at rallies, and standing quietly at vigils. Anyone who has worked at a fantastic nonprofit like the anti Violence Project knows that not everything we do is in that mythical thing we call a job description. We do what we do because every piece of what happens here from administrative work to development to direct services to community organizing- is important. I am both humbled and thrilled to tell you that my experience in jumping in when needed and doing whatever needs to be done to provide the best possible services to the LGBT communities of NYC is very similar to those of my 17 colleagues at the Anti Violence Project.

We are all in this together and the camaraderie extends across the country to the 35 member programs of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. In 20 states from Seattle to Boston from Richmond to LA, the members of NCAVP work tirelessly to document and end violence within and against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. The 2008 Hate Violence against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People in the United States Report , produced annually since 1995, by NCAVP member programs, is relied upon by policy makers, social scientists, and advocates to provide the most comprehensive data and analysis of anti lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender violence in the US. (For the report go to www.avp.org).

In our work, we maintain a hope that all our efforts in community organizing, direct services and public advocacy will result in stopping violence against our communities. Yet, this year, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the coalescing of the U.S. lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights movement, we are dismayed to report several recent attacks in New York City

Six very recent incidents brought to our attention:

Joseph Holladay, who was knocked unconscious with what was believed to be a blunt instrument on the street in Manhattan on Saturday, June 27th , Gay Pride weekend.

And there were three other incidents where three different men were attacked in the city close to Pride week and where anti-gay epithets were used:.

Leslie Mora, a transgender woman, was beaten with a belt by two men in Queens on June 19th just a little over a week after Queen's Pride.

Then, just this past Monday, three people physically attacked a woman in Long Island, shouting epithets about her sexual orientation as they beat her.

Unfortunately, it seems as though these incidents are never ending. There is still much work to be done to educate and begin to prevent hate violence. One very important part of this work is documenting the violence and getting the information out to the public in an effort to raise awareness of this violence.

Our recent report tells us that this past year has been one of the most dangerously violent years for lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender people since NCAVP began documenting anti-LGBT violence. Many elected officials who do care are focused on the need for hate crimes legislation. This is understandable but not enough. We need attention and resources from every level of government aimed at education that helps prevent hate violence before it occurs. We need laws that deliver equal rights and protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people which by their very existence send the message that we are equal citizens, equal human beings and that hate violence will not be condoned.