Beneficiaries
V-Day LA 2004 has chosen two great charities as beneficiaries. As part of the V-Day goal to build coalitions of like-minded groups, money will be earmarked for programs and materials for their overlapping missions of violence prevention.
Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women
LACAAW's mission is the elimination of violence against women, youth and children through working toward social change, equality and social justice.
LACAAW has adopted several approaches: education, prevention and intervention. Since 1971, LACAAW has served the Los Angeles community, empowering survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. LACAAW's prevention and intervention programs have had widespread impact, including a nationally recognized self-defense training program and the In Touch With Teens relationship violence prevention curriculum. These programs reach underserved and high-risk women, teens and children, those who are Deaf, homeless, elderly, physically or developmentally disabled, and recent immigrants. LACAAW believes that no one need face the crisis of personal violence alone and that sexual and domestic violence is preventable.
We plan to work with LACAAW in preparing some trans-specific information on dealing with sexual assault and violence, and creating new trans-specific materials for young women most at risk of assault. As you may know, most sexual assaults are perpetrated by a date, coworker, or friend, and most of these assaults happen to women ages 14 to 24. Because women in our community often miss out on important socialization as women during some or all of that age range, we believe that they are especially vulnerable to sexual assault in the early stages of transition, and that these assaults have the added danger of being escalated in violence if their trans status is known.
To learn more about LACAAW, please visit their website at lacaaw.org
The Task Force
Founded in 1973, the Task Force is the oldest national organization working to eliminate prejudice, violence, discrimination and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people at the local, state and national level.
Little else matters if you cannot feel safe in your everyday life. Yet on a daily basis, GLBT people face ridicule, harassment, and violence, which can be especially pernicious in schools and workplaces. GLBT youth are especially vulnerable to harassment, which can literally drive young people away from their schools, away from their homes, and onto the streets.
Moreover, unchecked harassment often escalates to hate violence. Harassment and hate violence harm not only the specific individual but the entire community. Hate violence tears at the fabric of our society by sending a message to entire groups of people that they do not have the right to exist, simply for being who they are.
As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, the Task Force is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society.
The Task Force is easily one of the most influential think tanks working on trans issues. Their white papers and reports are widely considered some of the finest materials on legal and political strategies. They have also been extremely supportive of the work Calpernia and I have been doing to raise awareness about trans-related violence, including giving Calpernia a visibility award this year and having trans representation on their board.
Their seminal work on the topic is:
Transgender Equality: A Handbook for Activists and Policymakers - June 19, 2000
By Paisley Currah, Shannon Minter & Jamison Green
The Task Force consistently puts out trans-inclusive pieces:
Transitioning Our Shelters: A Guide to Making Homeless Shelters Safe for Transgender People - December 15, 2003
By Lisa Mottet and John M. OhleEducation Policy: Issues Affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth - November 17, 2003
By Sean Cahill and Jason CianciottoPresident George W. Bush on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues - July 28, 2003
By Jason CianciottoCampus Climate for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People: A National Perspective - May 1, 2003
By Susan R. RankinFamily Policy: Issues Affecting Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Families - January 22, 2003
By Sean Cahill, Mitra Ellen and Sarah TobiasLeaving Our Children Behind: Welfare Reform and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Community - December 10, 2001
By Sean Cahill and Kenneth T. Jones
Please check with Task Force Board Member Marsha Botzer from Ingersoll Gender Center in Seattle if you’d like to hear more about what The Task Force is doing for the community.We are working to build bridges and coalitions to larger groups who share an interest in preventing violence against women and girls (V-Day’s mission). It is our belief that strengthening these relationships with make activists more amenable to taking up our causes.
To learn more about the Task Force, please visit their website at thetaskforce.org
Please join us in supporting these important causes by purchasing a ticket or sponsorship!
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