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Community United Against Violence (CUAV) celebrated its 29th anniversary with Champions for Change, when over 225 CUAV supporters came out on March 20 at Mighty nightclub to recognize the agency’s legacy of groundbreaking work, to honor the massive contributions of three inspiring local anti-violence heroes, and to strengthen the movement for safe, resilient LGBTQQ communities. Comic Marga Gomez, burlesque sensations Diamond Daggers and SF Boylesque, drumming troupe Taiko Ren, and DJ Olga T provided excellent entertainment. Founded in 1979, CUAV is a multicultural, anti-oppression organization working to end violence against and within the diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning communities. According to its mission statement: “We believe that in order to end homophobia and heterosexism, we must confront all forms of oppression – including racism, sexism, ageism, classism, and ableism. As part of the larger LGBTQQ social justice movement, CUAV is working to build safe, healing, and resilient communities free from all forms of violence.” CUAV presented awards to Michael Scarce, sexual violence educator; Miss Major, transgender anti-prison activist; and El/La Transgender Latina HIV Prevention Program.

Scarce is a local writer and health activist, as well as the Internet Intervention Coordinator for STOP AIDS Project. His writings include the book, Male on Male Rape: the Hidden Toll of Stigma and Shame, and articles in publications ranging from the Journal of Interpersonal Violence to Diseased Pariah News. He is a former columnist and contributing editor for POZ magazine.

Miss Major is an elder, black, formerly incarcerated transgendered male-to-female person. She has been involved in the transgender community as an activist and advocate for over 35 years. She has worked at over ten HIV/AIDS agencies serving the trans community. She is currently the Community Organizing Director of the TIP (Trans/Gender Variant in Prison) Committee and TGIJP (Transgender, Gender Variant, and Intersex Justice Project), where she instills hope and belief in the future, and a sense of justice for the women that are currently incarcerated and those who are coming home.

The El/La Transgender Latina HIV Prevention Program was created to provide HIV health education and risk reduction services to transgender MTF Latinas in San Francisco. El/La works to build collective vision and actions that promote the survival and improved quality of life for trans Latinas. The agency provides opportunities for them to participate in community building and advocacy development activities; supports members in their daily and political activities; educates about the risks to their health and safety; and responds to those who would threaten their health or their lives. They fight for justice in a world they say many times sees trans Latinas as shameful, disposable, or less than human. The organization says it is here to reflect the style and grace of their survival, and to make new paths for themselves.

“Tonight we honor an incredible 29 years of supporting survivors, confronting violence, and envisioning safety,” said CUAV Executive Director Jovida Ross. She mentioned two losses to the queer community - of lives taken through senseless violence. Ruby Ordenana was a young transgender Latina who was killed a year ago in San Francisco. We are still mourning Larry King, the 15-year-old who was shot by a classmate last month in Oxnard just for exhibiting feminine behavior and asking the boy to be his valentine. “Life-threatening violence haunts us all whenever homophobic and trans-phobic taunts are uttered, a student is harassed in a bathroom, or a trans-woman is forced out of a job or a place to live,” said Ross, giving just a few examples. She added, “And not surprisingly in a world where violence is a daily reality, we continue to struggle with abuse in our own relationships.” She noted that CUAV gets an average of 40 calls each month from an LGBTQ person who is struggling with a violent relationship, and that does not count the many more who do not contact CUAV out of fear or shame.

Ross mentioned several accomplishments over the past year. CUAV has cultivated local partnerships to increase safety for LGBTQQ youth (working with LYRIC and Youth in Focus); for trans women of color (working with El/La); and for LGBTQ domestic violence survivors across the state (working with the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence). CUAV has developed and is exploring innovative models to create accountability and healing through its new Healing Oppression Project, which will help build racial justice in queer communities; and through a focus on creatively building youth skills to form healthy relationships through its Love & Justice Program. CUAV continues to provide stellar emotional support, safety planning, and community education to thousands of students, providers, activists, and survivors annually.

Ross concluded, “As we enter our 30th year, we build upon the legacy of the fierce everyday activists, resilient healers, and outspoken visionaries who came before us to move towards our vision of safe, resilient, and healing LGBTQQ communities free from all forms of violence.”