CUAV Blog

Born to Be Heard // Nacimos para ser Escuchados

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:16:00 GMT

and we may have been shaken, we may have been bruised but
from the moment we got here we knew we couldn’t be silenced,
not by the powers in big white buildings or by anyone else,
not when we’re the ones who put their hunger on our shoulders and carry on

and from the moment we found each other we knew we were solid,
solid like the earth we stand on, solid like the colors we create
when black and brown come together and we know we are unbreakable
know we can’t be broken down by our bodies, by our wombs, by our fingerprints

these are our bodies, not pieces they can own and auction off for profit, so
from this moment forward, let’s keep on fighting, let’s keep on screaming,
screaming like we were born to be heard, to say
yes, we are human, and yes, we are here to stay.

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desde el momento en que nacimos supimos que pertenecíamos a esta tierra
respiramos el aire aunque nadie nos enseñó como,
llenamos nuestros pulmones con el y levantamos nuestros puños cerrados al cielo sobre nosotros,
sabiendo que podíamos llegar a mas, gritando como que nacimos para ser escuchados

y nos habrán abatido, nos habrán herido pero
desde el momento que llegamos aquí sabíamos que no podíamos ser silenciados,
no por los poderes en los grandes edificios blancos o por nadie mas,
no cuando somos los que ponemos su hambre en nuestros hombros y avanzamos

y desde el momento en que nos encontramos los unos con los otros supimos que éramos sólidos,
sólidos como la tierra donde nos paramos, sólidos como los colores que creamos,
cuando el negro y el mestizo se unen y sabemos que somos inquebrantables
sepan que no nos pueden fracturar por medio de nuestros cuerpos, nuestros vientres, nuestras
huellas digitales

estos son nuestros cuerpos, no piezas de las que se pueden adueñar y subastar por lucro, entonces
de ahora en adelante, sigamos luchando, sigamos gritando,
gritando como que nacimos para ser escuchados, para decir
si, somos humanos, y si, estamos aquí para quedarnos

-- Maisha Z. Johnson

We Belong in this Fight

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 09:40:00 GMT

These intersections came up last night, at the membership meeting I helped lead for Community United Against Violence (CUAV). We practiced skills like active listening and speaking authentically, to speak and honor our truths and let one another be heard.

We also reported back from the “Secure” Communities campaign, and last week’s rally for immigrant rights. Performing at the rally was a rich experience, helping quench my thirst for pouring my words into spaces where they can be held as part of a movement. Another performer, Xago from headRush, held it down with street performance that I was proud to follow. Also, being there as a member of CUAV, I was glad to speak up for queer and trans folks against violence.

While I know the connection may not be clear to everyone, I was a little disappointed when one of the rally’s participants approached one of CUAV’s staff people to ask, essentially, a question that would make anyone bristle: “What are you people doing here?”

Okay, so she didn’t say it in so many words, but she was asking what queer and trans folks have to do with immigrant rights. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, since we’re so often dismissed and forgotten, in spite of the fact that queer people are everywhere. Queer people are immigrants too, and when poor immigration policies are hurting communities, you can imagine how much harm they cause to queer and trans people whose identities are devalued on many levels. We belong in this fight, to speak up for ourselves and our brothers and sisters, and also to show solidarity, to show that we stand for human rights for all people, and we won’t stand for violence against any of us.

To anyone involved in any movement, I’d say don’t dismiss us or power we can bring to your fight. We’re here, and we won’t be forgotten. And I think we all know that uniting, not dividing, is the only way to reach our shared vision of justice.

** This entry was originally posted on Maisha Johnson's personal website, Inkblot.

Safety Labs and New Ways of Being

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:46:00 GMT

That’s what I’m feeling after helping facilitate a Safety Lab the other night with Community United Against Violence (CUAV). We were lucky enough to be able to invite members of the Brown Boi Project while they were the in middle of their leadership retreat, so we were working in a beautiful space with wonderful energy and powerful folks of all colors and genders and sexualities, from all around the country and some from all over the world. We were able to come as ourselves, to bring all of who we are and all of what we’re struggling with, and by the end of the night we had hope that our struggles would soon give way to liberation.

But before I get too much into it, to answer some questions you may have:

Who is CUAV? CUAV is an amazing organization that began in 1979 as the nation’s first anti-violence LGBTQ organization. They began in response to the murders of Harvey Milk and George Moscone, to mobilize queer and trans communities to prevent, respond to and heal from violence. Today, CUAV helps address violence in its many forms through resources like a 24-hour safety line and events like Safety Labs.

As far as my personal relationship with the organization, I am hopelessly and madly in love with CUAV. I’ve been a member for about a year and a half, and in that time I’ve had them to thank for everything from sending me to this year’s U.S. Social Forum in Detroit to providing space for me to lead my first writing workshop during Safetyfest to helping me feel empowered in my own healing process and struggles with violence. The incredible thing about CUAV is how they highlight and build upon the power we already have within our communities, emphasizing that we don’t need to rely on police or other oppressive forces to create safety in our own world.

What is a Safety Lab? It’s pretty much what it sounds like — a place to explore, practice and imagine new ways of creating and envisioning safety in our communities. The specifics of each Safety Lab have varied, as in other labs it’s a space for experimentation, and it finds its form when those who participate determine what they want to bring.

What is the Brown Boi Project? From their mission statement: “The Brown Boi Project is a community of masculine of center womyn, men, two-spirit people, transmen, and our allies committed to transforming our privilege of masculinity, gender, and race into tools for achieving Racial and Gender Justice.” I wasn’t familiar with the Brown Boi Project before this Safety Lab, and I’m so glad for the opportunity to connect with them. They were only a couple of days into their leadership retreat, and already it was clear how much they’ve been growing and learning and building a community that meant something special to each one of them.

So back to the Safety Lab: I’ve been finding myself in this constant effort to shift what are ordinarily abstract, intangible ideas (such as justice) into something we can all touch and see and feel. The Safety Lab is a place where that happened. We wrote in permanent, unerasable ink about the violence we’re living with, and the new vision of safety that we’re moving toward. We showed in our bodies what our pain looks like, felt it in ourselves and in each other. We moved, physically, toward our new world, all the while saying out loud what we feel, what we desire, what we demand and how we create this new world. We changed the shape of our bodies and felt change within ourselves, watched as others transformed and lent a helping hand when others needed support. We were all coming from different places, with different struggles and different stories, but we were able to unite and support each other in working toward common goals. I’m so thankful for everyone who participated.

This is the change I’d like to see in the world. Not just relying on laws or criminal justice, not just waiting to be acknowledged or supported by oppressive powers that simply don’t care. Not feeling disempowered or helpless because we’ve been pushed down and silenced. But simply reminding ourselves that we already have the capacity to create the world we want to live in. It’s our vision, it’s our choice, and it’s our right to live in a world where we don’t have to worry about feeling unsafe or like our needs aren’t being met.

We’re already moving forward, and nothing can stop us from getting to where we want to be.

** This entry was originally posted on Maisha Johnson's personal blog, Inkblot.

CUAV Responds to Prop 8 Ruling

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:11:00 GMT

In the weeks and months to come, we have a tremendous opportunity to build on this victory to challenge the many other ways in which the state continues to violently regulate the bodies and relationships of so many in our communities, both LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ. On July 29, communities around the U.S. and beyond came together to refuse to comply with Arizona's racist SB1070 and the broader set of local, state, and federal policies and laws unfolding throughout the country to criminalize and separate immigrant communities and families, such as the dangerous 287g and Secure Communities (S-Comm). These policies and laws increase ICE-police collaboration and create a culture of fear and scapegoating that leaves those of us most vulnerable more at risk than ever for arrest, detention, and deportation.

CUAV was proud to stand with our allies in the San Francisco Immigrant Rights Defense Committee to tell Attorney General Jerry Brown that California is no place for racism, and demand that he allow San Francisco to opt-out of S-Comm. LGBTQ people from all walks of life are sending a clear message that we will not comply with violence of any kind, anywhere.

In our celebration of Judge Walker’s decision to combat institutionalized discrimination, we recognize that this victory is the tip of the iceberg in addressing many forms of state violence that LGBTQ people face. When our communities come together and refuse to leave anyone behind, we can win big victories. We call on the LGBTQ movement to come out against all forms of state violence, and join with immigrant communities and communities of color in our ongoing quest for true justice and safety.

***

To find out more about national immigrant rights organizing or to get involved, visit the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

Founded in 1979, Community United Against Violence (CUAV) works to build the power of LGBTQ communities to create safety. If you or someone you know is experiencing violence, you are not alone. Call (415) 333-HELP or come in during walk-in hours, Fridays 11am-5pm.

Rebuilding and Recovering From Haiti to the Bay Area

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:29:00 GMT

Please give what you can (even if you have already made a contribution) to organizations providing aid and supporting a Haitian-led reconstruction, such as:

Partners in Health - A Boston-based organization providing urgent medical care to poor people in Haiti.
Haiti Emergency Relief Fund - A Bay Area-based network supporting Hatian-led grassroots organizing and reconstruction.

In addition to the devastation in Haiti, we are mourning another blow to our communities here in the Bay Area. Leti Martinez, a 19-year-old Latina lesbian living in Alviso, California was killed a few days before the end of 2009. We are grieving Leti's passing, and are grateful for the inspiring show of support by so many in her community in Alviso, who have come out publicly to support Leti, raise awareness about domestic violence in lesbian relationships, and raise money to cover her funeral expenses. Below is a statement from Leti's aunt, Mary Ramirez, for the CUAV community:

My name is Mary Ramirez. Leti Martinez was my niece and I helped to raise her since she was 6 years old, until she was killed by her ex-girlfriend on Monday, December 28^th . I can't really believe that I've lost her for good. Right now I am more focused on laying her to rest and taking care of my family. I am outraged at what happened. There is this idea that lesbians don't have domestic violence, but it's not true. I don't want other families to suffer the way we're suffering, and I don't want Leti's death to be in vain. I know that lesbians in violent relationships are scared, but I also want you to know that people love you. Our whole community has come out to support us and Leti, and we have raised $3,600 to cover Leti's funeral expenses. We still have $4,000 to raise: please help us lay Leti to rest so we can mourn her and make sure this doesn't happen again.

Donations to support Leti Martinez' funeral expenses can be made through CUAV by giving online or sending in a contribution to 170 A Capp St., SF CA 94110--be sure to write Leti Martinez in the memo line.

This past Monday we honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a powerful force in the rich legacy of resistance to racism and exploitation in this country and around the world. In his 1957 essay, Loving Your Enemies, written while in jail following the Montgomery bus boycott, King writes: "Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else? The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation." As we enter a new decade filled with amplified challenges and renewed possibilities, our hearts aching already, we remind ourselves of King's words and his commitment to not throwing anyone out: "By its very nature, hate destroys and tears down; by its very nature, love creates and builds up. Love transforms with redemptive power." In our efforts to rebuild and recover in the wake of so much deep loss, we choose love as our foundation.

In loving solidarity with all those still struggling,

The CUAV Team
Carolina, Morgan, Pablo, Stacy, and Tamara

P.S. Please also read INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence's statement on the the situation in Haiti at: http://inciteblog.wordpress.com/.

Sending Love to Mariah Qualls

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:24:00 GMT

In support of communities responding to violence

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:15:00 GMT

Dear Friend,

Unfortunately, we never lack reminders of how urgent this work is. We were deeply saddened and outraged to hear of the recent sexual assault against a young woman in Richmond, and stand in solidarity with all those organizing for healing and change in the wake of such a painful incident. We encourage anyone who has been impacted by sexual violence to contact San Francisco Women Against Rape by calling their 24-hour crisis line at (415) 647-7273. You are not alone!

Yet another reminder of the urgent need for community-based responses to violence was the passing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act at the end of October. The act expands federal hate crimes law to include gender identity and sexual orientation, gives federal authorities greater ability to engage in local hate crimes investigations, allocates additional funds for local hate crime investigation and prosecution, and requires FBI tracking of anti-transgender hate crime statistics. We are grateful for both federal recognition that anti-LGBTQQ violence is a devastating reality, as well as for the years of tireless advocacy of countless LGBTQQ organizations and victims' families to achieve this recognition.

We are also keenly aware of the painful compromises in this legislation. As we have seen over the past three decades of anti-violence efforts, criminal legal-driven responses to violence do not effectively address the needs of survivors, people who have been violent, or communities affected. Despite the fact that we often have few other options, these responses often leave survivors and our families as well as people who have been violent further traumatized, and compound the conditions that support violence in the first place: hatred, isolation, lack of economic opportunity, oppression, and trauma. Additionally, we have seen repeatedly throughout history that the expanded reach of federal and local law enforcement consistently leads to increased targeting and profiling of poor people, people of color, immigrants, and gender non-conforming people. Lastly, given our commitment to opposing all forms of violence including war, the inclusion of this legislation in Defense Authorization Bill symbolizes a painful cooptation of LGBTQQ lives to support military aggression both within and outside of U.S. borders. For these reasons and others, we know that the passing of this bill is not a clean victory for the majority of LGBTQQ people struggling with poverty, policing, and abuse, but rather a reality check of just how far we still have to go.

Luckily, we are not starting from scratch. Our communities are resilient and our movements are visionary. With your help, we are building the power of queer and trans people to create solutions to violence that really work, solutions like stronger relationships, community accountability models, skills to prevent abuse, and opportunities to heal. Together, we can create safety where there has been harm, and healing where there has been loss.

With hope and gratitude,
The CUAV Team (Carolina, Morgan, Pablo, Shawna, Stacy, and Tamara)

Keeping Us Safe

Tue, 12 May 2009 16:08:00 GMT

CUAV Releases New 3-Year Strategic Plan

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

Precious Lives

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:37:00 GMT