NYC Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn
Reports to the LGBT Community
May 2013
Dear New Yorker,
I wanted to share with you some of my office's recent activities on issues of concern to the LGBT community. For more information, please feel free to contact Erik Bottcher at (212) 788-5646. You can also reach him by e-mail at ebottcher@council.nyc.gov.
- Responding to Hate Crimes Against the LGBT Community
- Responding to the Meningitis Outbreak
- NYC Council to NYS Senate: Pass GENDA Now!
- March with the NYC Council during Pride
- NYC Council Pride Event
Responding to Hate Crimes Against the LGBT Community
Like many New Yorkers, I am outraged and appalled by the recent series of attacks against members of our community, including the fatal shooting of Mark Carson this past month in the heart of Greenwich Village.
Those who attack us may believe that they will succeed in driving our community back into the closet. What they don't know is that they are only strengthening our resolve to demand full equality and security.
We will not retreat in fear. We refuse to return to a time when two people of the same gender could not walk down any street without fear of violence.
That message was clearly on display on March 20th, when thousands of us marched through the streets of the Village to demand an end to hate crimes and honor the life of Mark Carson.
Following the march, I announced the following steps that we will be taking to help keep New York City safe for all New Yorkers, especially as we head into Pride.
- Increased Police Presence in LGBT Neighborhoods
At my request, the NYPD has agreed to increase police presence in the areas where hate crimes incidents have occurred, including setting up temporary headquarter command vehicles. These deployments will continue at least through the end of June and the culmination of LGBT Pride Month.
- An incident command post has been deployed at 8th Avenue between West 14th and 15th Streets from Thursdays through Mondays. The command post will periodically move to different locations within the 6th precinct.
- 13 additional critical response vehicles staffed - with 2 officers each - will be deployed to deter hate crimes every night throughout the 6th precinct.
- Additional personnel will deployed to existing Midtown South Impact Zones from Thursday through Sunday each week.
- An additional anti-crime plainclothes unit will be deployed throughout the 6th precinct.
- Additional mounted units have been assigned to the Christopher Street area from Friday through Sunday, each week.
- Increased overtime will be available after midnight on weekends.
You can read more about this initiative here.
- City Schools to Implement Anti-Hate Crime Initiative
Building on the work of the City Council and the Department of Education's Respect for All anti-bullying initiative, Schools Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott and I announced that the issue of hate crimes will be addressed with students in NYC schools before the end of the year. Chancellor Walcott has sent an advisory to all principals urging them to incorporate age-appropriate lessons focused on respecting diversity, treating others with dignity, and helping students understand the impact of hate-motivated speech and action into end-of-year assemblies, programs, and curricula. The United Federation of Teachers and Council of School Supervisors & Administrators are also important partners in this effort. You can read more about this initiative here.
- Friday Community Safety Nights Out
Every Friday night through the end of June, the NYC Anti-Violence Project (AVP) will hold a Community Safety Night Out. At these events, AVP and community partners will conduct outreach in the affected neighborhoods to raise awareness and provide people with information and safety tips. The NYC Council is proud to support AVP's work. More information on this initiative can be found here.
- Public Awareness Campaign
Working with NYC & Company, the City Council is developing a public awareness campaign about hate violence. New York City must raise awareness of hate violence and send a clear message to the public if we are to prevent crimes from occurring.
- Self Defense Classes for the LGBT Community
The City Council will sponsor free self-defense classes in June for the LGBT community, to be conducted by The Center for Anti-Violence Education (CAE). Through a combination of education, physical empowerment, and leadership development, CAE provides underserved communities throughout the New York metropolitan area with skills to break cycles of violence. Further details will be available shortly.
- Interfaith Weekend Against Hate
Working with members of the clergy and religious leaders, over the weekend of June 21st-23rd my office is organizing an Interfaith Weekend Against Hate. Over fifty houses of worship will sign up to deliver coordinated messages against hate speech and violence. The Council will also create a social media campaign to engage congregants and help spread the word about this important effort. For more information about this initiative or to become involved, please contact Kihani Brea at (212) 788-5504 or KBrea@council.nyc.gov.
- Community Speak Out & Wellness Night: Safety & Support for LGBTQ Communities
On Thursday, June 6th at the LGBT Center, AVP, The Center and community-based organizations are organizing a Community Speak Out & Wellness Night. At this event, communities will be brought together to talk about how people are feeling and to offer support to anyone who needs it. Counseling, support & resources will be offered, and community members will be given the opportunity to speak out. Details about this event can be found here.
Public Officials Respond to Meningitis Outbreak
Our community has been affected by a strain of meningitis disease among men who have sex with men (MSM) in New York City. I have been working with a coalition of LGBT City and State elected officials, advocates and the NYC Health Dept. to respond swiftly and comprehensively to this threat to public health.
According to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), 17 cases have been reported since 2012 among MSM. There have been 22 reported cases – including 7 fatalities – since 2010. Health officials are strongly urging all HIV-positive MSM, and all MSM who regularly have close or intimate contact with other men, to get vaccinated.
We have taken action to alert and inform members of the LGBT community, health care providers and community based organizations about the DOHMH's advisory. Recently, we hosted a briefing for LGBT community leaders from all five boroughs at which city health officials made a detailed presentation, answered questions and asked for the LGBT community's assistance with outreach. Additionally, the coalition and health officials hosted separate briefings for elected officials in Brooklyn, where the outbreak is most acute.
The coalition has also taken the following actions to address this health threat:
- Elected officials sent a sign-on letter to urge the managers of a popular gay online dating website to cooperate with DOHMH's outreach efforts, as they previously had not.
- The coalition supported Senator Hoylman's outreach to the State Department of Financial Services, who then sent notice to insurers statewide informing them that under State law, health insurance plans must cover meningitis immunizations.
- Our office assisted DOHMH in identifying LGBT pride events at which to conduct outreach during this year's festivities in June.
- We joined DOHMH in formally urging providers and physicians to heed the agency's recommendations for vaccinations.
- The coalition supported Senator Hoylman's introduction of legislation (S.4881) that would expand access to the meningitis vaccine by allowing pharmacists to administer the immunizing agents.
- The City Council has created informational materials for distribution within the LGBT community. They can be downloaded in English here and in Spanish here.
- We are working with DOHMH to help uninsured New Yorkers access the vaccine.
You can read more about our efforts here. Health Dept. resources, including clinic locations, can be found here.
NYC Council to NYS Senate: Pass GENDA Now!
Last week the NYC Council sent a letter to the members of the NYS Senate's Majority Conference, urging them to pass the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) this session.
This bill, which is currently pending in the New York State Legislature, will provide basic civil rights for transgender New Yorkers by adding gender identity and expression to the already existing New York State human rights law. A copy of this letter can be read here.
I was proud to join Council Members Rosie Mendez, Danny Dromm and Jimmy Van Bramer, leaders from dozens of leading LGBT organizations, transgender activists, community leaders and the Empire State Pride Agenda at a press conference on Wednesday demanding that the Senate to take action. (Video of my remarks can be seen here.)
Our job as elected officials is to protect all New Yorkers. How can we rest when there are citizens who still live in fear of being fired from their jobs - or evicted from their homes - simply because of who they are? Transgender New Yorkers shouldn't have to wait any longer for these basic protections.
TAKE ACTION: Urge your State Senator to fight for GENDA's passage this session. Locate your State Senator here:
March with the NYC Council during Pride Month
Please join us at the parades in Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan next month as we celebrate Pride. To RSVP for any of these parades, please call (212) 788-9120.
Staten Island Pride Parade
Saturday, June 1st
12 pm
Step off: Central Ave. between Central Ave. and Hyatt Street
Queens Pride Parade
Sunday, June 2nd
12 pm
Step off: 37th Ave. from 84th St. in Jackson Heights
Brooklyn Pride Parade
Saturday, June 8th
7:30 pm
Step off: Fifth Ave. and Douglas St. in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Heritage of Pride March
Sunday, June 30th
12 pm
Step off: 36th St. & Fifth Ave. in Manhattan
NYC Council Pride Event with Harvey Fierstein
And don't forget to join us and Harvey Fierstein at our annual Pride Celebration on June 10th! If you have already RSVP'd, thank you! We look forward to seeing you and your guest(s) that night. If you haven't had a chance to yet, there's still plenty of time. Additional details below.
New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn
with Council Members
Rosie Mendez, Danny Dromm, Jimmy Van Bramer
and
the Members of the New York City Council
invite you to join them for a celebration of
LGBT PRIDE
MONDAY, JUNE 10, 2013
5:30 PM
with
Actor, Playwright and Champion for Civil Rights
Harvey Fierstein
Nominated for his 5th Tony Award for "Kinky Boots"
The Great Hall at Cooper Union
7 East 7thStreet at Third Avenue
Manhattan
(Doors open at 4:30 pm.)
RSVP by noon, Thursday, June 6, 2013, via the following link: http://council.nyc.gov/html/action/pride2013.shtml
You can also RSVP by phone at (212) 442-1649 or by email at eventscoordinator@council.nyc.gov