LGBTQ Latinx Groups Reaffirm Their Resolve to End Violence Against Marginalized Communities

A coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Latinx organizations and allies issued the below statement to honor the more than 100 people who were murdered or injured at Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12 during the LGBTQ establishment’s Latinx-themed night. Translated versions of the statement are also available in the following languages:

 العربية: ArabicEspañol: Spanish 

LGBTQ LATINX GROUPS AND ALLIES REAFFIRM THEIR RESOLVE TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES FOLLOWING THE ORLANDO TRAGEDY 

We, the undersigned, a coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Latinx organizations and allies make the following statement in the spirit of education and with the purpose of honoring the more than 100 people who were murdered or injured at Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12th during the LGBT establishment’s Latinx-themed night. We call on all people to defeat with compassion the scourge of hate crimes based in animus toward LGBTQ people, people of color, and those who live in the intersection of our communities. This sad truth was borne out again at Pulse where 49 people were killed. Nearly half of the victims were Puerto Rican. Many were Cuban, Dominican, Ecuadoran, Mexican, Salvadoran, Venezuelan, Afro Latinx, and from other Latinx communities. Almost all were members of the LGBTQ community. Some were undocumented. Over half were under 30, with the youngest victim being just 18 years old. The LGBTQ Latinx community faces disturbing realities. As the U.S. Latinx population has grown, the incidence of hate crimes against Latinx people has risen disproportionately, tripling in one recent year. According to a study published last week by The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, murders of LGBTQ people in the United States increased by 20 percent between 2014 and 2015. NCAVP’s research on hate violence also shows that LGBTQ people experience violence not only by strangers, but in their everyday environments by employers, coworkers, landlords and neighbors. In addition, according to FBI records, crimes motivated by bias due to sexual orientation and gender identity represented the largest category of hate crimes (20 percent in 2015). Further, as documented by the FBI so far this year in the United States, there have been 14 murders of trans women reported, but the FBI data are assumed to be conservative given their dependence on accurate reporting. If we are to be truly free, we must recognize and address all the toxic components of this hateful act- homophobia, transphobia, racism, and sexism. We are concerned that the current anti-Muslim narrative will plant seeds of fear that will fester into hate. We are concerned that some will use this tragedy to prevent our movements from building bridges, understanding, and love between people of color, LGBTQ people, and other marginalized communities. We state our steadfast support of LGBTQ Muslims and their communities who live under a cloud of suspicion and threats of violence also, understanding that our prospects for liberation are interlinked. We reiterate our commitment to advancing our movement and our resolve to live as proud LGBTQ people without fear of discrimination. We call for comprehensive action to restore to young LGBTQ people of color the safety and wellbeing that they deserve. We call on individuals and organizations who care about peace, justice, and love to engage with and support our LGBTQ Latinx community at the intersection of all struggles against violence so that we can work to eliminate all the forms of animus – racism, homophobia, and transphobia – that take precious lives from us every day. 

*Latinx is a gender-inclusive form of Latino/a. Spanish is a gendered language that does not account for the multitude of gender and identification variables existing in our communities.

Signed,Listed alphabetically as of June 20, 2016

Advocates for Youth

AGUILAS of San Francisco

AIDS Alabama

AIDS Foundation of Chicago-Salud y Orgullo Mexicano Project

Alianza Ciudadana en Pro de la Salud Lesbiana, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, Transgenero y Aliados de Puerto Rico (ACPS-LGBTTA)

Alternativa Nicaragüense de Diversidad Sexual (ANDISEX)

American Civil Liberties Union

Aqua Foundation for Women

Ariann@ Center of Ft. Lauderdale

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance

AFL-CIOAssociation of Latino/as Motivating Action (ALMA)

Basic Rights Oregon

Believe Out Loud

Casa Ruby

Center for Black Equity

Center Latinxs at The DC Center for the LGBT Community

CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers

Centro Comunitario LGBTT de Puerto Rico

The Change ProjectCharlotte Latin Pride

Citizens Alliance Pro LGBTTA Health of Puerto Rico

Colectivo Acción Latina de Ambiente (ALA), San José, CA

Collier County Neighborhood Stories Project (CCNSP)

Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR)

Community Justice Project

The Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals

Corral Consulting

Council for Global Equality

Dolores Huerta Foundation

Equality Alabama

Equality California

Equality Florida

Equality Illinois

Equality New Mexico

Equality North Carolina

Equality Ohio

Equality Texas

Equality Maine

Fair Wisconsin

Familia es Familia

Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement

Family Equality Council

Florida Immigrant Coalition

Florida Latina Advocacy Network of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health

Freedom to Work

Fundación Latinoamericana De Acción Social, Inc. (FLAS)

Galaei

Garden State Equality

Georgia Equality

Gertrude Stein Club

GetEQUAL

GLAAD

GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)

GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality

GLSEN

Gran VaronesGreenLatinos

GSA Network – Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network

Hispanic Health Network

Honor PAC

Human Rights Campaign

Immigration Equality

International Imperial Court System

Intersecting Queer Identities, Princeton University

La Clinica Del Pueblo-¡Empodérate! Center

Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA)

Lambda Legal

Latin American Youth Center

Latino Commission on AIDS

Latino Equality Alliance

Latino GLBT History Project

Latino LinQ

Latinos in the Deep South

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

LULAC Dallas Rainbow Council #4871

LULAC LGBT Council – Cincinnati, OH

MAP

Marriage Equality USA

Muslim Advocates

The Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity

The National Black Justice Coalition

National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs

National Council of La Raza

National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

The National LGBTQ Task Force

NMAC (National Minority AIDS Council)

National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)

One Colorado

Orgullo de San Antonio LGBTQ

LULAC Council 22198

OUR Walmart – FloridaOut & Equal Workplace Advocates

OutFront Minnesota

PFLAG

NationalPride at Work

Pridelines

PROMO

Puerto Rico Para Tod@s

Religious Institute

Safe Space for LGBTQI Hispanic Youth- Cleveland OH

San Diego LGBT Community Center

SAVE

Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)

Servicios de La Raza

SocialScope Productions

Somos Familia

Somos Familia Valle

South Texas Equality Project (STEP)

Southerners On New Ground (SONG)

Students Working for Equal Rights

Tennessee Equality Project

Texas Gay Latino Pride

The Trevor Project

TransLatin@ Coalition

TransLatin@ Coalition of Georgia

Trans United Fund

True Colors Fund

Unión = Fuerza Latino Institute

United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries

United Latin@ PrideUnity Coalition | Coalición Unida

Valley AIDS Council

Voto Latino

Wall Las Memorias Project

World Out Games