ISSUE 10 F17
GAZE LEGACY Transcendence special Issue
NYC ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT COURAGE AWARDS '17
NYC Anti-Violence Project Courage Awards 2017 We recently had the privilege to cover the NYC Anti-Violence Project Courage Awards held on October 11, 2017 at the Chelsea Piers. It was a champagne filled gala with attendees dressed to the nines. The men looked right out of GQ magazine and the women looked amazing in gowns, dresses and some in suits. It was really an amazing night. Amongst the recipients this year were Vice President Joe Biden, David France, Victoria Cruz, the cast & crew of The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson and Vice.
Courage Awards 2017 Recipient Victoria Cruz & Friends
Presenter Mariska Hargitay spoke passionately about Courage Awards Recipient Vice President Joe Biden. She spoke about his role in creating legislation Violence Against Women Act. Her voice cracked a bit when she said that, “We all have a common thing that fuels us, hope. Hope can come in the form of legislation, funding and/or a person. To act on your own goodness takes courage.” . Courage Awards 2017 Recipient Vice President, Joe Biden was received with thunderous applause. He began by praising actors on how they are able to change the social mores of a nation. He spoke about how actors are able to change culture by exposing myths about the lgbtq community. “Myths that people from the lgbtq are in a fundamental way different.” “Real change”, he believes, “is when people are able to proclaim who they are and then demand to be treated with dignity.” He went on to speak about a caller who phoned in to an anti-violence facility, while he was touring the facility. For the first time, what these people were experiencing became palpable. “Everyone could feel it, they could smell it.” “The consequences of anyone who experiences violence is life long.” “Discrimination against the lgbtq community is the civil rights issue of our decade.” .
VIDEO: Courage Awards 2017 Presenter Mariska Hargitay Joyful Heart Foundation
VIDEO: Courage Awards 2017 Recipient: Vice President Joe Biden Biden Foundation
Vice President, Joe Biden went on to speak about the first time he met two men who were members of the lgbtq community as a young man. He looked over to his father, and his father said to him when he seen two men kiss, “Joey, it is simple they love each other.” He believes that people who stand up and spoke out are the reason why change has been possible. The moral arc of this nation has begun to bend closer to justice. Millennials are the most open and progressive generation in the history of the United States of America. We have to change the cultural norm. Violence and abuse of power still persist today. “This year alone there have been 36 homicides fueled by violence against the lgbtq community. 25 were transgender, 19 people of color (poc).” “For the first time in history anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and identity were enshrined into federal law with the Violence Against Women Act.”
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“You are defined by your courage and redeemed by your loyalty. Courage is your greatest virtue because without it you cannot love without abandon.”
VIDEO: Courage Awards 2017 Recipient: Vice President Joe Biden Biden Foundation
This cultural change to end violence. What you are doing matters. It is within our power to change the culture. Every single person is entitled to be treated with dignity. Never walk by anyone. Remember all the people. After Vice President Biden's moving words, the remaining recipients took the stage. Victoria Cruz, David France and the cast of The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson and Vice were received with equal enthusiasm. Activist Victoria Cruz cast member of the film The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson, spoke about her own journey and her proud roots as a Puerto Rican woman raised by a Puerto Rican family. She spoke of her veteran father and his love of family and country. She spoke about her families love is a source of strength during these tough political times. Victoria, herself was also a victim of violence and that is how she came to be a part of the Anti-Violence Project. Victoria, became a beacon of hope for a huge part of the lgbtq community with the courage she showed in being a part of this film and also through her advocacy work. Victoria Cruz, said amongst activist Sylvia Rivera's final words to her was a plea to, "Please try to keep our community together because we can be our own worst enemies." Victoria, added, "I made her that promise and I will keep it." She believes, “We make a difference.� Anyone who was in that room on that night, felt just how passionate the people in that room were. You may ask your self why is all of this . important? At the core of everything, we are just human beings. We are all individuals. All created with our own unique DNA, thought processes, ways of moving in the world. The work that the Anti-Violence Project does and so many other advocacy groups do is essential to ensuring that our freedoms are not violated; that our humanity is not violated. The film the Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson is more than just a film. It asks that each and everyone of us forget just for a minute about race, gender and class. It insists through its protagonists, that we just look at the human being stripped down in front of us. The person that is in the room with us. We are not to question why they are in the same room. The only thing of concern, of matter is the mere fact that they are human just like us.
The Cast & Crew of The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson Courage Awards 2017 Recipients
VIDEO: Courage Awards 2017 Recipients David France, Victoria Cruz, The Cast & Crew of The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson & Vice
Courage Awards 2017 Recipient David France The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson
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Courage Awards 2017 Recipient Jennifer Louise Lopez T.R.A.N.S. Network The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson
The work these people do is just mind boggling. Everyone who is aware of what these people do are just blown away by it all. It really takes a special kind of person to do this work. It takes a certain kind of desire to be of service to others. There is a bigger thing being achieved by all of this advocacy work. Beyond making our streets safer, beyond bringing back dignity to the victims, the people who do this work are in essence our protectors. If we see something and do not report it or attempt to intervene in some way, we become just as guilty as the person creating the crime. We must all be more proactive in not allowing these crimes to happen in the first place. We have to send a strong message that this type of violence is not tolerated in our community and this type of crime will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
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Courage Awards 2017 Program Funding/Alex Simmons Guest
The night ended with the various people and companies sponsoring or donating towards different programs and services. When you see all that goes into this you think to yourself once again what an extraordinary and necessary thing this all is. We must begin with things like bullying amongst young people. More has to be done in our schools to create safe spaces. We must be able to have resources in place for students who are at high risk. We must have more institutions like the Hetrick-Martin Institute servicing at risk youth. All it takes to prevent a crime is for one person to say that it is not right. For one person to speak up. I believe as a community we are very strong. And we must use our voices to protect each and every person within our community. Silence equals complicity~Vice President Joe Biden
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