Justice Committee: Statement In Solidarity with the Family of Kimani "Kiki" Gray and the East Flatbush Community

Community FYIs | Justice Committee | Friday March 22, 2013 4:42

The killing of 16-year-old Kimani “Kiki” Gray is a terrible tragedy on a long list of injustices perpetrated by the New York Police Department (NYPD).  The Justice Committee sends love, strength and solidarity to his family, friends and community.  We echo Kimani’s community’s calls for an independent investigation into his death and the indictment of the officers who killed him.

We are deeply troubled by the fact that eyewitness accounts tell an entirely different story than the one put out by the NYPD.  Sadly, we are not surprised.  In so many other cases the same has happened.  The NYPD puts out their side of the story, painting themselves as heroes and criminalizing our loved ones and later on witnesses, discovery and/or civil suit testimonies prove otherwise.  The cases of Malcolm Ferguson and Ramarley Graham are just two examples.  Too often media outlets and Commissioner Ray Kelly imply that those killed by his officers were criminals; they had records, were suspected of being involved in a street organization, or were in possession of weapons or contraband.  Even if these accusations were to be true, they do not warrant the death penalty.  In spite of what their actions would suggest, the police are supposed to uphold the law.  They are not supposed to act as our loved ones’ judge, jury and executioner.

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FIERCE Workshop at Creating Change 2013

Bringing Youth-Led 'Fun'-rasing Training!

Featured Events | FIERCE | Friday January 25, 2013 6:39

FIERCE is at National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change in Atlanta! We're excited to be bringing you our Youth-Led Grassroots "Fun"-raising!

Check it out on Saturday! Workshop Session 8 from 4:45-6:15pm!

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Connecting Our Roots

An update on FIERCE's National Program

Program Updates | Ana Conner, FIERCE National Fellow | Tuesday November 20, 2012 8:25

In 2009, FIERCE launched our National Program with a LGBTQ Youth of Color Organizing Summit in Dallas, TX and the release of Coming Out, Stepping Up, which highlighted the needs of LGBTQ youth—as identified by LGBTQ youth.  The report spoke to the voices and issues largely left unheard in the mainstream LGBT agenda and provided solutions and recommendations on how to tackle these issues through LGBTQ youth-led organizing. 

FIERCE’s national program is centered around supporting LGBTQ youth organizing as a strategy for creating change and developing LGBTQ youth leaders in broader social justice movements.   This year, we have made important strides in this work. 

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Wanna be in a FIERCE Zine?

Call for Submissions

FIERCE E-Zine: an online publication by FIERCE Media Crew | Mackenzie | Friday November 16, 2012 6:09

Submit your work to be featured in a collective FIERCE zine!

As the Media intern, I (Mackenzie) am starting an exciting project to make a FIERCE zine made up of submissions from FIERCE members and other LGBTQ youth of color.

What's a zine?

A zine is a small circulation self-published work of original and/or appropriated (taken for one's own use, often without permission) texts and images usually reproduced via photocopier.

This FIERCE zine will be a print publication (also available online) by LGBTQ youth of color, for LGBTQ youth of color- both within and outside of NYC.  This zine will highlight FIERCE's work, stories and reflections from LGBTQ youth of color about their experiences, resources for queer and trans youth, and photography, art, and poetry.

This is a great opportunity to share your experiences as an LGBTQ youth of color!

You can submit your work either electronically to mackenzie@fiercenyc.org or drop it off in person at FIERCE to Mackenzie or Manny.

The deadline to submit is November 30th.

For more info on content guidelines and how to submit, send me an email.

I'm excited to see what ya'll send in!

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Community Love in a Time of Need

Post-Hurricane Sandy Update from FIERCE

Community FYIs | Monday November 5, 2012 7:21

Hi FIERCE Members, Supporters and Allies:

We hope this email finds you safe after Hurricane Sandy hit our city and region in such a big way.

As community organizers who intersect a lot of very marginalized communities, we know that our friends, families and communities are particularly vulnerable after natural disasters.  We recognize how this storm has impacted our communities- some of us lost power and heat, some of our homes have sustained damage or been destroyed entirely, and many people have been without access to services that we depend on. As a community that deals with homelessness on a daily basis, the impacts of this are particularly devastating. For example, we were notified that the Ali Forney Drop in Center in Chelsea is completely destroyed and will not re-open in the immediate future.  We recognize this is a resource for many queer and trans youth in NYC and mourn this loss. 

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