Story Type: News and Media

Deadline for Program Internship fast approaching!

DEADLINE TODAY! Astraea seeks interns with our Program Team. Internships are available in our US Program and our International Program. Interns will gain a familiarity with progressive grantmaking and the communities and organizations that Astraea funds.

Interns will gain experience in a variety of aspects of grantmaking, including: researching & reporting on conditions experienced by LGBT communities in the US & internationally; summarizing proposal highlights for review and writeups for grants program publications; coordinating community briefings by visiting activists; applicant outreach for arts awards to individual artist & writers; archiving past grant.

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GRIT TV features Katherine Acey on Nonprofits and the Financial Crisis

Executive Director Katherine Acey provides insight and inspiration on the way forward for nonprofits and foundations in a timely episode of Laura Flander’s GRITtv. Katherine joins The Nation contributing writer Eyal Press, Marjorie Fine of the Center for Community Change and Talia Schank of Community Voices Heard.

Watch Katherine Now (3:17)

Watch Full Episode (24:14)

GRITtv with Laura Flanders airs Mon-Thurs, at 8pm & 1 am ET, on Free Speech TV (DISH Network ch. 9415), on public stations and online at www.grittv.org and www.firedoglake.com/lauraflanders

Read Eyal Press’s Article:
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Astraea Grantee Partner, FIERCE, featured in the New York Times

Astraea Grantee Partner, FIERCE, has been making incredible progress. Their White Paper, created in collaboration with the Urban Justice Center, is the first-ever from a queer youth organization in New York City. It aims to ensure the needs of the entire community are being met—particularly those who are most vulnerable during the economic crisis—in the redevelopment of a section of piers on the New York City waterfront. The Paper was officially released at a public event to a crowd of over 100—elected officials, community organizations, service providers, LGBTQ youth, West Village residents and the press. A key goal of FIERCE’’s campaign is a 24-hour LGBTQ youth center on the pier. Astraea is proud to have signed on to the Paper.

Read the White Paper and Sign On!

At a Pier to Be Redone, Gay Youth Seek a Haven

By JOSEPH HUFF-HANNON for the New York Times

So we all just went on a date with the Hudson River Park Trust,” said Ms. Ross, who is an organizer with Fierce, a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender minority youths. “But you know, we’’re a little fed up.”

The response was wild applause and hooting from the overflow crowd in the gallery, where white columns were wrapped with pink ribbons.

The trust oversees the planning, construction and operation of Hudson River Park and all the piers that run from Battery Park to 59th Street. Members of Fierce are particularly concerned about Pier 40, a massive but dilapidated structure that juts into the Hudson River where West Houston Street meets the West Side Highway.

Since the pier sits just south of Pier 45 at Christopher Street, long a gathering spot for youths like the members of Fierce, many of them say that the trust hasn’’t always paid them much mind in the deliberations about what kind of redevelopment plans are appropriate for the pier.

Fierce and the Urban Justice Center, a public-interest legal group, are asking that any plan include a 24-hour youth center. Such a center, they hope, would offer services like job training, transitional housing, recreation and safe space.

“”The pier is just the place to be, to hang out and be who you are,”” said Tiffany Browne, an 18-year-old budding photographer from Brownsville, Brooklyn, who arrived with a big camera swinging from her neck. “”I spent all last summer down there.””

As Ms. Browne darted off to snap some photos, a 24-year-old who calls himself Mango chimed in with a similar story.

““Where I’’m from in Harlem, you don’’t hear too much about L.G.B.T. issues,”” he said. “”Down here, it’’s our only place to hang out, to relax.””

Members of Fierce acknowledge that a youth center won’’t be an easy sell, especially in the current economic climate; last year, $5 million was cut from the budgets of organizations like Fierce. But since the trust may be eligible for federal stimulus money, advocates for the young people hope that their voices will be heard when it comes to development.

But the trust has considered previous proposals that included a youth center and has ruled that they would not work, primarily for financial reasons. Officials at the trust would not comment on their larger development plans, but they did say that any stimulus money would likely be directed to basic repairs at Pier 40.

““There are a bunch of pilings that need to be replaced,”” said Lee Silberstein, a spokesman for the trust. “”The first order of business is really to make sure the pier doesn’’t collapse.””

More about FIERCE

One in 8-million: FIERCE Member Featured in NYTimes

FIERCE member Ra Ruiz tells her story: a compelling account of how much a simple pier can mean.  FIERCE continues its campaign to protect public space and build a 24-hour queer youth center on New York City’’s Christopher Street Pier.

Click the image to watch the full photo/audio documentary.

Ra Ruiz was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in the Bronx, where for two years she and her mother and brothers endured periods of homelessness. She graduated from Evander Childs High School in 2005, and now is a junior at the New School, living in a dormitory in the Upper East Side that she says is too loud late at night.

Astraea Presents Justice in the Making, our 2008 Annual Report

Astraea presents Justice in the Making, our 2008 Annual Report. It is an invitation to connect with a powerful network of donors, activists, artists and organizations working for human rights. In it we celebrate LGBTI activists who are changing the course of history around the world.

Our 30th Anniversary year was busy and fruitful. We awarded $2.2 million in grants to 198 organizations and 21 individuals in 47 countries–—representing a 20% increase over the previous year. We’’ve enhanced our systems and better harnessed the power of the web. We held two anniversary gala events, and a number of smaller events that introduced our work to new supporters across the country. Most importantly, we’’ve seen real progress in the fight for LGBTI justice.

As we strategize for the future, we pay tribute to those on whose shoulders we stand—–our Astraea family–—Founding Mothers, current and former board, staff and grants panelists, volunteers and committed grantee and donor partners. Each has helped Astraea become a global force for LGBTI human rights.

For more than thirty years, Astraea has been at the forefront, providing meaningful support to organizations that champion LGBTI communities–—often representing their first or only viable funding. In the times ahead, we continue to stand with our grantee partners. We stand with those who generously give of their time and resources in order to sustain this vital work of social change. And we stand with each of you.

We hope you see yourself reflected in this report. We certainly do.

Download 2008 Annual Report

Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice Names Beverly Blake as Director of Development

The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice is pleased to name Beverly Blake as its Director of Development. A former chemist and attorney, Blake entered the non-profit sector and built an impressive background in development. Blake is particularly recognized for her skills in strategic planning, multi-million dollar fundraising, and operational problem solving.

“After a rigorous search process, the Astraea staff and board is delighted to welcome Beverly as our Director of Development,”” Katherine Acey, Executive Director said, “”A seasoned fundraiser, Beverly’’s skill, vision and commitment will prove invaluable in continuing to build Astraea’’s capacity even during these difficult financial times.””

The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice is the world’s only foundation solely dedicated to supporting LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) organizations globally. Last year, Astraea issued more than $2.2 million in grants to organizations in 120 cities and 47 countries around the world working for empowerment and human rights.

““I know what it is to be marginalized.  It is unacceptable,”” said Blake, “”I am committed to empowering myself and others to work for personal freedom and human dignity. Astraea provides a way to do that and have a broad impact in the struggle for social justice and equality.””

Blake has eight years experience creating and implementing development campaigns for organizations dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of marginalized groups including those living with HIV/AIDS, LGBTI and homeless people.  These organizations include Harlem United Community AIDS Center and the Doe Fund.  Blake is also a former corporate executive who applies her expertise to the increasingly intricate demands of non-profit management.  She holds a BS in Engineering Chemistry from the State University of New York at Stony Brook as well as a Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa, College of Law.

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The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice works for social, racial, and economic justice in the U.S. and internationally. Our grantmaking and philanthropic advocacy programs help lesbians and allied communities challenge oppression and claim their human rights.

Media Contact: Melissa Hoskins, Communications Associate

Phone: 212.529.8021 x26 Email: communications@astraeafoundation.org

Astraea Grantee Partner J-Flag Featured in Essence

Astraea grantee partner, J-FLAG, was featured in an Essence article exposing the dangers faced by LGBTI people in Jamaica. The only political and legal advocacy group working for lesbian, all-sexual, and gay human rights in Jamaica, J-Flag is a literal lifeline, providing counseling services, community building, and legal advocacy.

Gays and Lesbians Recount Stories of Brazen Attacks

By Jeannine Amber for Essence

Gareth Henry is haunted by a memory. When he tells the story, his voice starts to crack. It was a sunny day, June 18, 2004, and Henry, a slightly built man with a round, boyish face and quick smile was relaxing on the beach in Montego Bay, Jamaica, with a few friends. From where he sat, he could see three police officers approach another friend, Victor Jarrett, who was farther down the beach. Henry vividly remembers one of the officers pushing Jarrett, 24, while another yelled at him that no battymen (local patois for faggot) belonged on the beach. Henry winced as the officers began to beat Jarrett with their batons and fists. A crowd quickly formed around the spectacle.

“I will never forget it,” Henry, 31, says, speaking in the vaguely British lilt of a well-educated Jamaican. “There were about 100 people and they were saying to the officers, ‘Hand him over; let us finish him.’ “According to Henry and several eyewitnesses who would later report the incident to the international rights organization Human Rights Watch, the police walked away from Jarrett, leaving him to the angry mob. “Beat him because him a battyman!” said one of the officers. Men picked up sticks and stones and started pummeling Jarrett. Others kicked and punched him. Henry stood by, horrified. He wanted nothing more than to help his friend, but he knew that if he intervened he would become the mob’s next target. “Victor saw us on the beach, but he didn’t call to us,” says Henry, his voice unsteady. “He’d rather suffer the hurt and humiliation alone than have all of us be victims.”

Suddenly Jarrett broke free of the crowd and started to run, the mob fast on his heels. Henry prayed that Jarrett would somehow make it to safety. But the next day the newspaper reported: “Alleged gay man chopped, stabbed and stoned to death.” The article (shown on opposite page) went on to claim that Jarrett had “molested” a young man. Henry, who is also gay, cried when he read the news. “Victor wasn’t doing anything but walking on the beach,” he says. “People make up stories to justify their attacks.” Henry mourned the death of his friend and cursed the hatred that had killed him. What he didn’t know was that he himself would soon be the target of another vicious mob.

Chased, Beaten, Shot, Killed

To many Americans, the island of Jamaica, with its miles of white-sand beaches and famously laid-back attitude, is a vacationer’s paradise. But for those who live here, it is a much different place, plagued by economic hardships and one of the highest homicide rates in the Northern Hemisphere. While much of the violence is gang-related, there have been reports of horrific acts targeted specifically at the country’s gay and lesbian population. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have published detailed accounts of machete-wielding mobs that have broken into private residences attacking men believed to be gay, and lesbians who have been raped by neighbors determined to “cure” them.

Both organizations note that in many instances the police have either failed to respond to calls for help by gay men or have participated in the attacks they were summoned to break up. Rebecca Schleifer, author of Human Rights Watch’s 2004 report, Hated to Death: Homophobia, Violence and Jamaica’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic, observes that “perpetrators of violence against gay men and lesbians are rarely arrested and prosecuted, making it even less likely that people will report the attacks.” Even children are not spared the abuse: In one of the more shocking examples cited by Amnesty International, in February 2004, an eleventh-grader at a Kingston high school was assaulted when his father, suspecting his child was gay after finding a picture of a nude man in the boy’s backpack, summoned other students to beat him.

The island’s gay rights organization, Jamaica’s Forum for Lesbians All-sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG), notes that between 2006 and 2008 more than 150 homophobic assaults and murders were reported to the agency. Gay men and lesbians have been chased, chopped, beaten, raped and shot. But despite the gruesome nature of the attacks, many Jamaicans, including those in politics and law enforcement, insist that the situation is simply not as bad as the activists and foreign media make out.

Read more about J-Flag

Astraea Grantee Partners Helem and Meem Protest Violence in Lebanon

Astraea Grantee Partners Helem and Meem, in collaboration with Lebanese Human Rights organizations, staged a protest in opposition to the violence in the Lebanese society targeting LGBTI people, women, children, domestic and foreign workers and others.

Meem creates a safe space in Lebanon for LBTQ women to meet, discuss issues, share experiences and work on improving their lives and themselves. Meem recently opened the first house for LBTQ women in Beirut, conducts research and trainings, provides free mental health and legal services, and publishes the only lesbian magazine in Lebanon.

Helem leads a peaceful struggle for the liberation of the LGBT community in Lebanon from all legal, social and cultural discrimination. The organization holds social and cultural events, works on HIV/AIDS related issues, and collaborates with other human rights organizations to advocate for prosecuted LGBT people and the advancement of human rights and personal freedoms in Lebanon.

Watch New Coverage of the Protest

Out in force: Gay rights activists denounce violence and stand up for sexual diversity

By Alexandra Sandels for NOW

Hundreds of people armed with rainbow flags and signs denouncing violence and discrimination against homosexuals and other minority groups in Lebanon gathered at Beirut’’s Sodeco square amid pouring rain on Sunday afternoon for a demonstration.

The event, the first of its kind in the Arab world according to the organizers, was staged by the Beirut-based Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer (LGBTIQ) support organization Helem, and also featured representatives from Lebanese rights groups Kafa, KAFA, TYMAT and SIDC.

Twenty-six year old Maya, holding a sign reading, “Feminists Against Violence” told NOW Lebanon she had come to the demonstration to give a “statement.”

“”I want to say that I denounce violence on all levels, against homosexuals and disadvantaged groups in my country,”” she said.

Next to Maya stood a protestor waving a sign in front of curious photographers saying, “”I don’t believe in a country where it’’s more acceptable for two men to hold guns than two men to hold hands.””

The demonstration was a direct response to a recent incident of anti-gay violence in Achrafieh, in which two men allegedly engaging in sexual conduct in the entrance of a building were dragged out onto nearby Sassine Square and severely beaten.

Conflicting reports have, however, marred the incident.

An initial report by the French-language daily L’Orient Le Jour had it that the beating was carried out by security personnel, while others, including Helem, say the men were assaulted by civilians.

“I mainly came to protest what happened at Sassine,” 23 year-old Sara told NOW, adding, “I’’m happy with today’s turnout of people.”

“”The beatings were inhuman. Where were the police to protect them at the time?”” another demonstrator asked.

While advocacy for Lebanon’’s LGBTIQ community appeared to be the main banner of the demonstration, many came out to show their support for other minority groups such as foreign domestic workers, and to protest against domestic violence.

“I came to protest domestic violence against women. My neighbor gets beaten by her husband. We hear it all the time. It’’s awful,” a 20 year-old who did not want her name to be printed told NOW.

In the middle of the demonstration a woman in her 50s walking by asked one of the participants what the crowd was protesting against. When told it was in support of Lebanon’s LGBTIQ community, the woman hurried away.

Yet while homosexuality is still technically illegal and punishable under Lebanese law, it is more accepted in Lebanon than in most Arab countries.

Helem Director Georges Azzi told NOW that while there is a “bit of freedom” for homosexuals in Lebanon, he emphasized that it remains “fragile.”

“”There are many things that need to be done on the issue,”” he added, mentioning the need to reform the laws that criminalize homosexual conduct in Lebanon.

Twenty-year old Helem affiliate Joe, who had wrapped a large rainbow flag around his head for the occasion, said that he, as a Lebanese, felt very proud an event like this was able to be held in Beirut, where there are numerous groups offering support services to LGBTIQ people, including the recent addition of Meem, a community for non-heterosexual women.

Helem, the largest of the groups, provides free HIV-testing services and also publishes Barra Magazine, which translates as “out,” for the LGBTIQ community in Lebanon.

Most recently, members of Meem launched Bekhsoos, or Concerning, the Arab world’s first publication for lesbian, bisexual and queer women.

Despite these inroads made, Joe said that conditions for Lebanon’s LGBTIQ community remain “a bit shaky,” especially considering the Sassine incident.

“To a certain extent the situation is OK, but the recent acts of violence are not positive indicators,” he said, adding, “We’re so glad and very proud this protest happened in Beirut.”

Visit Meem

Visit Helem