CAVP: Volunteer to make Colorado a more peaceful place

Currently, CAVP is looking for new volunteers to become a valuable part of the organization. The next general orientation will take place on August 29, 2009 from 10am-4pm. This will provide you with all of the tools you'll need to be an amazing volunteer with CAVP. This is also a great way to see if the CAVP crisis hotline is right for you.

Some of the ways you can get involved include:

Tabs committee
Development Committee
Represent CAVP at various events (including Pride and other community-based outreach events)
Board member
Trainer
Major donor program
Project-based opportunities
Crisis hotline advocate

For more information or to RSVP contact Kelly Costello at 303-839-5204 or kelly@coavp.org.

Pancakes!!!

Do not miss CAVP's 2nd Annual Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, July 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Washington Park United Church of Christ,400 South Williams Street in Denver. The $5-10 sliding scale cost goes to benefit the Colorado Anti-Violence Program.

The event will feature celebrity chefs from Colorado's LGBTQ/activist community including Paula Rice (TransAction), Tanya Mote (Su Teatro), Dylan Scholinski (Sent(a)mental Project), Matt Kailey (OutFront Colorado), Reynaldo Mireles (Colorado AIDS Project), Stefany Minor & Jessi Quizar (Incite! Women of Color Against Violence), TJ (Rainbow Alley Youth), Ashara Ekundayo (Blue and Yellow Logic), Faatma Mehrmanesh (Solar) and Mackenzie Roberts (Flobots).

Since 1986, the Colorado Anti-Violence Program (CAVP) has been dedicated to eliminating violence within and against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities in Colorado, and providing the highest quality services to survivors. CAVP provides direct client services including crisis intervention, information, and referrals for LGBTQ victims of violence 24 hours a day.

Man, I love pancakes.

CAVP looking for Queer Youth Violence Prevention Project Manager (say that five times fast!)

The Colorado Anti-Violence Program is looking for a part-time Queer Youth Violence Prevention Project Manager. Details on how to apply are after the jump. 


Queer Youth Violence Prevention Project Manager
Applications due by July 10, 2009

The Colorado Anti-Violence Program (CAVP) is a grassroots organization led by activists committed to addressing the root causes of violence. As we enter our 23rd year of operation, we continue our collective efforts to create an organization with a broader vision for social justice. Founded in 1986, CAVP addresses the pervasive problems of violence committed within and against LGBTQ communities including domestic violence, sexual assault, hate violence, HIV-related violence and police misconduct. CAVP also provides community education, outreach, technical assistance, training, and education for community organizations, law enforcement, and mainstream service providers on violence issues affecting the LGBTQ community.

TO APPLY:
Submit resume and a cover letter of no more than two pages, in which you respond to the following question:


Why are you passionate about preventing violence in the LGBTQ community and/or youth community?

SEND TO: cavpsearch@gmail.com

Applications must be received no later than July 10, 2009.

JOB DESCRIPTION
Position Status
Position is a 0.5 FTE and is supervised by the Director of Training and Education.

Position Summary
This position is responsible for managing the Queer Youth Violence Prevention Project including conducting a community readiness assessment, managing the project's community advisory board and working collaboratively with the Director of Training and Education to complete the community profile, strategic plan and implement data collection efforts. The goal of the project is to develop and expand sexual violence primary prevention activities in LGBTQ communities across Colorado. Position responsibilities This position is funded by the Sexual Assault Prevention Program of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Training will be provided on conducting community readiness assessments.

Reports to: Director of Training and Education
Wage: $17.31 an hour
Benefits - Paid time off prorated to percentage of full time work week
Flexible Schedule - Some evenings/weekends and some travel around the state.

Required Qualifications

Experience with community outreach and organizing (volunteer or paid).

Experience with or knowledge of issues impacting LGBTQ community, youth and/or communities of color.
Ability to effectively manage and motivate a community advisory board.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Commitment to building a strong, multicultural movement for social change.
Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with regard to the handling of confidential information and maintain professional standards of conduct.
Computer proficiency in word processing, spread sheets, some graphics, and internet.
Ability to work with a team in a high-stress environment.
Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings and to travel to meetings around the state, if necessary.
Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge and experience with youth violence prevention education.

Strong knowledge of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer issues and other social justice issues.
Experience conducting community readiness assessments.
Bicultural/Bilingual in Spanish (verbal and written skills)
Experience in victim advocacy work or crisis intervention (volunteer or paid).
Familiarity with Colorado community resources and organizations.
Position Responsibilities

Conduct a community readiness assessment in selected pilot LGBTQ communities around the state. This assessment will include identifying and interviewing key respondents and transcribing interviews.
Oversee the quantitative scoring of interviews to determine level of community readiness to prevent sexual violence.
Manage community advisory board including coordinating and participating in bi-monthly meetings and providing support for board work groups.
Assist the Director of Training and Education in recruiting community advisory board members including identifying potential members and cultivating relationships with them.
Assist the Director of Training and Education in completing a data analysis on sexual violence in the LGBTQ community.
Assist the Director of Training and Education in developing the strategic plan for the project.
EOE: The Colorado Anti-Violence Program is a project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC). CNDC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. CAVP encourages inquiries from people of color, women, people with disabilities, low-income people, and people of transgender experience.


NCAVP to release 2008 Anti-LGBT Violence Report

Colorado Anti-Violence Project will be holding a press conference to discuss the 2008 Anti-LGBT Violence Report.

This latest report on hate violence against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in 2008 is produced by the National Coalition of Anti Violence Programs, (NCAVP) a network of over 35 antiviolence organizations that monitor, respond to, and work to end hate and domestic violence, HIV-related violence, pick-up crimes, rape, sexual assault, and other forms of violence affecting LGBT communities.

This years' report reveals that six regions report increases with three mid-west regions. Milwaukee, Minnesota, and Chicago reported a 50% or higher increase in anti-LGBT hate violence. While there has been a decline in all crime nationally hate violence against LGBT people continues to decline at a significantly slower rate (see report). Many cities, even those that report a decline in anti-LGBT violence reported an alarming increase in the severity of hate crimes and weapons use: reports of murder, sexual assault, use of weapons in the commission of a hate crime rose alarmingly. Similar increases were reflected in FBI 2008 statistics.

The report additionally makes significant public policy and practice recommendations calling for increased societal responsibility to bring an end to hate violence.

Pancakes!

I dunno about you but I can eat a lot of pancakes.

Save the date for the Colorado Anti-Violence Program's 2nd annual All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast.

It's scheduled for Saturday, July 11.

In addition to all-you-can-eat pancakes the event will feature celebrity chefs from Denver's gay community.

Hmm, like who, I wonder?

Stay tuned for more info.

Jury selection begins tomorrow in Angie Zapata murder trial

The trial for the July 2008 murder of Angie Zapata is currently scheduled for 9 days, April 14-24. Jury selection will begin on Tuesday, April 14 and is anticipated to take more than one day. The trial will take place in Courtroom 11 of the Weld County Courts at 901 9th Ave in Greeley. It would be nice to provide as much community support to Angie Zapata's family and friends as possible by having community members in attendance so please come by if you can. If there are more people than seats in the courtroom, a lottery system will be used to allow people into court in a fair way, giving priority to family members. Buttons, t-shirts, etc with photos of Angie will not be allowed in the courtroom.

There has already been media coverage about this case, some better than others. If you see any transphobic or homophobic language in any coverage, please write letters to the editor, comment in the blog section of news websites, etc.

If you are interested in coordinating rides to the trial in Greeley (either offering or needing a ride), please contact Kate Bowman at 303-202-6466 (work), 303-798-0790 (cell) or at kate@kwbowman.com.

If you are interested in providing food/snacks/water for the Zapata family or community members attending the trial, please contact Andy Stoll at the Lambda Community Center 970-221-3247 or andy@lambdacenter.org.

For more information, check out:
AngieZapata.com
Colorado Independent
DPL Health Radio - Interview with Crystal Middlestadt from the Colorado Anti-Violence Program

- via CAVP

Support meetings for the family of Angie Zapata

Discussion, mediation, and dinner will be featured at two meetings on March 18 and April 7, 6 - 8:30 p.m., in preparation for people interested in providing moral support to the surviving family and friends of Angie Zapata at the upcoming trial of Allen Ray Andrade, who is charged with brutally murdering Zapata when Andrade found out Zapata was transgender.

Sponsored by the nonprofit Colorado Anti Violence Program (CAVP), the discussion will be facilitated by CAVP staff at the CAVP office in Denver. The two gatherings are free and open to the public. Please RSVP (include dietary restrictions, if any) via email to crystal@coavp.org.

- via LaGente Unida Newsletter

Community meeting for Amie Wilcoxson

Late last year, the Colorado Anti-Violence Program began monitoring an investigation by the Aurora Police Department regarding the death of Amie Wilcoxson. A community meeting was held in November for community members to voice concerns and provide additional information to law enforcement.

Amie Wilcoxson was a peer outreach worker for It Takes a Village Transaction program and was very active in the transgender community. She passed away on Monday, November 3, 2008. Amie strongly advocated for the rights of the transgender community in employment, health care, substance abuse treatment, housing and more.

A community meeting will be held with law enforcement to announce the cause of death on Friday, February 6 at 1 p.m. at It Takes a Village (1475 Lima Street, Aurora, CO). This is an open meeting. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kelly Costello at 303-839-5204 or kelly@coavp.org.

Know Your Rights - GLBT immigration training with CAVP

The Colorado Anti-Violence Project will be presenting a seminar for GLBT immigrants on Saturday, July 12.

*click to embiggen

Be a Gay Trainer for Colorado Anti-Violence Project

LGBTQ Volunteer Trainer: CAVP is often contacted to train audiences on variety of subjects pertaining to violence and the LGBTQ community. Volunteer trainers are part of a team that educates service providers, students, LGBTQ community and others about these connections and the impact on LGBTQ communities in Colorado.

To sign up for the volunteer training, please contact Kelly Costello at kelly@coavp.org or 303-839-5204.