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Action Alert: Demand that the Brooklyn District Attorney Drop the Charges Against Tiffany Jimenez

Posted By QWOC+ Boston on July 16th, 2009

Demand that the Brooklyn District Attorney Drop the Charges Against Tiffany Jimenez

Call the Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes (718) 250-2000
Demand he Drop the Charges Against Tiffany Jimenez now!

In the early morning of Sunday May 17, 2009 several officers from the 77th Precinct came to the Ife Lounge in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. They then entered the lounge and physically removed Jeanette Gray (Jg) who was working at the club as a promoter and photographer from the premises. Once outside again without justification they began to viciously assault her while yelling homophobic slurs. While these officers were assaulting Gray, other officers began to violently push the partygoers who were observing. Tiffany Jimenez, a partygoer, attempted to leave the area with her friends in order to avoid the conflict. Officers pushed Jimenez to the ground and attacked her. Both Gray and Jimenez were arrested. Gray was charged with Criminal Trespass and Resisting Arrest. Both charges were subsequently adjourned in Contemplation of Dismissal. Jimenez was charged with disorderly conduct.
In a blatant effort to cover up their misconduct, police claimed that Jimenez was so highly intoxicated that she had to be taken to the hospital on the night of the incident. This allegation is blatantly false. Jimenez was never taken for medical treatment of any kind while in police custody, only seeking treatment for the injuries she suffered at the hands of the police after she was released from police custody.

How you can support:
1. Call the DA, 718.250.2000 and text us at 347-721-1309 to let us know that you’ve called
2. Text, call, or email at least 10 people to do the same
3. Donate to the Living Against Violence Fund to support both Tiffany and Jg’s medical, living, and legal expenses. https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=061502452 Please specify ?LAV-JG?.

4. Get involved with organizations like the Audre Lorde Project and Make the Road NY.

What to say:
Hi, my name is __________________________ and I?m calling in support of Tiffany Jimenez.
On May 17th, Tiffany was assaulted and subjected to homophobic verbal abuse by police officers at the IFE Lounge in Crown Heights Brooklyn. She was then arrested and taken into police custody, where she experienced additional violations of her rights. I?m calling to demand that the charges against Tiffany Jimenez be dropped and that assault charges be brought against the officers who violated her rights

About the Audre Lorde Project and the S.O.S. Collective
The S.O.S. Collective works to challenge hate and police violence that affects LGBTSTGNC (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Two-Spirit, and Gender Non-Conforming) people of color in Central Brooklyn. We are guided by the belief that strategies that increase the police presence within our communities do not create safety. Therefore we believe in fighting the root causes of violence by building stronger relationships within our communities to prevent, intervene, and hold attackers accountable outside of the system.

The Audre Lorde Project is a community organizing center of LGBTSTGNC people of color. Through mobilization, education and capacity-building, we work for community wellness and progressive social and economic justice. Committed to struggling across differences, we seek to responsibly reflect, represent and serve our various communities.

About GLOBE and Make the Road NY.
Globe is a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people primarily from communities of color in Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, Brownsville and other parts of central and north Brooklyn. Our mission is to empower our communities through organizing and education. Our membership is intergenerational, ranging from age 14-50+. Globe is one of the few New York City groups founded by, led and constituted by low-income LGBTQ people of color organizing around public policy issues that have impact at the city-wide, state-wide and national level. Globe is a project of Make the Road New York.

With over 5900 members, and offices in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, Make the Road New York (MRNY) is the largest membership-based immigrant organization in New York City. Make the Road New York promotes economic justice, equity and opportunity for all New Yorkers through community and electoral organizing, strategic policy advocacy, leadership development, youth and adult education, and high quality legal and support services.

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Lesbian Couple Dies in House Fire in Statesboro, GA

Posted By QWOC+ Boston on May 12th, 2009

Lesbian couple Naumbyia T. German (right) and Kiona Lively were found dead in their Statesboro, Ga., home Wednesday. Police say the fire is 'suspicious.'

Lesbian couple deaths ruled murder-suicide
Police say Statesboro couple had no prior record of domestic violence
By MATT SCHAFER, Southern Voice | May 7 2009, 2:19 PM

Investigators have ruled the May 6 death of a lesbian couple in Statesboro a murder suicide.

Statesboro Police Capt. Scott Brunson said evidence at the scene pointed to Kiona Thais Lively, 27, shooting Naumbyia T. German, 26, several times in the bathroom of the house the two women shared on Harden Road in Statesboro. Lively then later set a fire and shot herself in the chest.

“All the evidence clearly points to a murder-suicide,” Brunson told Southern Voice.

The two women were in a relationship and had reportedly been married in Toronto in 2007. Brunson said there had been no calls for domestic violence to the house before, although the Statesboro Herald newspaper reported several friends and family members were concerned about the relationship.

According to the Herald:

“We grew up together, went to school together,” said Simone Jenkins, her voice choked with tears as she spoke about German. “She was my little sister.”

Nicknamed “Pooh,” German was “so sweet and so good,” Jenkins said. “Her only fault was she fell in love with the wrong woman.” Jenkins said Lively and German had been in a troubled relationship for some time, and German wanted out not only for her sake but for her mother’s, “because of all the fighting and arguing.”

But Lively did not want the relationship to end, she said. “She wouldn’t let her leave.”

German’s mother, who lived with the couple, was found unharmed at a local hotel. Lively took her to the hotel before the incident, the Herald reported.

This is the first murder of the year for the small town, police told Southern Voice. The Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s office will review the police’s findings, but Brunson said he considers the case closed.

Several studies have shown that roughly 25 percent of both straight and gay couples suffer some form of domestic violence during their relationships.

In March, Natasha Demery was found guilty of felony murder for the killing of Alisha Florine Lea in Cobb County.

According to the prosecution, Demery and Lea had an argument when Lea picked up Demery from her job at Pin Ups in Decatur. Demery later shot Lea and turned herself into the police. She was also found guilty of two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of crime.

Resources for victims of same-sex domestic violence remain scarce, although a task force has formed in Atlanta to begin trying to address the issue.

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Melange Lavonne Takes a Stand Against Racism at LA Pride

Posted By QWOC+ Boston on May 10th, 2008

I am reposting an excerpt from Melange Lavonne’s blog (link above). She sent out a bulletin yesterday titled “I do not support LA Pride” with a few reasons. Of course I responded and told her that I supported her decision to speak out against the racism that she experiences in the music industry as a hiphop artist… It’s fascinating to me that people think just because hip-hop culture has been embraced by american youth, and as such, has become somewhat mainstream, that these artists walk around on a red carpat all the time. Don’t get me started…

“Why I Do Not Support LA Pride”

I don’t support LA Pride Entertainment, three years I’ve submitted my material and because it doesn’t fit or flow with the other genres of music like rock, folk, alternative, (so I’ve been told) my hip-hop act wouldn’t fit the bill (main stage). I do not support LA Pride Entertainment. My messages aren’t negative and I would think the LGBT Community would get over themselves and stop seeing artists “like me” who do hip-hop, in a negative light.

Some Prides segregate music by having individual stages for acts of a particular type of genre to perform. Interesting how hip-hop always gets its own tent off to the side away from main stage. Hip Hop is a multi BILLION dollar industry, if you don’t like the music, at least hear some of the positive messages and think “smart” that it can get to a newer generation. Instead you repeatedly ask for artists who were big in the 70’s and 80’s to come back and perform.

I have to go out of my home state to perform at Prides, which is just fine with me. I love New York, DC, London for showing love for my Film, Boston, NJ, UConn. Hip-hop should be a part of mainstage as well. Not just folk, or rock, or etc, and that applies to Dinah Shore weekend in Palm Springs. Shame on you.

I will never take part or contribute to anything they do unless they make a public apology for the statement they sent me explaining why I can’t be a part of main stage.

I will not take part of any organization that discriminates or segregates people through music, preference, race, age, or background.

If these prides want to continue overlooking the new talents who are voices and influential artists who want change, then they don’t deserve the message we come with.

I love her. She’s such an amazing artist and am glad that she’s making it a habit early in her career to merge her music with her activism. LA Pride should be ashamed of themselves, and so should any other pride/festival that still treats hiphop artists like this.

Incidentally, a similar situation just happened in England with Jay-Z. Apparently there was an outcry when he was selected as the headline for a famous music festival. The festival has generally featured ‘rock/guitar’ musicians, but not necessarily because that was the theme – they just never asked any negros! With Jay-Z’s success and global popularity, the festival organizers decided that it would be cool to invite him to headline the show. Oh boy, the gall! A “rapper”?? So many artists spoke out against him, saying that his music wasn’t the ‘kind’ that the festival attendants went to hear.

Idiots. Dumb, ignorant idiots. Jay-Z’s music features live bands in his concerts, this past album sounded so funk jazz classic in its production. But nooo… white people still don’t get that hip-hop – an entire GENRE of music – isn’t comprised solely of “bitches” and “hos”. Anyway, unlike LA Pride, I am glad that the festival’s organizers are holding their ground and not giving into the bullshit.

Still… why are people so stupid?