CM Krishnan questions OPHC on LGBTQ hate prevention efforts

Thank you, Chair.

I have a couple of questions also for the Office of Prevention of Hate Crimes.

Thank you for the report.

I look forward to digging into that a bit more.

But if you wouldn't mind just elaborating, you spoke in your testimony about efforts in the LGBTQ community.

I'm wondering if you could elaborate a little bit more specifically about what efforts are being made to combat hate in that community specifically.

Yeah, thank you for that question.

And the LGBTQIA plus community we know have historically been the group who has always faced hate crime.

While we've seen hate crime for other groups fluctuate based on geopolitical activities, et cetera, one crime that we have seen consistently over time as the second most highest reported hate crimes, anti-male homosexual hate crimes.

But we also know, Councilmember, that not all hate crimes are reported.

So we have to go places where we think they're happening, but also, too, I always say my job, 99% of my job is to listen to the community.

And we work very closely with the Anti-Violence Project of New York City, they call it AVP, and they have been doing incredible work, working with partners across the New York City, like Cat and Lord, and

various other community groups to make sure that we are educating New Yorkers about the needs, the likes, dislikes of this community, but also to resources.

Hate prevention is not only standing up and saying, we stand with you, but also care.

Being there to show care and to provide the resources that these New Yorkers feel seen, heard, and supported as well.

Additional to the PATH program that we have these different partners, we also work closely by giving out seed grants to a bunch of different community partners to make sure that we are making sure that the LGBT community is at the forefront.

Part of the 7 on 7 initiative, when we do the LGBTQIA plus community, we highlighted the trans community because we know erasure has been at the forefront recently.

So this program was centered in Roosevelt Avenue, exactly where a lot of profiling was happening towards the LGBTQIA plus community on Roosevelt Avenue.

We have a lot of programming in Manhattan right now for the Pride Parade, Pride programs, and we are going to be amplifying that again with the new funding coming in.

This mayor's commitment to prevention has been very clear, and he has made it very clear over and over that, not by words, but by action, saying we're going to invest in 800%.

increase in your office to ensure that we can serve many more partners across New York City.