New York’s Pride Parade 2013. Credit: Kevin Downs/Metro
A coalition of community organizations will join together in hosting a forum on fighting stigma against New York’s transgender community on Thursday.
City Council member Melissa Mark-Viverito and State Senator José M. Serrano were instrumental in organizing the event, entitled “Bridging the Gap, Expanding the Dialogue – Combatting Stigma, Homophobia and Transphobia in Our Communities.”
The forum comes a month after a brutal assault left a Harlem transgender woman dead. Police say Islan Nettles, 21, was beaten to death by a male companion in a suspected hate crime.
The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Silberman School of Social Work on 3rd Ave. and 119th St in East Harlem.
Some of the community groups that will take part in the forum are Harlem United, Harlem Pride, The LGBT Center, CK Life and Destination Tomorrow. The city health department will also provide support.
