Today 12 years ago, 5 days after being serverly beaten and left for dead. Matthew Wayne Shepard died.

From this tragic event his mother started a crusade to end hate and bullying based on Sexual Orientation. 10 years later Congress passed the Matthew Shepard-Larry Bird Hate Crimes Bill that made it a federal crime to target someone for a crime based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

12 years later in the month leading up to the anniversaty of his death at least 12 youth have taken their lives in the face of bullying because of their sexual orientaiton

Billy Lucas (15) Sept 9, Indiana

Cody J. Barker (17) Sept 13, Wisconsin

Seth Walsh (13) Sept 19, California

Tyler Clementi (18) Sept 22, New Jersey

Asher Brown (13) Sept 23, Texas

Harrison Chase Brown (15) Sept, 25 Colorado

Raymond Chase (19) Sept 29, Rhode Island

Felix Sacco (17) Sept 29, Massachusetts

Caleb Nolt (14) Sept 30, Indiana

Zach Harrington (19) Oct 10, Oklahoma

Justin "Chloe" Lacey (19) Oct 2, California

Aiyisha Hassan, (19), Oct 1st Califonia

Yesterday was National Coming Out Day a day to stand up to declare who are to the world and stand up against intolerance and hate. Today, take a moment to reflect not only those listed above who in the face of hate took their own life but also those who's lives were ended or changed because of the actions of another

Harvey Milk 1978-shot to death

John Wear 1991- Stabbed to death because they thought he was gay... but he wasn't

Rebbeca Wight & Claudia Brenner shot while camping 1988

U.S. Navy Petty Officer Allan Schindeler stomped to death 1992- his death lead to the creation of Don't Ask Don't Tell

Brandon Teena Raped and killed 1993

The bombing of the Otherside Lounge 1996

U.S. Army Pfc. Barry Winche beaten to death for dating a transwoman 1999

Steen Fenerich killed and dismembered by his stepfather 1999

Gwen Aruajo a transwoman killed 2002

Sakia Gunn a 15 yo lesbian killed waiting for her bus 2003

Scotty Joe Weaver was an 18 year-old murder victim 2004

SD Pride 2006 6 men attacked with baseballs after the festival

Andrew Anthos, a 72-year-old disabled gay man 2007

Lawerence Larry King killed by another student 2008

Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, an 11 year old child hung himself after being made of because others thought he was gay 2009

On June 30, 2009, Seaman August Provost was found shot to death

3 Men Beaten, tortured and raped in the Bronx over the weekend

If you are in the San Diego Area please join me this evening for San Diego Remembers Matthew Shepard http://sandiegormembers.com

SAN DIEGO (October 11, 2010) — San Diego will commemorate the tragic 1998 death of gay college student Matthew Shepard in a candle lit procession and rally on Tuesday, October 12, 2010. The brutal attack of Shepard, who was left to die in a barren field, was the result of anti-gay, hate-motivated violence. His murder sent waves across the nation at the time, and continues to resonate within the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) communities today.

The event, which will begin at 7 p.m. with a candlelit procession along Hillcrest’s University Avenue, will be followed by a rally and remembrance ceremony at the San Diego LGBT Community Center, located at 3909 Centre Street. Participants are being asked to gather at one of two of points along University Avenue, with the two groups meeting mid-way along University to walk as one unified group to The Center. Procession meeting points will be:

• Park Blvd & University Avenue (southwest corner, under the “Egyptian” Condominium complex sign)
• Fifth & University Avenues (northwest corner, under the iconic Hillcrest sign, at the Union Bank building)

Around 7:15 p.m. the two groups will process east and west along University Avenue towards each other, meeting at the “John Wear Memorial Hate Crimes Plaque” located on the sidewalk in front of Obelisk Shoppe at 1029 University Avenue. Here, participants will be given candles and take a moment to remember all who have lost their lives due to hate.

Then, the large group will process to the San Diego LGBT Community Center, located at 3909 Centre Street, for a rally and ceremony. The event, which will shed light on the fact that hate still exists in our community, will feature the following speakers:

• Terry Summers: Executive Director of the Lambda Center Community Center in Fort Collins, CO at the time of Shepard’s death. In Fort Collins, which is only about an hour drive from Laramie, WY (site of Shepard’s death), Summers was thrown into the limelight as these communities mourned, grieved, and lived in fear. He knew Shepard personally, and had many mutual friends.
• Wendy Sue Biegeleisen: Long-time San Diego GLBT and peace community activist Wendy Sue Biegeleisen has been actively involved in the community since she “came out” at the age of 16 in 1976. She has been involved in a number of movements, and has long supported anti-violence, anti-hate, HIV/AIDS, and equality organizations. Wendy Sue is a strong, respected leader in San Diego’s GLBT community and will share her stories of living through hate.
• Josh Scarpuzzi: Twenty-year old Josh Scarpuzzi is a rising star in San Diego’s GLBT Community. Recently joining San Diego Gay & Lesbian News (www.SDGLN.com) as a contributor, Josh has begun sharing the story of the difficulties he faced growing up while coming to terms with his sexuality, which led to him almost taking his own life earlier this year. Josh will share his message of hope and inspiration.

According to co-organizer Ricky Cervantes, “in light of the recent string of GLBT youth suicides, this event hits even closer to home. Hate is alive and it leads to lost lives be it through suicide or murder. One life lost is too many and we will continue to stand up against hate until it is eradicated from our society.”

Following the event will be after-parties at various locations throughout the community. These celebratory events will raise money for the Stonewall Citizens Patrol, which will also be providing safety volunteers during the event. After-parties will be held at:

• Bourbon Street Bar & Grill located at 4612 Park Blvd. in University Heights.
• Urban Mo’s Bar & Grill located at 308 University Avenue in Hillcrest.
• Gossip Grill located at 1440 University Avenue in Hillcrest.

The Urban Mo’s/Gossip Grill shuttle will circulate the community starting at 9:30 p.m., transporting patrons between the two venues.

Organizers are encouraging participants to wear purple and bring their own candles to help defray costs. Participants will be provided with purple ribbons to wear.

Also, the organizing committee has committed to cleaning and shining the “John Wear Hate Crimes Memorial Plaque” which has become largely forgotten by the community. At 3 p.m. on October 12, volunteers will scrub, wax, and polish the brass plaque which was installed following Wear’s 1991 murder.

Volunteers and organizing committee members will be available throughout the day for interview, photo opportunities, and coverage. Please contact Ben Cartwright to schedule interviews or for more information.

For additional information, visit www.sandiegoremembers.com.

[Edited 10/13/10 23:13pm]

Amazing that was 12 years ago.

I know better than most how deeply this affected people as my best friend Brian was one of Matt's closest friends. I experienced first hand the fallout and knock-on effect this had on his life and the lives of those who love and care about him. It was a terrible crime and a dark period for not just those close to the 'eye of the storm' but for the Gay community in general.

Matt would be so proud to know that people still use his name to rally against hate and more importantly to educate on the power of diversity, respect and acceptance.

Hate crime begins with hate speech. If you see it, hear it - DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND SPEAK UP.

We have not forgotten you Matt, nor will we forget others who fall at the wayside.

_____________________________________

We Must All Protect Youth from Suicide

Our family, and the staff and board at the Matthew Shepard Foundation, are all deeply saddened by the devastating report of at least the fourth gay or gay-perceived teen to commit suicide in this country in the last month.

Reports say that Tyler Clementi, 18, leapt to his death from the George Washington Bridge near his New Jersey college campus after a roommate allegedly broadcast him in a same-sex encounter behind closed doors in his dorm room, and apparently invited others, via Twitter, to view it online. Regardless of his roommate’s alleged tweet, Tyler had apparently made no statement about his own sexual orientation. I’m sure we will all learn more about this terrible tragedy as legal proceedings unfold, but the contempt and disregard behind such an invasion of privacy seems clear. In the meantime, we send our thoughts and prayers to Tyler’s family as they mourn their loss.

In the last month there has been a shocking series of teen suicides linked to bullying, taunting, and general disrespect regarding sexual orientation, in every corner of America. Just a few days ago, Seth Walsh, a 13-year-old in Tehachapi, Calif., passed away after 10 days on life support after he hanged himself. Police say he had been mercilessly taunted by fellow students over his perceived sexual orientation.

Billy Lucas, 15, hanged himself a few weeks ago at his Indiana home after years of reported harassment by students who judged him to be gay. Asher Brown, a 13-year-old in Harris, TX, who had recently come out, took his life with a gun after, his parents say, their efforts to alert school officials to ongoing bullying were not acted upon.

Many Americans also learned this week about Tyler Wilson, an 11-year-old boy in Ohio who decided to join a cheerleading squad that had been all-female. As a gymnast, he was interested in the athletic elements of cheering. He was taunted with homophobic remarks and had his arm broken by two schoolmates who apparently assumed him to be gay. He told “Good Morning America” that since returning to school, he’s been threatened with having his other arm broken, too.

Our young people deserve better than to go to schools where they are treated this way. We have to make schools a safe place for our youth to prepare for their futures, not be confronted with threats, intimidation or routine disrespect.

Quite simply, we are calling one more time for all Americans to stand up and speak out against taunting, invasion of privacy, violence and discrimination against these youth by their peers, and asking everyone in a position of authority in their schools and communities to step forward and provide safe spaces and support services for LGBT youth or those who are simply targeted for discrimination because others assume they are gay. There can never be enough love and acceptance for these young people as they seek to live openly as their true selves and find their role in society.

Suicide is a complicated problem and it is too easy to casually blame it on a single factor in a young person’s life, but it is clear that mistreatment by others has a tremendously negative effect on a young person’s sense of self worth and colors how he or she sees the world around them. Parents, educators and peers in the community need to be vigilant to the warning signs of suicide and other self-destructive behaviors in the young people in their lives, and help them find resources to be healthy and productive.

We urge any LGBT youth contemplating suicide to immediately reach out to The Trevor Project, day or night, at (866) 4-U-TREVOR [866-488-7386].

- Judy Shepard
President, Matthew Shepard Foundation Board of Directors

http://www.matthewshepard.org/home/judy-shepard-we-must-all-protect-gay-youth-from-suicide

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Reflection on the prarie in Laramie, Wyoming (2001)

I'll never forget reading the description of how he was found.

His face was covered in blood...except for tracks where his tears had washed it away.

ehuffnsd said:

I know I don't post like I used to, since I got appointed to the SD LGBT Leadership Council and my therapist said my destiny was being a leader, I've kinda thrown myself into that.

However I still feel close to several of you so I'll share my reflections on of the most amazing days of my life.

Well after two months of planning, a little community drama, and some unforseen losses to the world as a whole it was time for SDRMS. I said over and over again while working on this project to just about everyone I knew... this was the easiest committee for a community event I'd ever worked on. We were all committed to the same vision, left our egos at the door and got to work. Also I think aside from one member of the committee we were all of the Millienial Generaiton. The most important thing to me also was aside from Thomas, the eldest of the group, Benny, whom I've known since my days back with GYA-Gay Youth Assoc, and myself the committee members had never been involved with anything.

The night before I ended up about 3 hours of sleep because of nerves. My newest daughter in the Sisters Pst Atta and I got some breakfast and than I went back home to finish up my emailing for the day and get to the "office" for the start of prep work. Getting there it all seemed overwhelming because we had about 5 hours to get ballons filled, ribbions cut, sidewalk chalked, ballons tied to the street, the LGBT Center to set up, and to paint my face. Thankfully most of my volunteers showed up as promised and we were able to get things going and on schedule. I felt a bit guilty when I had to leave for about an hour to get in drag with so much work left to do but you gotta do what you gotta do.

On my way back to the office after painting I walked one of the routes and just took it in, I started to tear up as I saw all of our ideas in action. It was real... We really had done it. When I got back to the office we all headed to the Center to start the final part of set up. It took us about 45 mins to get it ready which gave us 15 mins to rest and talk. Benny thanked everyone for their work and than I gave a little inspirational speech about being the Light and Changing the World and off we went to points to start the night. We had asked the HBA to turn the median lights on the palm trees purple and when I saw walking to plaque it just took my breathe away.

Than at 715 we got the radio call that the march had started and that's kinda where I blacked out I guess...I call it getting out of the way of the Gods to speak through me. I was the first scheduled speaker of the night at the start of candle vigil part at the SD Hate Crimes Plaque. I'm not sure what happened there but I was told I did an amazing job. From there we headed back with about 450 people to the Center and did our multi media presentation on Matthew. A couple of the speakers ran a bit long but I think it went well over all.

I went to the first after party and had a late dinner with a couple fellow committee members who told me they were nervous first to work with me because according to them I'm a celebrity and than didn't want me to think they weren't worthy. I blushing and a bit taken aback because I just don't see myself that way at all. From there I went to another one of the afterparties and hung out with a local drag queen I only really had just known kind of causally. She also told me she looked up to me and thanked me for all the hard work I do. Than we got drunk and did our rendition of "I Wanna Dance With Someone," for the Karoke night going on there. That I hope no one caught on video!

Sister Nora and Sister Shelby

Sister Nora

Sister Bianca

Sister Raven

Sister Shelby with Anthony Mr SD Leather 2010

Sister Nora, Nvc Father Mcfeely, Sister Shelby

my new crush is with the coffee

Iggy from the SDRemembers committee handing out ribbions to people gathering

Me with Sister Ida, and Ricky from SDRmembers back of the head

The San Diego Hate Crimes Plaque... On Dec 13 1991 a 17yo boy by the name of Johnny Wear was stabbed to death at this spot because they thought he was gay... he wasn't

Sister Ida

Benny from SD Remembers and Wendy Sue one of our speakers and she's mentored both of us in our activism path and the lights on palm trees i was talking about

Thanks for sharing the pics and the story of an amazing event, E.

Beautiful pics. Thanks for sharing this experience.

ehuffnsd said:

Great pics Eric! And that's my ex in the purple bandana! What a trip! I haven't seen him in years!

I agree, great pics.