Description
This collection documents the work of Community United Against Violence (CUAV), the nation’s first LGBTQQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, queer and questioning) anti-violence organization. The collection covers the years 1977 to 2005, and contains
administrative records; board materials; correspondence; financial records; hate crime surveys, reports and statistics; incident
and police reports; materials related to the organization’s Speakers Bureau, and other outreach projects and events produced
by CUAV; public relations materials; files collected by staff members; subject files; news clippings; awards; and reference
publications.
Background
Community United Against Violence (CUAV) was founded in 1979 as an organized effort to promote community safety in San Francisco’s
Castro District. This was in the wake of the assassinations of Harvey Milk and George Moscone and police attacks on LGBTQ
people. CUAV is the country’s oldest LGBTQ anti-violence organization. Programs initially included a safety whistle campaign,
a gay and lesbian speakers bureau for public schools, and later expanded to include a 24-hour crisis line and peer advocates
to support survivors of hate violence and intimate partner violence. After the adoption of an anti-oppression framework in
the late 1990’s, CUAV launched TransAction with the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights to organize against anti-transgender
police violence., It also started the Love & Justice Program to create opportunities for LGBTQ youth of color to develop healthy
relationship skills through the arts. (see www.cuav.org/history)
Extent
31 cartons, 108 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box, 1 oversize folder (84.95 linear feet)
Availability
Collection is open for research with the exception of some incident reports, which are restricted until December 31, 2014.
Funding for processing this collection was provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)
and the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR).