Equality Across America (EAA) extends our deepest condolences to the families of Jorge Steven López Mercado and Jason “Jaysen” Mattison, Jr. Jorge was an openly gay Puerto Rican man who was brutally slain last week in what appears to have been a hate crime against him for his gender expression. In Baltimore, Jason “Jaysen” Mattison, Jr., a Black high school sophomore, was raped and beaten to death on November 10. It is in sadness and solidarity that we gather across the nation in memory of Jorge Steven López Mercado and Jason “Jaysen” Mattison, Jr.

The vigils listed below will be publicized as tangible evidence of our support for the Puerto Rican and Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) communities as well as all other victims of hate crimes and their families.

EAA member Sherry Wolf explains, “So long as the federal government maintains discriminatory laws against LGBTQI people, unimaginable acts of brutality like these are more likely to occur.”

Equality Across America fully denounces inequality of any kind based on class, race, religion, age or community including but not limited to individuals that identify as LGBTQI. It is our mission to secure equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.  We will accept no less and will work until it is achieved.

In conjunction with our commitment to equality, we call on officials to ensure that all applicable hate crime provisions be applied to these cases. At present, there is evidence that Jorge may have been targeted based on his gender expression and Jason for his sexual orientation. We are outraged by the televised public statement by a Puerto Rican police investigator who stated “people who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen.”

Below is a partial list of solidarity vigils taking place in cities across the United States that EAA member groups have either initiated or are participating in:

• New York City:  Sunday, Nov. 22, 7pm, Christopher St. piers
• LA: Sunday, Nov. 22, 8pm, Santa Monica and San Vicente, West Hollywood
• Chicago: Sunday, Nov. 22, 4pm, Division and California, Humboldt Park (contact: Nik Maciejewski,nmaciejewski@gmail.com, 630-205-5025)
• Gainesville, FL: Friday, Nov. 20, 7:30pm, Plaza of the Americas, U of F (contact: Rev. Donna Lee, 352-484-7135,activistlee@aol.com)
• Washington, D.C.: Sunday, Nov. 22, 5pm, Dupont Circle (contact:laura.lising@gmail.com)
• San Francisco: Sunday, Nov. 22, 7pm, Castro and Market St. (contact: Kelly Rivera Hart, 415.260.5704)
• Philadelphia: Sunday, Nov. 22, 7pm, Love Park, 15^th and Arch
• Boston: Sunday, Nov. 22, 7pm, Copley Plaza
• Terre Haute, IN: Friday, Nov. 20, 6:30pm, DeDe Plaza, Indiana State Univ. (contact: Colin Hammar,chammar@gmail.com, 219-628-2318)