Vigil & Community Altar for Jason Mattison and Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado

Join us this Monday November 23, 6:30-8:30pm for a vigil and community altar building in honor of two young gay men of color who were brutally murdered in the last month: Jason Mattison (15 yrs old, murdered in Baltimore, Maryland on November 10, 2009) and Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado (19 yrs. old, murdered in Puerto Rico on November 14, 2009).

In solidarity with national vigils across the country, Western MA Qpocalypse and Food for Thought Books will create a community art/testimonio sharing space where all will be welcome to mourn as a community, connect with the national campaign, share stories, and create items for a community altar that holds our mission for violence-free communities for ALL. We resist Homophobia and Transphobia!

The resulting photographic and video footage will be used in efforts for full prosecution of the Jorge Mercado case. Never in Puerto Rico's history has a crime been prosecuted with hate crimes provisions attached, despite the existence of said provisions since 2002. We want to make sure this is the first case.

For information on the National Campaign organizing for justice in this case please see their recent press release

More information about Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado: Gay Puerto Rican Teen Decapitated, Dismembered, and Burned

For more information about Jason Mattison: Many unanswered questions in killing of youth

For other information please see the Oakland "More Than A Vigil" blog