Welcome

Streetwise & Safe (SAS) —also known as SAS—is a project by and for youth of color in New York City that shares the ins & outs, do’s & don’ts, and street politics of police encounters between LGBTQQ youth of color and the police. We also stand for and with LGBTQQ and youth with experience trading sex for survival needs. We feel knowing your rights makes you more confident in protecting yourself during and after interactions with the police. We also know that the reality is that the police don’t always respect our rights but knowing what they are is important so that we can fight for them later. We also create a space to share strategies to stay safe from all forms of violence experienced by LGBTQQ youth.

For more about us, click here: About Us.

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JOIN A CAMPAIGN TO STOP DISCRIMINATORY, UNLAWFUL AND ABUSIVE POLICING!

Streetwise and Safe (SAS) serves on the Steering Committee for Communities United for Police Reform (CPR)

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND JOIN TODAY!

 

READ BLOG POSTS BY SAS MEMBERS ABOUT STOP AND FRISK HERE!

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STOP USING POSSESSION OF CONDOMS AS EVIDENCE!

Check out the legislative memo SAS just sent to every single NYS state legislator – with a NYC condom attached with a note saying “Warning: Possession of this Condom Could be Used Against You As Evidence That You Intended to Engage in a Prostitution-Related Offense!” – and call your state representatives today to demand a stop to this practice!

SAS memo in support of legislation to STOP using possession of condoms as evidence!

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Streetwise and Safe (SAS) is moving and growing!

SAS is pleased to announce our transition to the space we share with Queers for Economic Justice (QEJ) on the 4th floor of 147 W. 24th St on a full-time basis as of August 1st! From now on SAS can be reached at info@streetwiseandsafe.org or at 212.929.0562

This move marks a new milestone in our development! SAS began two years ago as a program of the Peter Cicchino Youth Project (PCYP) at the Urban Justice Center, in response to LGBTQQ youth’s expressed need for “know your rights” materials that were developed and disseminated by LGBTQQ youth of color, that focused on police encounters in the context of “quality of life” enforcement and policing of prostitution-related offenses, and that would complement PCYP’s existing legal services and “know your rights” trainings. SAS also grew out of the desire of LGBTQQ youth seeking legal services to exercise their leadership skills and seek out opportunities to collectively advocate for themselves and their communities.

With our founding group of youth leaders, SAS has built on this initial dream, growing by leaps and bounds! In order to make room for further growth and to fulfill SAS’ tremendous potential to play a leadership role in local and national conversations around policing and criminalization of LGBTQQ youth of color, as of August 1, 2011, we began operating outside of the Urban Justice Center as an independent, fiscally-sponsored organization. We are excited to continue our strong partnership with PCYP, working hand in hand with its amazing staff of dedicated lawyers who will continue to provide legal services to SAS members and join in our efforts to facilitate and promote the participation and leadership of LGBTQQ youth of color who experience homelessness, policing and criminalization.

We are also thrilled to join the community at 147 24th St where our allies and friends at Queers for Economic Justice (QEJ), FIERCE, Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) and the Audre Lorde Project (ALP) are also housed.