Selenis Leyva Supports NYC's Anti-Violence Project to Protect LGBTQ Community

Selenis Leyva shared a post on Instagram highlighting the work of New York City's Anti-Violence Project, a nonprofit organization which aims to serve and protect the LGBTQ community. "If you are an LGBTBQ+ person and have experienced police violence or brutality during these protests or need to talk to someone call @antiviolence, they have a 24 hour hotline!" the Cuban Dominican actress wrote. "You are not alone!"

The star of Netflix's Orange Is the New Black and the Disney+ series Diary of a Future President is an advocate for both the LGBTQ community and people of color, proudly representing Afro-Latinos. Leyva talked to People CHICA about her memoir, My Sister: How One Sibling's Transition Changed Us Both, co-written with her transgender sister Marizol. “I feel that this book is about saving lives. It's about educating the families, the communities to be supportive because what LGBTQ people and trans people in general need is support,” the actress said. “I know that my sister wouldn't be here today with us if she didn't have the support I gave her and then my family gave her.”

(Photo by Morgan Lieberman/Getty Images)

She also opened up about fearing for Marizol's safety at times due to the violence that many LGBTQ people face. "She is still my baby sister, she is still someone who needs guidance and lots of love, and every day is a struggle for her," said Levya. "As much as we have all started talking about this and there is so much advocacy for trans people, there is also a very high death rate and violence against trans people, especially women of color. It's still a daily struggle. I can't say that I don't have fear for her safety or her life. ... The world is still not as accepting as it should be."

Courtesy of Bold Type Books