TAMPA, Fla. — Cet Mohamed-Moore has had her fair share of side eyes and glances.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and founder of the organization Found Family Collective, her story is one of many.
That story of acceptance and what she and so many others continue to endure in the LGBTQ+ community.
"I don't think that this country has had the homophobic and transphobic climate that we currently have since maybe the Lavender Scare," Moore said.
There are numbers to back her up.
According to statistics released days ago by the FBI, in 2021, there were just over 1,700 hate crime incidents because of a person's sexual orientation.
Close to 2,000 victims were reported but Moore said that number is more than likely higher.
"I believe it is worse than we know because even though the numbers are showing a trend upward in hate crimes against trans and queer folks, not all violence perpetrated against us is reported," Moore said.
Brian Anderson Needham and his cousin Jamie are familiar with those numbers.
The two founded Weapon Brand, a self-defense business and they reached out to Moore.
Not long after, they offered the first of a series of self defense classes for the LGBTQ+ community.
"That was just another community, you know, another group of people that they really didn't have too much to fall back on, and we have seen a lot more hate crimes. We have seen a lot more violence with them and things like that," Needham said.
Needham said he understands there may be initial hesitations about bringing someone like him into a tight-knit community.
"Every time you see kind of like who's this bald guy with tattoos coming in here who taught military and law enforcement what the heck does he know about us, but what we do know is the human side of things," Needham said.
Add to that trust and communication and Needham said it builds a new community. One that is stronger not only emotionally but physically.
For more information about future classes along with Found Family Collective, visit here.
For more information about Weapon Brand, visit here.
