Chelsea Malta knows all too well the impact a hate crime can have on a family.

“It killed our family,” said Malta, a freshman at the University of San Diego, whose uncle was killed in a hate-related incident last year. “It changed my mom completely.”

In June, it will be one year since Robin Malta, Malta’s uncle and a hairstylist, was killed in New Orleans.

“One day he just didn’t show up for work,” she said. “We all thought he stayed out too late the night before … My mom and a stylist went to his house … and they found him flat out on the bed. The newspapers said he was bludgeoned to death.”

Malta was one of about 50 people, including students, faculty and staff at USD, who attended a hate crimes vigil April 30. The vigil, hosted by the USD United Front Multicultural Center (UFMC), was organized in the wake of 14 hate crimes or bias incidents on the private college campus in the last year.

The most recent incident, reported April 7, involved an LGBT Awareness Month display being defaced. The vigil included a candle lighting, a walk across campus and a reading of the names of GLBT hate crimes victims. The campus’ Pride Alliance, Campus Ministries and the office of Public Safety co-sponsored the event.

The vigil was held “to honor those who have been lost to hate-motivated violence, to educate others on the dangers of intolerance, hate speech and bullying, and to come together to celebrate the resiliency of the LGBT community, while standing together as one collective voice,” said Frank Pancucci, a graduate assistant at the UFMC who organized the gathering.

“I have young children and it’s really important to me that they will grow up in a relatively safe world that is inclusive of all kinds of love,” said Amy Besnoy, a USD faculty member who attended the vigil with her son.

Pancucci and Jessica Swetin, a member of the Pride Alliance, handed out index cards with names on them of GLBT hate crimes victims and details of the victim’s death. They also handed out white votive candles.

They led a silent procession from the center of campus to the west side, along Marian Way, a major campus thoroughfare.

Pancucci asked all to read from their index cards.

“Lawrence King, Feb. 12, 2008, Oxnard, Calif.: 15-year-old middle school student, shot in the back of the head by a male classmate, after asking that classmate to be his Valentine,” Pancucci read aloud from his card.

One by one, others followed:

“Nireah Johnson, July 23, 2003, Indianapolis, Ind.: Johnson, an African American trans woman, was murdered by Paul Moore after Moore discovered Johnson was biologically male …”

“Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill, Dec. 4, 1995, Medford, Ore.: Ellis, 53, and Abdill, 42, a lesbian couple murdered by Robert Acremant. Acremant told authorities he intended to rob the couple and knowing they were lesbian made it easier for him to kill them …”

“Satender Singh, July 5, 2007, Sacramento, Calif.: A 26-year-old man who died from brain injuries. He was spending time with friends at a local lake, when he was singled out by two men at the campground. These two men began to use anti-gay comments and then one of the men hit Satender in the head. He died four days later …”

“Scott Joe Weaver, July 22, 2004, Bay Minette, Ala.: An 18-year-old murder victim … was beaten, strangled, and stabbed numerous times, partially decapitated, and his body was doused in gasoline and set on fire…”

Nearly finished reading her card, Malta broke down. With one hand rubbing tears from her eyes, she mentioned her uncle, Robin.

“Robin Malta, my uncle, June 11, 2007, New Orleans,” she said.