Community Rallies for Homeless LGBT Youth in Union Square

Dan82 · Jun 15, 2010

http://www.frankandgabe.com/2010/06/14/community-rallies-for-homeless-lgbt-youth-in-union-square/

Earlier tonight a large crowd gathered in Union Square for a rally in support of homeless LGBT Youth. Sandra Bernhard opened the event by sharing how in her neighborhood she has often encountered kids who are staying at the Ali Forney Center, a shelter specifically for LGBT youth. “They’re up-beat, they’re smart, they have great potential. Everyone needs a little guidance now and then. It’s up to us to take them in and do some damage control,” she said.

One of the event’s prominent speakers was Lt. Dan Choi, who brought an incredible emotional resonance to the crowd, urging everyone to join him in cheering for LGBT Youth and equality. “I have a message to all the LGBT Youth wondering if it’s worth it to come out,” he said. “You deserve to be treated like a full person. You are my heroes. Say it with me, I am somebody. I am somebody. I am somebody and I deserve full equality right here, right now.”

The damage experienced by LGBT Youth was evident in the statistics alone. NYC Council Member Lewis Fidler cited sobering figures about the number of homeless children in New York City, and added that a significant percentage of these children are LGBT. Putting a face to the numbers were several gay youth who stood up to tell the crowd their story. Most had experienced a similar trajectory. Having grown up in conservative, religious households, when they came out to their parents or guardians they soon found themselves on the street. Organizations working to help LGBT youth like the Ali Forney Center took them in, and now some were even working for the same organizations that had given them a lifeline when they needed it most. A representative from the Center for American Progress, a think tank that is dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through progressive ideas and action, reminded the crowd that while New York City LGBT Youth are fortunate to have resources dedicated to them, the same is not true in many parts of the country. She herself was homeless from the age of 15 to 18 years old, and did not have access to the Internet or resources that could inform her LGBT youth services even existed. For this reason her organization believes the issue of homeless LGBT Youth should be a federal issue...
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Emberstone · Jun 15, 2010

Lt. Dan Choi, the new limelightwhore of political activisem...

Am so sick of him.

But kudos to everyone else for standing up and giving voice to LGBT homeless youths.

It saddens me to think of kids fleeing/being kicked out of their homes because of their sexual orientation.

Community Rallies for Homeless LGBT Youth in Union Square

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