Activism New York – Downtown Magazine

No, you’re not misreading this: LGBTQ youth in New York City comprise up to 40% of the homeless population.

LGBTQ youths are victims of greater levels of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, trauma, HIV infection, mental health issue and substance abuse than their non-LGBTQ/cisgender counterparts. They are eight times more likely to experience homelessness. According to a 2007 study of the NYC Council census of homeless youth by the Empire State Coalition of Youth and Family Services, 28% of the street youth identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual, 5% identified as transgender, and 11% said “unsure.” These statistics are chilling.

Ali Forney was a gay/transgender youth abandoned by his parents at the tender age of 13. After a group home and the foster care system failed him, he took to the streets fending for survival by any means possible, until his tragic 1997 murder in Harlem at just 22. During his short time on earth, he advocated safe sex, HIV prevention, and sought justice for the murders of fellow queer street youth. Forney worked with the staff of the Safe Horizon Streetwork program to help others find solace and safety as well.

After Forney’s brutal murder, the Ali Forney Center (AFC) opened in 2002 as a shelter and counseling center for displaced Manhattan and Brooklyn LGBTQ youth.

As the homelessness levels rise in the city, sending some love to the Ali Forney Center is something you can do that will mean the world to a young person who did not feel safe being themselves, and sought safe shelter.

The Ali Forney Center is very transparent about where donation money goes. If you would rather purchase sundry items that immediately go to those who need it, they have an Amazon Wish List set up on the website, asking for basic necessities and clothing, GED prep textbooks, professional clothing for job interviews, and goods specifically for transgender youth.

Make a difference to someone special who could use a little kindness.

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“Flood Wall Street”

On Monday September 22nd, hundreds of protestors flooded the streets of Wall Street to advocate their goal of improving fair trade and commerce. Inspired by the massively large Climate March through the streets of New York City just the day before, this smaller group of activists marching for “Flood Wall Street” stormed the streets of Lower Manhattan to promote fair commerce, the equality of fair opportunities and to end the climate crisis.

To add an extra ounce of fight to the previous day’s Climate March, protestors stormed down Broadway in the Financial District, towards the heart of the world’s financial capital. 102 people were arrested or summoned after the “Flood Wall Street” march despite many protestors saying their original goal was to carry out the march peacefully.

DOWNTOWN has always supported the environmental movement and in fact, one prominent figure in the Climate March on Sunday was featured in our Summer 2011 issue. Leonardo DiCaprio appropriately took the place on our cover for our “Green Issue” which covered some of Lower Manhattan’s most eco-friendly businesses, residences and leaders. DiCaprio will be speaking at Tuesday’s UN summit on climate change to raise awareness of the urgency and important benefits of acting immediately to combat climate change in the future.

One protestor told DOWNTOWN, “Tomorrow is the UN gathering on climate change so we are just trying to show them that the environment is very important not only for us, but for the future.”

-Lauren Price

–Photography by Tara Salvemini

“Flood Wall Street”