Took a trip to New York the other week.
New York in May is always my favorite.
Right before the summer rush. Before the heat hits the city.
Went over to the Ali Forney Center and met with the executive director.
He answered a lot of my questions and provided a lot of really informative insight into the shelter system and the issues that LGBTQ homeless youth face.
The Ali Forney Center is named after a young man named Ali Forney who was queer and homeless.
Ali was murdered on the streets of New York
In the late 90's numerous youth who were queer and homeless were murdered on the streets of New York.
In honor of Ali and in hopes of letting his legacy live; the Ali Forney Center came to be.
It was a beautiful sunny Friday afternoon when I went there...
a peaceful place with bright yellow and blue walls.
I waited in the front lobby area and chatted with a friendly volunteer and a youth who had never met a Canadian before!
Sitting in that chair, chatting, looking through various pamphlets that were there to offer support and guidance for youth who had just come out and for families of youth who had just come out...I felt quite emotional.
What a place this was. What a beautiful place this was.
I had found the place that offers the "support" I had been searching for in Toronto.
Here it was...in New York City...
I will be starting a podcast on youth homelessness.
For more information on my visit to the Ali Forney Center stay tuned for my first podcast to be posted in the near future...
