Showing posts with label Bronx LGBTQ Cente. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bronx LGBTQ Cente. Show all posts

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Update on the new Bronx LGBTQ Center on its One-Year Birthday


    The new Bronx LGBTQ Center (the “Center”) is pleased to provide an update today, which marks the one-year anniversary of its birth as a New York State Not-For-Profit corporation.
One year ago today, we incorporated our new Bronx LGBTQ Center with nothing more than a small handful of individuals and a dream. On our one-year birthday, I'm so happy to announce that we have initiated programs to help our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, are making progress on raising the funds necessary to build a new Center, and are working on bringing event more programs and services to LGBTQ and supportive individuals in the Bronx and surrounding areas,” exclaimed Tym Moss, the Center's president.
The Bronx LGBTQ Pride & Health Fair was a success. On July 20th, nearly 50 organizations interacted with nearly 2,000 participants over a six-hour time frame – a strong showing that the Bronx LGBTQ community has individuals and organizations who care about them and will provide services. The event received support from prominent elected officials, including attendance by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., NYC Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, NYS Senator Jose M. Serrano and his father, Congressman Jose E. Serrano, and NYS Assemblywoman Carmen Arroyo and her daughter, NYC Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo.
On August 20th, nearly 20 of the 60 candidates running for office in the September 10th primary election who were invited appeared at the Center's Candidates Forum on LGBTQ Issues at the Bronx Library Center, where the candidates answered questions on topics such as hate crimes, safety, homelessness, government services, and even revealing something personal about themselves, such as coming out about something. The forum can be viewed on YouTube in its entirety at http://youtu.be/V_rxmWaPyjY
We are so fortunate to have a number of organizations who have come forward to work with us in providing services to our LGBTQ communities. We thank each and every one of them, because without their tremendous support and assistance, we would not have made the progress we did or be in the position we are in now to begin offering the services and programs that are planned to launch in the coming months,” Mr. Moss stated.
September was a particularly busy month for the new Center. On the 3rd, it brought LGBTQ culture to the Bronx with an Open Mic at The Clock Bar. A packed house enjoyed poetry readings, spoken word performances, and musical interludes. On the 6th, the Center partnered with One Sandwich At A Time and St. Barnabas Hospital to make 500 sandwiches, which were then donated to help feed homeless LGBTQ youth through the Ali Forney Center and Sylvia's Place, two wonderful non-profit organizations dedicated to serving our LGBTQ youth populations, among others.
A Free Legal Clinic began operating on September 17th. A collaboration between the Center, the LeGaL Foundation, and Union Community Health Center, the legal clinic will offer guidance and referrals to individuals on a range of matters. It operates on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, from 6-8 pm at Union's main offices at 260 East 188th Street, Bronx, NY. Full details can be found at http://le-gal.org/bronx-legal-clinic/
We will soon be launching a number of additional programs, services, and events that we have been working on bringing to the Bronx,” Peter C. Frank, the Center's secretary and lead organizer, advised. “In the coming months, you can expect to see a weekly LGBTQ Youth Group, weekly women's and men's educational and informational groups, more community outreach walks (next scheduled on October 11th for NCOD), a peer support services network that will provide weekly support groups, a “12 Steps to the Rainbow” recovery initiative, legal and financial services workshops, and more social programming—including a Halloween Costume Ball on October 29th, as well as a pot-luck Thanksgiving dinner as part of our Family Holidays program,” he added. A new web site is also in the works.
For more information about the Center and its upcoming programs and events, visit http://bronxlgbtqcenter.org
Contact Peter C. Frank with questions: e-mail secretary@bronxlgbtqcenter.org or call 914-417-9579.