The LGBTQ community has suffered throughout many years so we are trying to raise awareness and learn as much about the struggles and progress of this society as we can. We have been interviewing numerous organization founders, directors and staff about how they keep a safe environment for LGBT youth and what they provide for them. 4 in 10 LGBTQ youth (42%) say that the community in which they live is not accepting of LGBTQ people.
On Saturday I worked with Carrie Borows and Amy Fabrikant and Zoe Picayo to hang pictures in the Visibility Exhibit. Sam assisted me by helping hang pictures with ever irritating glue dots. We made quick work of putting up the pictures and we were able to view the pictures of LGBTQ members and allies who…
Today we had an adventurous, successful and interesting fieldwork. Fo this fieldwork we went to GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) which is located at 90 Broad Street. GLSEN is an organization that researches LGBTQ youth experiences at school and the parents experience of having an LGBTQ. This organization also teaches and helps make…
Today I was able to interview GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) with the LGBTQ group. This was a very enlightening and inspiring experience, complete with freebies. We learned about how the organization is operated and how they support schools and young people. They take part in many different events that raise awareness and help…
Today in class we decided to show a film called Trevor recommended to us by our schools director about a struggling teen named Trevor who is rejected by his school because he is gay. In the movie it fallows the life of a sweet hearted boy who starts to have feelings towards his best friend;…
Today we phone interviewed with mr. Bill Torez. I think me and my group did a really good job. The interview is just the star, the origination didn’t really have much we could help with because we are too young. My group doesn’t really have a direction yet on what lgbtq project we want to…
On Thursday, January 23, 2014 we interviewed Sandra (Chap) Chapman who is the Director of Diversity and Community at LREI in Greenwich Village. To add on she is also the Co-chair of the New York Chapter. During this interview we asked questions mainly about the LGBTQ civil rights movement, history about the community and her…
The LGBTQ group’s fourth fieldwork involved showing Trevor and then asking questions about the movie. I was surprised how much effect screening Trevor had on the eighth grade and we were very glad that many people were eager to answer. Our goal for today was to bring LGBT awareness to the class by showing them…
Today, the LGBTQ group was able to talk with Sandra Chapman about her work and life in the LGBTQ community. Her opinions were very interesting and it was very informative to talk to her about our topic. LGBTQ group: How does this topic affect NYC, specifically? Chap: “If you think about history the movement started…
Today we watched a movie called Trevor. It is about a thirteen year old boy who is discovering his sexuality. He meets a boy named Pinky and they become friends. He tells Pinky his life goal of becoming an actor. Pinky accepts that and is fine. Later a rumor spreads through his school saying that…
This is now our 4th fieldwork for the LGBTQ group. In class we showed a short film called Trevor directed by Peggy Rajski. The summary of the film is about a boy named Trevor, who recently discovers that he is gay at the age 13. Throughout the short film it shows the struggles of him…
On December 12th the LGBTQ Social Justice group welcomed Charles King the director and founder of Housing Works to speak with the 8th grade. Housing works is an organization that helps LGBTQ youth find housing and provides medical attention for youth that need it. We wanted to learn more about Housing Works, including different ways…
Today we had Charles King came in to speak to our class. Charles King is the founder and director of Housing Works. Housing Works is a organization that helps with the housing of LGBTQ people. Charles King has worked to do his part in social justice himself; he has actually come to talk the past…
My social justice group and I took a trip to interview two women who work at The Center. The Center is a organization that works with LGBTQ youth in social events and counseling. They assist the youth in telling their parents, depression counseling, family counseling, making friends in the same situation and redirecting them to…
Zoe Carter, Lulu Grant and Liv Reis interviewed Mary Steyer and Natasha Jones, who work at the Center. Unfortunately, the fourth member of our group, Sam, was not able to attend the interview. We introduced our class project and then conducted the interview, asking the following questions: Lgbtq group: How do you create a safe…
Today the LGBTQ group invited Charles King of Housing Works to speak to the class. He is the director and founder of that organization and he told us the story of how he came to create Housing Works. He also told us about when he was discovering his own sexuality. He told us that while…
Today the LGBTQ group had Charles King, the director and founder of Housing Works come and talk to us. During this visit we introduced Charles King to the class and had him tell us a few stories as well as facts about the topic LGBTQ. Some of the stories included why and how he created…
Today we had an interview with Mary Steyer, the director of communication and Natasha Jones, the program coordinator. As we were heading to the meeting room, we got to have a little tour and preview of their facilities. During the interview we learned statistics, facts and the works of the organization itself. At the center they accept 13-21 year old LGBT youth. This organization, as well as many others, provide programs that include group and individual counseling. For this specific organization they focus on listening to the LGBT youth and their ideas. In addition, every Saturdays they have a peer led group, where two LGBT peers lead a conversation starting with a topic of their choice. If an individual wants to become a peer leader, they need to go through a training period. In The Center community they have around 1,000 individuals with whom they provide counseling and programs all year and every week there are about 6,000 LGBT youth that stop by. In addition, they have 50-70 active volunteers. The goal for this fieldwork was to find out how they create a safe environment for LGBT youth and how they prepare an individual to feel strong to tell the public their orientation and be proud of who they are. This fieldwork went swiftly and successfully. Even though a group member couldn’t make it, we all gave each other tasks and we had enough time to fit all our separate and group questions in. One thing that impacted me during the fieldwork was how much the organization lets the youth be heard and lead conversations. The organization wants to hear what the youth need, want. Another thing that impacted me was by spreading the word, they have people that go to schools and talk about this topic. In the conversations it may include how others should act and questions that one should be aware of. An interesting statistic that I learned was 40% of homeless youth are LGBT. I learned that for the organizations inner workings, they have a 30-40 min interview with the client that gives the organization worker or volunteer an idea of who they are, what they want and what brought them to the organization. As an interviewer I learned that I have better talking skills in person than on phone. Work wise I am very good at taking notes while listening. I think I did a pretty good job with asking question and taking notes. I would probably like to work on thinking of questions on the spot. Overall, I thought this was very successful and informational interview that I will never forget.
Today we had a interview on the phone with Bill Torres who is the director of The Ali Forney Center. For this particular fieldwork I was the note taker. During this interview we focused on who worked at the organization and how they created a safe environment for LGBTQ young adults. Before a young adult…
Today we spoke to Mr.Torres who works for the Ali Forney Center. The Ali Forney Center helps LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer) Youth from 16-25. They provide housing, medical care, food, and clothing. They have many different courses on different topics and hobbies. They have 89 beds, every night each bed is being used.…
The LGBTQ community has suffered throughout many years so we are trying to raise awareness and learn as much about the struggles and progress of this society as we can. We have been interviewing numerous organization founders, directors and staff about how they keep a safe environment for LGBT youth and what they provide for…
