It’s a running joke that LGBTQ+ students outnumber straight students at NYU. While it may be a joke, it’s hard not to believe it — especially since NYU has eight student-run LGBTQ+ clubs and its own LGBTQ+ center, all dedicated to uplifting and supporting students who identify as part of this community. From groups like SHADES, which works to support LGBTQ+ people of color and their allies, to Queer Union, which advocates, educates and builds community, these clubs offer robust support for the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.
But beyond campus, New York City is home to hundreds of organizations working to advance LGBTQ+ equity and meet the community’s immediate needs. As public policy becomes increasingly hostile toward LGBTQ+ individuals, it only becomes more important to get involved. These organizations are vital — not only to ensure that LGBTQ+ people are supported but also to help them thrive despite these circumstances.
The Center
Founded in 1983, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Community Center — commonly known as The Center — is a New York City-based organization dedicated to providing LGBTQ+ individuals with a safe and supportive space. While The Center offers a wide range of services, including mental health support, economic assistance and youth programs, it also hosts cultural and artistic events that celebrate LGBTQ+ art and storytelling, all of which are free to community members. In addition, The Center provides volunteer opportunities through fundraising efforts and advocacy initiatives that further its mission of empowerment and inclusion.
AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power
The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to ending the AIDS crisis. Established in 1987 in response to the U.S. government’s blatant neglect of the AIDS epidemic, ACT UP focuses on advancing HIV/AIDS research, promoting equal access to prevention resources and treatment and dismantling the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. While many view the AIDS epidemic as a bygone chapter in history, ACT UP continues to raise awareness and advocate for the nearly 40 million people worldwide who currently live with HIV.
Those interested in getting involved with ACT UP can begin by attending one of the organization’s weekly Monday meetings. Offered virtually, these meetings are open to newcomers, who are welcome to introduce themselves and join in on the planning and discussion of ongoing initiatives.
The Ali Forney Center
Founded in honor of Ali Forney, a gender-nonconforming youth who was tragically murdered while living on the streets, the Ali Forney Center provides emergency housing to young LGBTQ+ people in need of shelter. With a total of 66 beds across Brooklyn and Queens, the organization works to stabilize residents and prepare them for independent living. In addition to housing, the center offers a range of support services, including a 24-hour drop-in center where unhoused LGBTQ+ youth can access food, medical care and mental health support.
The Ali Forney Center offers opportunities for individuals to volunteer to support their emergency housing program. Student groups are encouraged to get involved by organizing fundraisers, helping with donation drives and participating in rallies in support of the center’s mission.
PFLAG
In 1972, Jeanne Manford wrote a letter to the editor of the New York Post in explicit support of her son Morty Manford, a founder of the Gay Activists Alliance, after he was assaulted with no protection offered by the police. Manford would then go on to establish PFLAG in 1973 to create a supportive space for those connected to LGBTQ+ individuals to become stronger allies and has since grown to be the nation’s largest organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ advocacy. The New York City chapter offers a variety of support groups, including the Dads Group, which provides a place for father figures to connect with one another and share experiences from their child’s coming out, and Loving Elders, a group for grandparental figures supporting LGBTQ+ loved ones. PFLAG also provides free educational resources for both LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies.
There are numerous ways to volunteer with PFLAG, including through the Safe Schools Program, which enables volunteers to speak at schools across New York City to promote inclusion, nonviolence and equality.
Contact Dylan Henschen at [email protected].
