“As I heard your stories, my mind went back to the Stonewall riots, and their mobilizing effect on gay life in the US. (Yes, I am old enough to have been about your age when they occurred). What you are doing is as important as those riots were.
You all may be based in New Orleans, but your message is going to be heard around the country. Don't lose hope. The fight is for a life and a lifetime.â€
A Message from the Director
Some of you who know me well know that I have a special folder in my email box marked “Sweetness.†I make sure it’s near the top of my ever-growing list of email folders for easy reference. If you ever send us a nice email, congratulating us on a recent campaign victory or letting us know how much our work impacted you, you can rest assured that it is shared with staff, read at a member meeting, and maybe even posted in our space for a while- but it will eventually find a home in the “Sweetness†email folder. While this has been a year fraught with challenges- including starting the year by losing one of our members to illegal silicone injections on January 1st- it has also been one of overwhelming and unwavering support from our allies. These words keep us going during hard times when the obstacles LGBTQ youth face in New Orleans seem insurmountable.
“Please stay strong, stay committed, and when you are feeling down about the stuff of the day, remember the most important words ‘...and it came to pass...’â€
Held a youth-led forum with the new Police Chief along with ReThink, Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association, and other youth organizations from around the city;
All of this would not be possible without your support – from the “sweetness†you send our way to your monetary donations – we rely on you to keep us fighting.
“I just love the work you are doing here in New Orleans for youth. Keep on keeping on.â€
