Albany Lobby Day for Q Youth
Q Center youth speak out for themselves in Albany
Message conveyed by J.J. from the Q Center.
May 9, 2011 ~ ALBANY, N.Y. ~ Twenty-nine LGBTQ youth and their allies from the Q Center @ ACR and ACR’s Youth Safety Project in Utica joined up with more than 1,100 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender New Yorkers and their allies at an Albany rally for the Empire State Pride Agenda's LGBT Equality and Justice Day. The ACR youth advocated for allowing same sex couples to marry in New York, fought to end discrimination among the transgender community, and urged state government to do all that it can to address health disparities. The message was clear to lawmakers and a fantastic experience for ACR’s youth. “They met with a legislative aide and could hear their own voices in action,” said Q Center Program Coordinator Heather Crate. “Sharing their stories was an empowering experience for them.”
LGBTQ youth and their allies from Syracuse and Utica made a full day of their lobbying trip to Albany on May 9.