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UPCOMING EVENTS

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

• Pride Center Awarded 5-Year Grant for Mental Health

NEW & NOTABLE

LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

• Service Available to Upgrade Military Discharges

• Gala 2024: Pillars of Pride Awardees

Hi everyone,

How are you doing? Are you taking care of yourself? We are living in a truly unparalleled time and each day we get closer to the November 5th election feels full of information, worry, excitement, dread, and endless polling data. This is all happening at a lightning quick pace with every time your cell phone buzzes or watch chimes. Never in our lives has an election been the topic of the news the entire four years of the current presidency, and the weight of that amount of time plus everything at stake can feel overwhelming. 

We feel this way because of the disconnect in society about queer existence; there are many who would have you believe that being born LGBTQIA+ is a moral issue, a “choice.” We are not entertaining that debate any longer. Queer people exist and are not going to be framed in that manner. The reality is this: you and I and every other LGBTQIA+ person alive are a normal part of the fabric of the Capital Region and always have been. The reality is: laws have been passed to protect our community from discrimination in every county of this state, not just in Manhattan. The reality is that regardless of the narrative, you have worth and it isn’t up for debate. Anyone debating the worth of another person’s existence is not someone that should be put into dangerously powerful positions over the lives of others.  

As queer people, we fight for candidates who fight for us, not with us, and while we watch and see what happens in the next two months, let’s all remember to breathe, to connect with one another, and to do everything we can to get out every single vote. We are a resilient community and we will show up for ourselves, for women, for BIPOC folks, rural folks, seniors, kids, and every other marginalized group feeling these same feelings. 

As former President Barack Obama says, “don’t get mad, vote!”

Nathaniel Gray, MSW
Executive Director
Pride Center of the Capital Region


Pride Center Awarded 5-Year Grant for Mental Health

We have been very excited to announce this news: We have been awarded a 5-year grant through New York State’s LGBTQ+ Health and Human Services funding to support our free mental health care program! This is such an honor and we are humbled that our Rural Queer Mental Health Expansion grant was selected. As a provider seeking to support the broader region, we know that access to providers can be an enormous barrier for rural and suburban communities if they don’t already have an LGBTQ+ organization in the area. Poverty is also often overlooked as a factor in a person’s ability to access LGBTQ+-affirming care. We plan to address these needs for LGBTQIA+ folks across the region by hiring more staff over the coming months, creating new space for our mental health care work, and building partnerships with providers, libraries, and other organizations across the region to bring mental health care services further into the countryside, to bring visibility to our rural queer family.

Service Available to Upgrade Military Discharges

We have been connected to the Albany County Veteran’s service Bureau to make sure that any LGBTQIA+ veteran’s in Albany County that were discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” or similar anti-LGBTQ+ policies are connected to Scott Leslie, Albany County’s Director of Veterans Services, who may be able to in help veterans upgrade their discharge. It is not only important for the veteran who served our country, but also to make sure folks are aware that many of our bravest and strongest fellow citizens were dismissed by their leaders despite their willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice. In fact, the most recent incident happened because former President Trump tweeted that transgender people wouldn’t be allowed to serve in the military in 2017. We are grateful to the Albany county Veteran’s Services Bureau for making us aware of this opportunity and thank all of the members of our armed forces for their bravery and sacrifice.

Gala 2024: Pillars of Pride Awardees

It’s almost time for the Gala and we wanted to take this moment to share the list of honorees we have selected this year as our “Pillars of Pride.” We could not and cannot do this work alone. It requires community building and strong relationships to build out a region that is truly affirming and supportive of LGBTQIA+ folks in culture and in practice. We are grateful for their continued energy and support as partners who see the value in our vision and mission, and carry it with them as they go about their work.

  • Harvey Milk Award: Col. Edward Thomas Ryan (posthumous)
  • Volunteer of the Year: Wolfgang Guy
  • Non-Profit Partner of the Year: Mohawk Hudson Humane Society
  • Regional Business Partner of the Year: First New York Federal Credit Union
  • Corporate Partner of the Year: Hannaford
  • Pride Affiliates: Saratoga Pride, Schenectady Pride, Bethlehem Pride

Advocating for LGBTQIA+ Youth at the NYASP Convention

This past month, we were honored to present at the New York Association of School Psychologists (NYASP) convention, where we shared insights on supporting LGBTQIA+ youth, particularly around suicide prevention and the essential role of affirming communities. The presentation, titled "Building Affirming Communities: Suicide Prevention for LGBTQIA+ Youth," was co-led with Kristen Stanton and focused on fostering environments where LGBTQIA+ young people feel seen, supported, and safe.

At the core of our message was the vital impact that supportive and affirming adults can have on LGBTQIA+ youth. Research has shown that young people who have even one accepting adult in their lives are significantly less likely to consider suicide—a point we emphasized throughout the discussion. We distributed resources from the Family Acceptance Project to help school psychologists and educators better understand how family acceptance can reduce mental health risks for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Our session provided actionable steps for attendees, including practical strategies for integrating affirming practices into their school environments. By creating spaces where LGBTQIA+ youth feel a sense of belonging, we can make a profound difference in their mental health and overall well-being. We look forward to continuing these conversations and collaborating with schools across the Capital Region to advance our shared commitment to safe and inclusive learning environments for all students.

Stay tuned for more updates on our advocacy and educational initiatives as we work together to build a brighter future for LGBTQIA+ youth.

FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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Did you know The Pride Center offers FREE mental health counseling and case management? Provided by LGBTQ+-affirming staff and interns, these essential services are open to all LGBTQ+ folks and allies, ages 10 and up.

Click HERE to find out more and make an appointment. 

FREE COUNSELING & CASE MANAGEMENT

SHARE YOUR FAVORITE RESOURCES

LGBTQ+ resources are not always easy to find in the Capital Region. Making sure that you are provided with safe, competent, and affirming services is something we strive for at The Pride Center. Do you have a physician you love? How about a business that always feels affirming or safe? Please share your LGBTQ+ affirming resources with us HERE!

THE PRIDE CENTER'S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND MONTHLY CALENDAR OF EVENTS ARE ALSO LINKED BELOW FOR ANYONE IN NEED OF PRINTING THE CONTENT. 

We encourage our fellow community service providers to print copies of the monthly newsletter and calendar to make available at resource tables and bookstands in their space.

PRINTABLE NEWSLETTER

PRINTABLE CALENDAR