POLITICS
Advocates Seek New York State Trans Equity Fund
Initiative would offset lack of funds for transgender groups in the state
BY MATT TRACY
One year after California
established a $13
million wellness and
equity fund to support
transgender people in the state, advocates
in New York are calling on
Governor Kathy Hochul to bring the
same initiative to the Empire State.
A group of eight trans leaders delivered
a letter to the governor requesting
the allocation of resources
specifi cally dedicated to transgender,
non-binary, and gender nonconforming
folks in the state to offset
the lack of funding distributed
to trans-led organizations. Even
when funds are directed to the
LGBTQ community, advocates say
that money doesn’t always directly
benefi t trans New Yorkers.
“With respect to philanthropic giving,
the TGNC community receives
just $.04 of every $100 awarded to
LGBTQ causes,” the letter noted.
“We have reason to believe that
should information be made available
with respect to how much of
Kiara St. James (right) and others are hoping the state will implement a fund to support trans, nonbinary,
and gender non-conforming individuals in New York.
New York’s public dollars are going
towards organizations led by TGNC
New Yorkers, it will display the same
kind of disparities that exist within
philanthropic giving.”
The letter was authored by New
Pride Agenda executive director Elisa
Crespo, Trans Equity Consulting
founder Cecilia Gentili, Gender
Equality New York board member
Arrie Moore, Gender Equality New
York executive director Juli Grey
Owens, New York Transgender
DONNA ACETO
Advocacy Group co-founder Kiara
St. James, Destination Tomorrow
founder Sean Coleman, Empire
Justice Center policy and government
relations manager Eòghann
Renfroe, and Equality New York
board member Teri Wilhelm, who
is also a TGNC navigator at the Albany
Damien Center.
“This is a critical moment in our
state’s history,” Crespo said in a
written statement. “We have a oncein
a-generation opportunity to invest
in what is a largely ignored,
and deeply marginalized community.
The numbers don’t lie.”
The California-based fund was
initiated through the State legislature.
The request follows Hochul’s
January 18 announcement outlining
a $216 billion budget for 2023.
The group of leaders praised the
governor’s Equity Agenda, but said
it does not provide enough for the
trans community.
The advocates hope they can establish
the fund during the 30-day
budget amendment process. If that
effort is unsuccessful, they will
seek funds through the One House
budget. Governor Hochul’s offi ce
did not respond to Gay City News
when asked about the initiative.
Notably, at least a dozen elected offi
cials are also supporting the effort
— including fi ve out elected offi cials:
Assemblymembers Jessica González-
Rojas of Queens, Daniel O’Donnell
of Manhattan, and Harry Bronson
of Rochester, as well as State Senators
Jabari Brisport of Brooklyn and
Brad Hoylman of Manhattan.
On MLK Day, Activists Call for Voting Rights, Gun Control
Advocacy efforts coincide with 93rd birthday of late civil rights icon
BY MATT TRACY
On what would have been
Martin Luther King Jr.’s
93rd birthday, national
LGBTQ groups echoed
growing calls for federal voting
rights legislation and queer activists
held a Times Square demonstration
urging the Supreme Court
to uphold New York’s gun laws.
The parallel actions coincided
with frustration in Washington
over the failure to advance a pair
of voting rights measures in the
Senate as Republican-led State
Legislatures scramble to curtail
voting access in individual states.
Federal voting rights measures
have been stymied by bisexual
Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona
Manuel Oliver, the father of a Parkland shooting victim, joined Gays Against Guns and Rise and Resist at
a demonstration in Times Square.
and Senator Joe Manchin of West
Virginia, who have maintained
their opposition to changing Senate
rules to bypass the fi libuster,
but Senate Majority Leader Chuck
DONNA ACETO
Schumer of New York has nonetheless
vowed to bring forward
legislation combining the two voting
rights bills into one legislative
package known as the “Freedom to
Vote: John R. Lewis Act.”
The National LGBTQ Task Force
Action Fund, Lambda Legal, and
the Human Rights Campaign
(HRC) were among the organizations
calling for swift action on voting
rights.
“Martin Luther King Jr. taught
us that only love can drive out
hate,” Joni Madison, HRC’s interim
president, said in a written
statement on January 17. “This
year, there could be no greater act
of love and service than working
to pass federal voting legislation to
ensure no one is denied the right
to vote.”
Congressmember Carolyn Maloney
and out gay State Senator
Brad Hoylman were also on hand
at the Times Square event.
JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 9,6 2022 | GayCityNews.com
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