WAYOUT NEW YORK CITY
ABOUT wayOUT NEW YORK CITY
As the birthplace of the modern gay liberation movement, it should come as no surprise that New York welcomed the start of the second wayOUT chapter with incredible support and an even warmer reception. Since its inception in 2018, the NYC Chapter helped 4 amazing organizations across the country, and shows no signs of slowing down.
LGBTQ IN NYC
NYC and the LGBTQ spirit are as connected as the New York City subway system. With a strong historical past of activism in the 1950s and 1960s that led to, most notably, the Stonewall Riots in 1969, the city has always been a safe haven to those society had shunned. Today, as one of the premiere epicenters of both culture and fashion, including Broadway and NY Fashion Week, this metropolis boasts one of the most vibrant and diverse populations of LGBTQ persons in the world.
You never completely have your rights, one person, until you all have your rights. And I feel as long as there's one gay person who has to walk for gay rights, all of us should be walking for gay rights.
— Marsha P. Johnson
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SAM & DEVORAH FOUNDATION FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH | Chatham, NJ
MISSION:
Founded in March 2016 to honor the memory of Sam Harel Price, a junior at Oberlin College, the mission of Sam & Devorah Foundation for Trans Youth is to support trans and nonbinary youth by offering safe spaces and programs where they can connect, thrive and be empowered.
The work that the Sam & Devorah Foundation for Transgender Youth is doing is life-saving and critically needed. After hearing more about their Trans Mentor Project (TMP), and the way it’s nationally serving those in states without access to gender-affirming support and services, we knew we wanted to get involved. We're excited to partner this year and GALA while also finding local touchpoints where our teams can collaborate with our community.
VISION:
SDF's vision is to create safe, youth-led spaces where TGNB young people can be themselves and be celebrated for who they are. Spaces like TMP's virtual community, allow peers and mentors to connect to people like themselves to learn together, share joy, engage in creative activities, activism, TMP's book club, trivia nights, chair yoga, and much more. Their programs embrace a positive, youth-centric model that emphasizes leadership development and strengths rather than deficits. They empower TGNB young people to positively impact their own lives, the lives of others, and their communities so that they can survive and thrive.
IMPACT:
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SDF engages 500 TGNB youth and young adults nationwide through their annual virtual and in-person programming. Their goal is to be a lifeline when TGNB youth and young adults need community and connection, being a place where they can learn, express themselves, and grow.
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Many of TMP’s panel discussions and presentations are designed and co-led by mentors and mentees and are open to the TMP community as well as all TGNB youth throughout the country. Because parent/caregiver support is associated with positive well-being for TGNB young people, we plan to expand the programming and resources we now provide for them.
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Currently, 40% of TMP’s mentees identify as BIPOC, and it is important to us that as we scale, we maintain a high percentage of BIPOC TGNB young people. Nearly 20% of our TMP mentees reside in rural areas where some of them would need to travel hours to reach trans-specific services of any kind. Of those who disclosed, over 30% of our mentees identify as disabled, neurodivergent, and/or living with a chronic illness.
PROEJCTS:
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SDF's main focus is to expand the lifesaving and empowering work they offer through their mentorship and programming. The expansion of these programs will allow them to touch more lives with their work and create further opportunities for connection.
2023 GRANT RECIPIENT
PAST RECIPIENTS
Mobile, AL
2023 Recipient
$90,000 Raised
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Sarasota & Manatee, FL
2022 Recipient
$110,000 Raised
Mississippi
2021 Recipient
$35,000 Raised
Albany, NY
2020 Recipient
$45,000 Raised
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Jacksonville, FL
2019 Recipient
$104,000 Raised
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Provo, UT
2018 Recipient
$75,000 Raised
wayOUT NEW YORK CITY PROUDLY THANKS OUR 2023 SPONSORS
MEET OUR CHAPTER
Will Blashka
he/him
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Chloe Pitard
she/her
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MK Weiss
she/her
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Cody Eastman
he/him
chapter president
William Rocheleau
he/they
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Yang West
she/her
Josh Elliot
he/him
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Isabela Silva-Klei
she/her
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Gabe Wieder
he/him
Ginny Lee
she/her
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Nikko Torress
he/him
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