Art for Change Project

While staying indoors and quarantining in June 2020, I wanted to acknowledge Pride Month by turning my hobby of making collages from textiles and illustrations into a way to connect with the outside world and raise funds for a cause that’s long been important to me: New York City’s LGBTQ homeless youth. A 2017 New York City Youth Count Report estimated that young people of color makes up 90% of the city’s homeless youth — and 40% indentify as LGBTQ, who are at statistically at greater risk for sexual assault, trauma, suicidal acts, and HIV infection.

With this art series I wanted to highlight non-profits that provide invaluable services to at-risk and homeless LGBTQ teenagers, specifically Black Trans youth.

Each week in June I put a collage up for “auction,” given to an individual who pledged a $100 donation to the organization assigned to the college. I then matched each $100 donation.

Week 1: The Ali Forney Center

This collage was made to honor the work of The Ali Forney Center. It was “sold” with a donation of $100 on June 6, with my matching donation and an additional donation made by interior designer Matthew Patrick Smyth.

The Ali Forney Center is a New York City LGBTQ homeless youth shelter named in honor of Ali Forney, a Black gender nonconforming 22-year-old who was murdered in 1997. The Ali Forney Center continued to protect and care for LGBTQ young people through the COVID-19 pandemic in New York. They are a home to the city’s most vulnerable young people, who deserve independent, empowered lives and safe living situation.

Learn more about The Ali Forney Center

Week 2: Transgender Law Center

This collage was made to honor the work of the Transgender Law Center. It was “sold” with a donation of $100 on June 14, with my matching donation.

The Transgender Law Center is the largest trans-led civil rights organization in the country. In June 2020, they joined Harvard Law Center and others to bring legal action against a ruling that would erase health care protection for trans people in the United States. Especially during the pandemic, it is crucial to have safe, reliable access to medical care that is free from gender-based bigotry.

Learn more about the Transgender Law Center

Week 3: Trans Lifeline

This collage was made to honor the work of Trans Lifeline It was “sold” with a donation of $100 on June 22, with my matching donation.

Trans Lifeline is the national crisis hotline that connects trans callers with exclusively trans peer-support operators. The hotline is a vital resource for trans individuals in distress, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trans Lifeline reported an 89% increase in calls about suicidal ideation in 2020, with anxiety involving rejection by family, domestic abuse, and an inability to seek medical care. With the pandemic being a time of extreme isolation, having a bridge that connects. as-risk trans people to trained, empathetic members of their own community is crucial.

Learn more about Trans Lifeline

Week 4: The Center

This collage was made to honor the work of The Center was “sold” with a donation of $100 on June 30, with my matching donation.

For over 35 years The Center has been fostering safe community space in New York, with opportunities for LGBTQ youth to learn, work, and connect with vital resources with counseling groups, crisis intervention, substance abuse support, and HIV testing. They offer training and workforce educational programs for trans and gender nonconforming people — who face a high rate of discriminatory-based unemployment. With their doors closed due to the pandemic, The Center went virtual for much of 2020, but the work of being a safe, informative and affirming community touchstone for LGBTQ youth and families in the New York metropolitan area remains as important as ever.

Learn more about The Center