On October 14, 2023, a rainy cold Westchester Saturday, in a series of rainy Saturdays, youth from all over Westchester attended WJCS’s Center Lane Youth Pride event, celebrating LGTQIA+ History Month, hosted at Westchester Jewish Community Service (WJCS) headquarters in North White Plains. WJCS Center Lane is the first and still is the only center in Westchester County for LGBTQIA+ youth. The event was originally scheduled to take place outdoors, but the weather brought everyone inside, where two levels of the building were utilized and full of the bright good cheer of the day’s participants.
Upstairs, Center Lane staff and volunteers interacted with youth families and community partners. In attendance were:
- Yonkers Family YWCA
- Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic
- Jacob Burns Film Center
- My Sisters’ Place
- Westchester County Human Rights Commission
- PFLAG Westchester
- The LOFT
- LGBTQ History Project
- PRIDEWORKS
- Bethany Arts Center
- Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
- Hope Center of Yonkers
- Girls Inc.
These are just some of Center Lane’s community partners who set up tables with all sorts of fabulous giveaways (ranging from Ruth Bader Ginsburg jewelry boxes to a DIY thaumatrope) as well as volumes of printed information regarding resources and events in English and Spanish. Each organization also hosted a different activity at their tables so that youth could learn more about resources available as well as about LGBTQ+ History. Five second-year medical students from Albert Einstein Medical College as well as Sarah Lawrence College students joined Center Lane’s newest social work intern from Fordham University, to continue to support the current generation of LGBTQ+ youth leaders as they energized and organized the day’s activities.
Downstairs, a Gender Euphoria Clothing Swap, funded by Westchester Community Foundation garnered huge enthusiasm; people donated and benefitted by trying on and taking away clothing to fulfill their gender-affirming personal vision! Trans Closet of Hudson Valley collaborated with Center Lane to get materials for the Clothing Swap, including affirming clothing items and accessories, swag, and educational materials. Center Lane Youth, who identify as transgender, or gender fluid, or gender questioning, served as leaders for this activity, and are looking forward to the next clothing swap in March of 2024 in connection with PrideWorks, an annual conference for LGBTQ+ youth and their allies. Preparations are now in the works for PrideWorks full-day conference for LGBTQ Youth in March. Center Lane staff and youth will be present in full force!
Many visitors to the clothing swap, also took time to craft bracelets and necklaces with Nico Bittker, who attended Center Lane as a youth and now, in addition to continuing as an active volunteer with Center Lane, is a staff member with WJCS’ CVASSP (Crime Victims Advocacy and Support Services Program). Davida James, coordinator for Inclure, a new program co-run by WJCS and The Harris Project, with the support of Westchester County Department of Health, challenged youth to get out of their comfort zone in a safe environment while educating about new youth leadership opportunities for students across the county.
Six days later, many of Center Lane’s Youth returned for more festivities at Center Lane’s LGBTQ Halloween Party, located at the LOFT. It was only another two weeks before Center Lane staff and youth participated in Gender Euphoria’s second event, scheduled during Transgender Awareness Week, in honor of Trans Day of Remembrance which falls on November 20th. The event, entitled, “Gender Euphoria: Self Care,” centered on affirming mental health activities and self-care practices. Participants discussed the positive implications of self-care, treating oneself with love and kindness, and listening to one’s body and mind.
