Center Lane for LGBTQ+ Youth Archives - Westchester Jewish Community Services

Celebrating LGBTQIA+ History Month
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Celebrating LGBTQIA+ History Month

Miriam Arond2023-12-20T12:24:40-05:00November 5th, 2023|Categories: Center Lane for LGBTQ+ Youth, Feature, Featured Internal|Tags: the loft, hudson valley, victim services, LGBTQIA+, LGBTQIA+ youth, gender euphoria, WJCS Center Lane, LGBTQ programs, LGBTQ Westchester, youth services, Westchester|

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 ...

Advice from LGBTQ+ Teens to Other LBGTQ+ Teens
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Advice from LGBTQ+ Teens to Other LBGTQ+ Teens

Miriam Arond2023-03-10T14:15:18-05:00March 9th, 2023|Categories: Center Lane for LGBTQ+ Youth, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: Center Lane, WJCS Center Lane, LGBTQ programs, LGBTQ teens, LGBTQ Westchester, LGBTQ|

The advice below came from real, LGBTQ+ teens in the local Westchester community. The people interviewed range from ages 13 to 18 and represent a wide array of identities. The advice is organized by topic, with each piece of advice followed by the teen’s age and pronouns. They are identified below by their ages and pronouns, but some of the identities featured also include: bisexual, lesbian, nonbinary, trans, queer, gay, and more! Coming Out/Discovering Yourself: Take your time to figure things out. You don’t owe it to anyone to have a solid label or explanation at any point in ...

LGBTQIA+ Resources
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LGBTQIA+ Resources

Bianca Bello2023-09-26T15:59:14-04:00October 6th, 2020|Categories: Center Lane for LGBTQ+ Youth, General|

These videos can help you learn more… What is LGBTQ+ I’m Transgender Pronouns - including they/them How to Come Out - Tips & Advice When your child comes out - Do’s and Don’ts The History of LGBTQ+ Additional resources for LGBTQIA+ Support: Callen Lorde Center is NYC’s only primary health care center dedicated to meeting the health care needs of (LGBT) communities and people living with HIV/AIDS-regardless of ability to pay. Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community in the media. GLSEN’s mission is to create safe schools for all students, regardless ...

How You Can Help LGBTQ+ Youth
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How You Can Help LGBTQ+ Youth

Bianca Bello2022-04-25T10:57:07-04:00November 6th, 2020|Categories: Center Lane for LGBTQ+ Youth, General|

LGBTQ+ youth need you! If you’re a parent, an LGBTQ+ adult, a youth-serving professional or a concerned community member, you can help an LGBTQ+ youth not just survive, but thrive! Whether you have time, money, or other resources to donate, we would love to have your support. Tax-deductible donations from people like you give WJCS Center Lane the ability to help LGBTQ+ youth create community, connect with culture and contribute to the world! Center Lane makes a huge difference in the lives of youth. In 2019, we served 2,581 people with only a handful of staff members. Every dollar donated ...

Sample letters to ensure schools, teams, clergy, and others know your pronouns
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Sample letters to ensure schools, teams, clergy, and others know your pronouns

Bianca Bello2022-04-25T10:58:51-04:00November 6th, 2020|Categories: Center Lane for LGBTQ+ Youth, General|

If you are trans or a gender creative kid, deciding on what pronouns to use and how you will communicate that with others is a challenge. It's a topic we talk about a lot in our group discussions at Center Lane. What name will be on your class schedule? What name will the teachers call out? Your friends? Your priest? Your rabbi? How will you cope if something goes wrong? The best way to ensure the adults in your life know the name and pronouns you need to use to feel safe and welcome is to tell them! Below you ...

Why WJCS Center Lane is so Important for LGBTQ+ Youth
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Why WJCS Center Lane is so Important for LGBTQ+ Youth

Bianca Bello2022-06-08T12:02:10-04:00May 30th, 2022|Categories: Center Lane for LGBTQ+ Youth, Feature, Featured Homepage, General|

WJCS is very proud to have founded Center Lane in 1995 as the first center for Gay and Lesbian youth in Westchester. We still have the only center and the most comprehensive program in Westchester county for LGBTQ+ youth. Unfortunately, results from national surveys of LGBTQ+ youth show all too clearly why programs like Center Lane are crucial. Here are some of the harsh statistics*: 90% of LGBTQ youth report mental health concerns like depression, anxiety and stress and 95% report trouble sleeping at night More than 40% of LGB and 84% of Trans youth have seriously considered suicide, ...

LGBTQ FAQs
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LGBTQ FAQs

Bianca Bello2022-04-25T11:08:34-04:00November 6th, 2020|Categories: Center Lane for LGBTQ+ Youth, General|

Talking about Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity in Schools: FAQs Why address sexual orientation and gender identity in schools? Youth learn about themselves from their families, their communities, their peers, and their schools. Things that are accepted and respected in our world are spoken about openly and honestly. Things we’re embarrassed and ashamed of are ignored and stigmatized. Whether we realize it or not, we talk about gender and sexuality all the time at school - when we line up by gender, assign bathrooms and dress codes, celebrate Valentine’s day, participate in school dances, or feature couples in the yearbook. ...