Housing Works prides itself on being founded by queer people for queer people. This June, we wanted to highlight work by our Youth and Prevention Services (YPS) Department, as described by Johnny Guaylupo, Assistant Program Director:
Throughout June, YPS at Housing Works proudly participated in over 20 Pride and community events across all five boroughs of New York City. These events, which included large-scale festivals, youth-focused celebrations, ballroom gatherings, academic pride fests, and most notably, successful NHTD activations at Walgreens, were a testament to our commitment to LGBTQ+ health initiatives.
Key events included:
- Queens Pride, Brooklyn Pride, Harlem Pride, Bronx Pride and Queer Liberation Health Fair with ACT-UP
- Kiki Youth Pridefest, MOBI in the Park, and the Visible Voices Festival
- The Hall of Mirrors Ball – Demure V., Back & Better Pride, and Pride on the Hill
- Multiple NHTD sites in partnership with Walgreens and DOHMH
Our outreach teams provided education, harm reduction materials, and direct linkage to care and support services through these events. Most importantly, we successfully tested over 100 queer Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals for HIV and Hepatitis C, reinforcing our unwavering commitment to equitable, community-centered healthcare access.
This month’s work represents a powerful example of how strategic engagement, cultural responsiveness, and visibility during Pride and NHTD can significantly impact our communities, connecting them to essential health services.Johnny Guaylupo, YPS Assistant Program Director
Additionally, Housing Works community members gathered on Sunday, June 29th to participate in the annual Queer Liberation March with Reclaim Pride (pictured above). This year's theme was “The Queer Liberation March: Resist! Reclaim! Rejoice!” We are proud to come together to celebrate our community for Pride - especially at a time where queer and trans rights are under attack - honoring our roots and celebrating our future to come.
