Pride for Youth blog

Project SYNC YMSM Sexual Health Symposium at Hofstra University

2015-12-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

On Friday, December 4th, 2015 over 100 health and human service professionals from throughout Long Island, attended the Symposium, Ending the AIDS Epidemic 2020: Project SYNC (Sex Among Youth in Nassau County) - Determining Risk Factors and Barriers to Engagement for YMSM in Nassau County, hosted at Hofstra University. Project Sync was collaboration between Pride for Youth and Hofstra Unversity's MPH program, where over 250 YMSM living in Nassau County were surveyed on their sexual health practices and access to healthcare. Want more information about the findings of Project SYNC or the many sexual health services availble at Pride for Youth? Call us at (516) 679-9000.

PFY launches groundbreaking new healthcare services for gay and bisexual young men!

2015-12-01T13:21:00.002-08:00

Pride for Youth (PFY), a program of Long Island Crisis Center, is proud to announce the launch of its newest program, Project PUSH (Protecting & Understanding Sexual Health) for those most at-risk for HIV on Long Island.

As a part of PFY’s ongoing partnership with North Shore-LIJ Center for Young Adult, Adolescent and Pediatric HIV, medical staff will now offer a full host of health services at Pride for Youth’s Bellmore location from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m., the 2^nd and 4^th Wednesday of every month. Services will be targeted for young gay and bisexual men (trans* inclusive), through age 30, who continue to have the highest rates of HIV infection both nationally and here on Long Island.

This groundbreaking new program is the first of its kind on Long Island and has the potential to reach at-risk young men who may not be likely to access healthcare in more traditional settings. “Project PUSH is the outcome of two years of working with North Shore-LIJ Health System to provide greater access to healthcare to the young gay and bisexual men we serve,” states Mr. Carney. “We recognized that most of these young men, unable to secure these services anywhere on Long Island, either went to NYC for care, or, more likely, went without these vital services. Project PUSH has the ability to provide equality in healthcare and create a culture of accessing needed care among this population.”

Services available include: initial exams, HIV testing, vaccinations for HPV/Meningitis, PrEP/PEP evaluations, screening/treatment for STDs, screening for Hepatitis and more.

“We are hopeful that by more effectively attending to the sexual health needs of this population, we are also working towards Governor Cuomo’s goal of ‘Ending the AIDS Epidemic by 2020’,” concludes Mr. Carney.

PFY and NBLCA host PrEP Breakfast Forum for Health and Human Service Professionals from throughout Long Island

2015-11-09T16:39:00.001-08:00

Pride for Youth in partnership with the National Black Leadership Commision (NBLCA)on AIDS held the breakfast forum, Are You Ready for PrEP: Bringing Health and Human Service Providers Together to Develop a Regional Plan for effective Implementation, on Wednesday, October 21, 2015 in Freeport, NY (flyer attached). Over 30 health and human professionals were in attendance and took part in some rich conversation about best practices for PrEP implementation here on LI! The goal of the forum and presentations were to focus on successes and challenges with PrEP implementation in Long Island, giving a brief overview of existing PrEP programs. Huge thanks to following organizations that participated in our presentations/panel discussion: NuHealth, NS-LIJ, AIDS Institute (NYC), Gilead, AIDS Institute (ADAP) and especially NBLCA!

Promotion for the Event

Event organizers, Pete Carney (PFY) and Rick-Anthony Richards Jr. (NBLCA) with our panel presenters from NuHealth, NS-LIJ, AIDS Institute and Gilead.

Meet our Peer Navigators!!

2015-11-08T15:44:00.002-08:00

In August of this year, Pride for Youth hired and trained 7 new Peer Navigators, all young gay/bisexual men, ages 17-24. Our Peer Navigators are reaching out to the LGBTQ youth community. They are providing workshops on HIV, STIs and PrEP/PEP. They are working hard to get the community involved in Pride for Youth and let young people know about the services available to them!

Pride for Youth Staff Present at the NYS LGBT Beyond the Epidemic Conference in Albany

2015-11-08T15:26:00.004-08:00

Pride for Youth staff were honored to be selected to present at the statewide LGBT Beyond the Epidemic Conference in Albany this past July. The conference, organized by the Empire State Pride Agenda and NYS AIDS Institute, brought together over 200 health and human service providers from throughout the state. PFY Assistant Drector, Tawni Engel presented on LGBTQ Substance Abuse from a Mental Health Perspective; Supervising Social Worker, Galo Cunto, presented on Harnessing Established Social Media Platforms to Engage YMSM; and Director, Pete Carney, co-presented with Demetre Daskalakis, Asst. Commissioner Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, NYC DOHMH, on PrEP/PEP.

PFY Asst. Director, Tawni Engel

PFY Supervising Social Worker, Galo Cunto

PFY Director, Pete Carney

PFY's Pride Invasion 2015!!!

2015-11-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

For the first time ever, Pride for Youth took part in the Queens, Long Island and NYC Pride Parades in June 2015. "As our free and confidential services continue to expand beyond Long Island, into Queens, we felt what better time than Pride Month to raise awareness of our services that are available to LGBTQ young people and young adults, from throughout LI and Queens" stated PFY Director, Pete Carney. Much thanks to our many youth participants and community supporters who joined us to celebrate Pride throughout the month of June!!

Queens Pride 2015

Long Island Pride 2015

NYC Pride 2015

Pride for Youth launches groundbreaking new HIV testing program on Long island!

2015-06-03T14:12:00.002-07:00

Exciting News!! Pride for Youth is one of only 6 programs statewide, selected to be part of a NYS AIDS Institute Pilot Program to provide access to free Self-Administered HIV Testing Kits to those at risk for HIV infection. This new program, is open to all members of the LGBTQ community, age 17 years and up, or anyone who feels they may be at risk for HIV. Individuals will be given the opportunity to self-administer their own rapid HIV test, with the support of a PFY counselor, or take the test home to administer in the privacy of their home. PFY counseling staff will follow up with all participants to offer linkage to care and ongoing HIV prevention education and support. Call (516) 679-9000 ext 16 and speak with Jill Estes (jestes@longislandcrisiscenter.org) to get connected! All testing services are free and confidential.

Pride for Youth's Pride Invasion 2015

2015-06-03T13:05:00.001-07:00

What's better than 1 day of Pride? How about 3?!?! For the first time ever Pride for Youth is signed up to march in the Long Island (6/13), Queens (6/7) and NYC (6/28) Pride Parades!! We are calling all participants and PFY supporters to join us and show your Pride. All marchers will receive a free PFY Pride 2015 t-shirt (while supplies last). Check out our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/prideforyouth.pfy for all the details!!!

Creating Success Through Pride... and Education!

2015-04-13T17:08:00.000-07:00

Every two years, GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) conducts "The National School Climate Survey", which aims to determine how LGBTQ youth across the country are feeling in their schools. The results of the 2013 survey have been published, and they are a glaring validation of the community education services that Pride for Youth offers to schools in Nassau County. Here are a few of the statistics taken from the survey: over 55% of LGBTQ students felt unsafe in school due to their sexual orientation; nearly 40% also felt unsafe due to their gender expression; 60% of students reported that school faculty & staff do no intervene when negative LGBTQ remarks are openly made at school; and almost 70% stated that no LGBTQ-related topics are ever integrated into any classroom curriculum. Often we feel like a lot of progress has been made because we are seeing Marriage Equality passing in an increasing number of states, but the reality is that MUCH more work needs to be done. And it starts with educating our youth. For more information on the educational topics Pride for Youth offers and how to book a workshop, please visit www.longislandcrisiscenter.org/pfy/programs.html. To see "The 2013 National School Climate Survey" in its entirety, visit www.glsen.org

Pride for Youth Launches Groundbreaking PrEP Program to Combat HIV/AIDS on Long Island

2015-03-10T15:18:00.002-07:00

Pride for Youth (a program of Long Island Crisis Center), a leader in HIV prevention on Long Island since its inception in 1993, has launched a groundbreaking PrEP Assessment & Monitoring Program for young gay and bisexual (trans inclusive) men, through age 30. Supported through a grant from the New York State Department of Health (DOH), this is the first program of its kind by a community based organization on Long Island and one of only a handful statewide.

“Expanding access to PrEP is a key to ending the AIDS epidemic in New York State, and we commend Pride for Youth for helping lead the charge on Long Island,” said acting New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. “PrEP has proven to be a tremendous prevention method, but it’s essential that people who use it understand the importance of continued condom use and the need to comply with PrEP’s strict medication regimen.”

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a new, FDA approved, HIV prevention method in which individuals who are not HIV positive take a pill (Truvada) a day to prevent infection. When taken consistently, PrEP has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection in people who are at high risk by up to 92% according to the Centers for Disease Control. PrEP is one of the three main components of Gov. Cuomo’s End AIDS 2020 Campaign that was launched last June.

Pride for Youth’s PrEP Program is an expansion of its partnership with the North Shore-LIJ Health System’s Center for Young Adult, Adolescent and Pediatric HIV that has already included HIV testing, outreach and greater access to healthcare for young men. Pride for Youth staff conduct initial assessments followed by active referrals to North Shore-LIJ for medical evaluation and formal enrollment for PrEP. Pride for Youth and North Shore-LIJ staff partner to provide ongoing support, monitoring and risk-reduction education to all clients. Initial assessments and monitoring are provided free of charge with health insurance or Medicaid required for medical services and prescriptions. All services are also available in Spanish. In addition, assessment and monitoring is available for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), antiviral drugs that are used after a single, high-risk event to prevent HIV infection.

“Our PrEP program is an evolution of not only our commitment to HIV prevention, but also our partnership with North Shore-LIJ to provide culturally competent healthcare to young gay/bisexual men and transgender individuals throughout Long Island and Queens. PrEP empowers individuals to responsibly take charge of their sex lives and healthcare. Our program has been met with great enthusiasm and we’ve been enrolling clients since December 2014,” states Pete Carney, Director of Pride for Youth. “We are proud to have a role in bringing Governor Cuomo’s End AIDS 2020 Campaign to fruition.”

David Rosenthal, DO, PhD, Medical Director for the North Shore-LIJ Center for Young Adult, Adolescent and Pediatric HIV, said, “Our partnership with Pride for Youth brings together the North Shore-LIJ Health System and an LGBTQ-focused community-based organization to work together to serve our community. Together, our agencies can provide the most comprehensive care for our clients. In working with Pride for Youth, we are finding new cases of HIV, helping patients with HIV get back into appropriate medical care, and preventing the spread of HIV in Long Island and Queens with PrEP as the backbone of our HIV prevention strategy. This relationship expands our ability to provide culturally sensitive medical care in an LGBTQ-friendly environment, which helps bring us closer to achieving the ‘End AIDS 2020 Campaign’.”

Pride for Youth marches in the 16th Annual St. Pat's for All Parade in Queens

2015-03-02T06:16:00.001-08:00

On Sunday, March 1st, 2015 Pride for Youth (along with Mpowerment LI) marched in the 16th Annual St. Pat's for All Parade in Queens, celebrating all forms of diversity within the Irish community. The parade was founded by noted LGBTQ activist and Long Island Crisis Center Resource Council member, Brendan Fay. Despite the snow and cold temps we were all extremely proud to be asked to be a part of this wonderful celebration!

NOH8 at PFY!

2015-02-01T13:52:00.001-08:00

On Friday, January 23rd, Pride for Youth hosted a NOH8 Campaign photo shoot to celebrate a GSA's victory in a local middle school here on Long Island. The GSA had organized a NOH8 photo shoot of their own in their school, which was met with controversy in the community, so they reached out to PFY staff for support. Ultimately, after much self-advocacy on their part, the campaign was held in the school, and PFY wanted to honor their achievement by opening up another photo shoot to all LGBTQ youth and straight allies who wanted to participate.

PFY Welcomes Community Kinship Life Staff for a Trans Issues Training

2015-01-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

PFY staff, Mario Devon & Tawni, with CK Life staff Cris and Kim

On Monday, January 12, 2015 PFY hosted Community Kinship Life(CK Life) staff members, Kim Watson and Mister Cris, who provided a 4 hour Trans Issues training to PFY and LICC staff. We feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to receive all this great info from CK Life staff! To find out all about the great work CK Life does with Trans individuals, check out their website: www.CKLife.org

Pride for Youth and North Shore/LIJ Center for Young Adult, Adolescent & Pediatric HIV host a successful PrEP/PEP Community Forum

2015-01-09T12:21:00.001-08:00

Our Panel for the Forum: Pete Carney, LCSW, Director of PFY, Erin Spector, PA at NSLIJ Center for Young Adult, Adolescent & Pediatric HIV, David Rosenthal, DO, Medical Director at NSLIJ Center for Young Adult, Adolescent & Pediatric HIV

PFY and NSLIJ Center for Young Adult, Adolescent & Pediatric HIV excited to begin our new partnership

PFY Director, Pete Carney, gives opening remarks at the Forum

On Wednesday, December 10, 2014 over 50 health and human service professionals and members of the LGBTQ community on Long Island were in attendance at Pride for Youth's PrEP/PEP Community Forum. The Forum was held in partnership with the North Shore/LIJ Center for Young Adult, Adolescent & Pediatric HIV, whose medical staff spoke and provided education on these relatively new HIV prevention methods. This Forum was held in conjunction with the launch of Pride for Youth's new PrEP/PEP program the first of its kind on Long Island. We are thrilled to be embarking on this new partnership with the North Shore/LIJ Center for Young Adult, Adolescent & Pediatric HIV in order to bring expanded services to the LGBTQ community on Long Island. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements about this partnership in the near future!

PFY Youth Teach LGBTQ History in Local Schools!

2014-12-19T16:37:00.002-08:00

Pride for Youth’s Program Leaders debuted the new LGBTQ History workshop in December at Oceanside Middle School. This workshop was the result of a LGBTQ youth needs assessment carried out by the Youth/Adult Consortium over the last four years. The Program Leaders will facilitate this workshop in high schools and middle schools in order to integrate education around LGBTQ historical figures and events.

Mookie (Program Leader), Tawni J. Engel (PFY Asst. Director), Michael and Myrtle (Program Leaders).

New HIV Positive Support for Young Men Begins at PFY

2014-12-07T17:20:00.001-08:00

Pride for Youth is excited to announce the start of a new HIV Positive Support Group, for young gay & bi guys, through age 30. First session will be held on Thursday, December 18th from 6-8pm. Van service, transportation reimbursement and free dinner will be available! Contact Pete Carney, LCSW, at pcarney@longislandcrisiscenter.org for more information and to sign up.

PFY Director Honored in Albany

2014-12-06T18:16:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, December 2nd, 2014 Pride for Youth Director, Pete Carney was honored in Albany, NY, receiving the NYS DOH Commissioner's Special Recognition Award for improving the health and well-being of NYS LGBTQ community. Pete has been PFY's director since 2008 and is responsible for the development and implementation of PFY's many innovative programs for LGBTQ youth and young adults on Long Island. Pete is pictured above with Elissa Nolan, NYS AIDS Institute Contract Manager and Carmen Vazquez, Coordinator of the LGBT Health Unit at the NYS DOH. Pride for Youth is thrilled to see Pete recognized for his dedication to the LGBTQ community on LI!

Can a Pill a Day Prevent HIV? Come to PFY's PrEP/PEP Community Forum and get info!

2014-12-06T17:56:00.003-08:00

Can a Pill a Day Prevent HIV? Pride for Youth in collaboration with North Shore/LIJ will be holding a PrEP/PEP Community Forum on Wednesday, December 10th, 2014 at 6pm at our Bellmore offices. Get all your questions answered and find out if PrEPis for you! Free & confidential HIV testing and ACA enrollment will also be available. Open to all members of the Long Island community.

Meet The Program Leaders of 2014!

2014-10-28T12:32:00.004-07:00

Name: Mookie Mersten

Age: 18

Sexual orientation: Gay!!!

Why I became a Program Leader: To make a difference in Long Islands Community.

Hobbies & interests: My band, softball.

Life goals: To headline a stadium tour.

Name: Melissa Barrett

Age: 19

Why I became a Program Leader: In high school I didn’t have many people to turn to for support. Now I have the opportunity to be that person for someone else!! Also all of the topics that we learn in the Program Leader program are very important and aren’t discussed often.

Hobbies & interests: Running, hiking, nature walks, soldering, building mini robots, pole vaulting, renewable energy, motorcycles, Beyonce, Michael Jackson, hydroponic systems.

Life goals: I want to own a motorcycle and travel the world. Live in a place where I am energy sufficient and independent. Even though I need money, I don’t care about it, rather live a happy/fun life without it!

Name: Nico Rumpf

Age: 19

Why I became a Program Leader: To help people and educate youth on sexual health.

Hobbies & interests: Netflix, tumblr, Nintendo 64, anime

Life goals: Being financially stable, bring fully transitioned and comfortable in my own skin.

Meet the Program Leaders of 2014!

2014-10-14T13:54:00.001-07:00

Name: Myrtle Montague

Age: 19

Why I became a Program Leader: I became a Program Leader because I want to educate people my age about sexual health topics and other important issues.

Hobbies & interests: Music, reading, Anne Hathaway.

Life goals: I ideally want to become a music teacher or engineer, and marry Anne Hathaway.

Name: Gary Loiacano

Age: 19

Sexual orientation: Bisexual

Why I became a Program Leader: I want to watch the world we all share become a better place for everyone. This is why I’m a Program Leader.

Hobbies & interests: I love music, writing, reading, and all sorts of other boring academics.

Life goals: My biggest life goal is to have a life.

Name: Kermit Burchell Mitchell the 3rd

Age: 16

Sexual orientation: Gay

Why I became a Program Leader: I decided to apply for the Program Leader position when I realized I can get paid for learning about thinks I wanted to learn while being able to help out my co-workers and the LGBTQ community.

Hobbies & interests: I love playing competitive video games, most notably; Pokemon, League of Legends, Yugion, Super Smash Bros, Mario Kart; as well as RPG and strategy games like Zelda, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, etc.

Life goals: Though I have many life goals, the three most important life goals I have are:

1 -To obtain and perpetuate a loving relationship with a significant other (completed!)

2 - To create a successful video game (working on it!)

3 -To establish a business that will sell and distribute the game (working on it!)

Meet the Program Leaders of 2014!

2014-10-09T11:57:00.005-07:00

Name: Alejandro Garcia

Age: 18

Sexual orientation: Gay

Why I became a Program Leader: I chose to become a Program Leader to expand my knowledge, assist others, and become more involved within the LBGTQ community. I chase to face challenges within myself and help others through theirs. To know the right way to say things and grow, develop into a young man who has a drive to be the change he’d like to see.

Hobbies & interests: I enjoy writing stories that never seem to finish, poetry, and short plays. I love to run when I’m not being lazy. I absolutely love Indie Music, café’s, and movie nights that are memoir filled.

Life goals: I aspire to become a knowledgeable man, not for the vanity, but to educate and cause a positive impact. I will be the father of open-minded children who stand for what they believe and a husband to an amazing man, all while keeping the connection to my family.

Name: Michael O’Connor

Age: 20

Sexual orientation: Pansexual

Why I became a Program Leader: This is my third and final year with the Program Leader program. Being a Program Leader has opened many of unique opportunities for me which I will cherish for the rest of my life. The main reason I chose to apply for this position was because I wanted to make a difference in a underrepresented community..

Hobbies & interests: I enjoy many forms of art as well as writing and am currently working to write and produce my first screen play.

Life goals: My life goals mainly include becoming successful in either the social work, or graphic design profession.

Meet the Program Leaders of 2014!

2014-10-07T12:51:00.003-07:00

Name: Eric Thompson

Age: 19

Sexual orientation: Gay

Why I became a Program Leader: I became a program leader to educate my peers, and lead my community to successful health habits.

Hobbies & interests: I enjoy jogging, singing and learning new things! I also like to eat!

Life goals: I want to own a small business, start a family with a mortgage and three children. I also want a husky.

Name: Carina Velasquez

Age: 19

Why I became a Program Leader: To bring awareness to social issues concerning the LGBTQ community.

Hobbies & interests: Playing guitar, longboarding, going to the beach, psychology.

Life goals: To become a psychologist and open up my own practice.

Name: Jarod Dimatos

Age: 17

Sexual orientation: Gay

Why I became a Program Leader: I became a Program Leader because I’m very close to the staff and participants of PFY. I love to help the community in any way possible and this job allows me to. On top of all that I’m very intrigued by the world of healthcare and I always learn something at work, not something everyone can say.

Hobbies & interests: I’m a dancer day and night. That is where my devotion is. I love music, I play about 9 instruments and I’m also big on art as well.

Life goals: Well, graduating high school and college would be great. Eventually getting married would also be nice. I’d like to make use of my dancing and find some sort of career regarding that.

Pride for Youth Comes Out on TV!

2014-10-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

Pride for Youth will be featured on the next edition of Nick News with Linda Ellerbee, “Coming Out”! This exciting new show surrounds the experiences of LGBTQ youth and gives them the opportunity to tell their individual coming out stories in their own words. Don’t miss it! The premier will air Tuesday, October 7^th at 8:00pm. National Coming Out Day is Thursday, October 11^th. How will you honor the day?

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2014/10/02/openly-gay-kids-share-their-stories-in-nick-news-with-linda-ellerbee-coming-out-premiering-tuesday-oct-7-at-8-pm-et-pt-on-nickelodeon-337312/20141002nickelodeon03/

Childrens Support Group for LGBTQ kids 8-13 starts July 1st!

2014-06-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Children are identifying as

LGBTQ as early as age 8.

Pride for Youth now has a social/support group for LGBTQ kids 8-13, but we need YOUR help finding them!

Long Island Crisis Center has a rich history of serving people when there are no services available. From our annual suicide awareness walk in Long Beach on Sept. 21st to our program for LGBTQ youth, Pride for Youth, we support and engage some of the most vulnerable Long Islanders.

We are reaching out to you to ask if you would kindly disseminate information about our new program Rainbow Kids to anyone you know involved with an LGBTQ child age 8-13. As supporters of our agency and youth, YOU are the bridge between children and our services! Together we can reach out to these children and provide them with support, a social outlet and a better understanding of what lies ahead.

Rainbow Kids is a social and support group for children between the ages of 8-13 who identify as Transgender, Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian or Questioning.

Facilitated by a licensed social worker, Rainbow Kids is a 10 week program that meets every Tuesday during the summer from 6-8pm beginning Tuesday, July 1st. Attendance can be weekly, or when you are available.

Topics covered include - 'Who Am I?' , Building Friendships, Being a Rainbow Kid, Dealing with School, Getting Out Stress, Talking to Family and more! All activities are age appropriate.

Event information on Facebook here!

We hope you will share this information with anyone caring for an LGBTQ child so they can enjoy the support and fun of Rainbow Kids!

For information please call Erin at 516-679-9000 ext. 17 or email efurey@longislandcrisiscenter.org

*Please note we also offer monthly parent nights to support parents of LGBTQ youth. For information on our next parents night on 7/3 from 6:30-8:30, please email tengel@longislandcrisiscenter.org. All caregivers of LGBTQ youth welcome.

March with Pride for Youth & LGBT Activist Brendan Fay!

2014-06-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

March with Pride for Youth & LGBTQ Rights Activist Brendan Fay in the Long Island Pride Parade this Saturday!

This Saturday is the Long Island Pride Parade and Pride for Youth will be there with a bus load of LGBTQ youth to march through the streets of Huntington! We will also be marching with LGBTQ rights activist Brendan Fay!

Meet us by 11:30 at the Huntington Cinema Arts Centre for the line-up and to score a FREE official Pride for Youth Long Island Pride t-shirt (as well as other awesome rainbow give-a-ways!) Then come check out our table in the park at Pride Fest for more information on our services for LGBTQ youth on Long Island!

Brendan Fay was a co-founder of "The Civil Marriage Trail Project" in 2003, bringing couples across borders for legal marriage. Brendan will also be at Coffeehouse on Friday for our annual Pride Pep Rally to share his experience in activism with us! For more information check our event page on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!