CUNY is committed to providing educational excellence to its students while creating a diverse, inclusive atmosphere for learning. CUNY is wholeheartedly committed to supporting the LGBTQI+ student, staff and faculty population. This online hub is updated and maintained by the CUNY LGBTQI+ Council.

What’s New

Standing on the Shoulders of Heroes

Join documentary filmmaker Mike Syers for a screening of his short film “There are Things to Do”
about Indian-born American LGBTQ+ activist.
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
4:30pm – 7pm EDT

Read more >>

CUNY LGBTQI+ Council

The CUNY LGBTQI+ Council is a CUNY-wide committee of faculty and staff dedicated to supporting the intersectional LGBTQI+ communities across the university system. Our mission is to ensure the visibility and inclusion of the entire spectrum of LGBTQI+ students, faculty and staff. We aim to be a collaborative resource to create connection and community, identify and troubleshoot gaps, increase representation, awareness, and equity. We are committed to leading with a social justice lens, offering support services and developing programs, events and opportunities for those who identify as LGBTQ+ or questioning. Read More

The CUNY LGBTQI+ Council consists of the following structure:

  • 2 Co-Chairs
  • Central Office Liaison
  • 5 Subcommittees
    • Gender/Name Policies & Information Systems
    • Outreach & Online Presence
    • Mental Health, Wellness & Security
    • SafeZone Trainings/LGBTQI+ Centers
    • CUNY LGBTQI+ Student Conference

These 4 subcommittees meet regularly outside of the larger CUNY LGBTQI+ Council meetings to discuss issues and initiatives related to their subcommittee areas. If you have a specific question pertaining to one of the subcommittee areas, feel free to use the Campus Resources and Contact section to find a subcommittee representative to contact.

Gary Dillon

Gary Dillon

College: Baruch College
Job Title: Supervising Psychologist, Counseling Center
Pronouns: He/Him/His
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Mental Health, Wellness & Security
Phone: 646-312-2158
Email: gary.dillon@baruch.cuny.edu

  Read More

Dr. Dillon is a NYS licensed psychologist whose areas of expertise involve social justice and advocacy, implicit bias and microaggressions, and multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion – all of which inform his sensitive, curious, collaborative, and conscientious approach to therapy. He has published and presented his research focusing on understanding the unique lived experiences of marginalized populations, such as those who are of color, undocumented, or self-identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Dr. Dillon is currently working at Baruch College as a Supervising Psychologist, providing individual and group psychotherapy, crisis intervention, supervision, psychoeducational workshops and outreach service. Additionally, Dr. Dillon serves as the Baruch Representative on the LGBTQI+ CUNY Council and is on the Council’s Mental Health & Wellness subcommittee.

Richard Suarez

Richard Suarez

College: Baruch College
Job Title: Associate Director of Operations, Division of Student Affairs
Pronouns: He/Him/His
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: SafeZone Trainings/LGBTQI+ Centers
Phone: 646-312-4552
Email: richard.suarez@baruch.cuny.edu

Michael Hutmaker

College: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Job Title: Dean for Student Affairs
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Phone: 212-220-8130
Email: mhutmaker@bmcc.cuny.edu

Brian Kelley

College: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Job Title: Assistant Professor of Academic Literacy & Linguistics
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Phone: 212-220-1420
Email: bkelley@bmcc.cuny.edu

Yuliya ShneydermanYuliya Shneyderman

College: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Job Title: Associate Professor of Health Education
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: SafeZone Trainings/LGBTQI+ Centers
Phone: 212-776-6673
Email: yshneyderman@bmcc.cuny.edu

Emalinda (Emily) McSpadden

Emalinda (Emily) McSpadden

College: Bronx Community College
Job Title: Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Social Sciences & Director of the LGBTQI+ Resource Room, Office of Student Life
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Co-Chair of Council
Pronouns: All (no preference)
Email: emalinda.mcspadden@bcc.cuny.edu
Office: 718-289-5100 x3028
Resource Room: 718-289-5300

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Emalinda L. McSpadden is an assistant professor of psychology and the coordinator of the LGBTQI+ Resource Room at Bronx Community College, CUNY. She is also a co-director of the Peer Support and Career Development Program for future mental health professionals, and coordinator of the Collective for Urban Student Research, both regularly coordinating with the LGBTQI+ Resource Room. Her research interests include creating campus-based clinical, academic, and professional development support programming for students in urban settings, with a specific focus on issues and experiences among LGBTQI+ college students of color.

Edwin Roman

College: Bronx Community College
Job Title: Academic and Transfer Resources Coordinator, Office of Transfer Services
Pronouns: He/Him/They
Phone: 917-574-5425
Email: edwin.roman@bcc.cuny.edu

Sami Binder

College: Brooklyn College
Job Title: Senior Assistant to the Director, LGBTQ Resource Center
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: SafeZone Trainings/LGBTQI+ Centers
Phone: 718-951-5739
Email: Sami.Binder@brooklyn.cuny.edu

  Read More

Sami Binder is the Senior Assistant to the Director at Brooklyn College’s LGBTQ Resource Center. Sami began working at the Center in 2015, shortly after it was first founded. They were instrumental in its growth as the Center’s primary employee. They also serve on the LGBTQ Resource Committee, which works on campus-wide LGBTQ issues.

Andy Hale

College: Brooklyn College
Job Title: Student Psychological Counselor, Personal Counseling & Adjunct Lecturer, Mental Health Counseling
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Phone: 646-572-6150
Email: Andy.Hale@brooklyn.cuny.edu

Kelly Spivey

College: Brooklyn College
Job Title: Director, LGBTQ+ Resource Center
Pronouns: She/Her/They
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: SafeZone Trainings/LGBTQI+ Centers
Phone: 718-951-5739
Email: kelly.spivey10@brooklyn.cuny.edu

Jasmin Salcedo

College: The City College of New York
Job Title: Gender Resources Social Worker
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Gender/Name Policies
Phone: 212-650-8222
Email: jsalcedo@ccny.cuny.edu

Yaari Felber-Seligman

Yaari Felber-Seligman

College: The City College of New York
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Email: yfelberseligman@ccny.cuny.edu

  Read More

Yaari Felber-Seligman (pronouns they/them), PhD, is an assistant professor at City College of New York. Their research and teaching interests include early African, comparative world, LGBTQIA+, and gender history along with a focus on non-documentary sources. With support from a 2019 National Endowment for the Humanities Award for Faculty, they are revising their book manuscript, Crafting New Economies: Inland Trade in Central East Africa. It contributes a longue durée history of how inland African resource specialists, artisans, and small-scale traders significantly shaped the evolution of trade networks and elements of regional culture in the pre-1700s. Their next project will explore understandings of gender diversity in early Africa. Felber-Seligman has published articles in African Arts, History in Africa, and the International Journal of Historical Studies. They are always happy to hear from students and may be reached at yfelberseligman@ccny.cuny.edu.

Jake Nill

Jake Nill

College: The City College of New York
Job Title: Program Manager, CCNY LGBTQ+ Student Center
Pronouns: He/Him
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Outreach & Online Presence
Phone: 212-650-6937
Email: jnill@ccny.cuny.edu

Matt BrimMatt Brim

College: CLAGS: Center for LGBTQ Studies
Job Title: Executive Director, CLAGS & Professor of Queer Studies, CSI & CUNY Graduate Center
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Phone: 718-982-3645
Email: Matt.Brim@csi.cuny.edu

Jeremiah Jurkiewicz

Jeremiah Jurkiewicz

College: College of Staten Island
Job Title: LGBTQ Resource Center/Pluralism & Diversity Coordinator
Pronouns: He/Him/His
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: SafeZone Trainings/LGBTQI+ Centers
Phone (LGBTQ Center): 718-982-3091
Email: Jeremiah.Jurkiewicz@csi.cuny.edu Read More

Jeremiah Jurkiewicz is proud to serve College of Staten Island’s LGBTQ+ and all diverse students with the Office of Student Life. Jeremiah is a Baltimore native who moved to NYC because of CUNY in 2008. He immediately fell in love with the diverse community that his campus had to offer. Along with other students in the Gay Straight Alliance, he advocated for the creation of an LGBTQ Resource Center on campus to support students. They were successful in their endeavor and CSI opened CUNY’s first LGBTQ Resource Center in Spring 2012. Jeremiah graduated with a bachelor degree in dramatic arts in 2012 and brings the passion and understanding he learned to everything he does. He has been managing the LGBTQ Resource Center since 2013 and has loved every moment. Jeremiah strives to empower students to reach for their goals, make change happen, and care for one another. Create the world you want to see!

Sohomjit Ray

Sohomjit Ray

College: College of Staten Island
Job Title: Associate Professor of English
Pronouns: He/Him/His
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: CUNY LGBTQI+ Student Conference
Phone: 718-982-3689
Email: sohomjit.ray@csi.cuny.edu

Carrie Shockley

College: Central Office
Job Title: Student Inclusion Initiatives
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Phone: 646-664-8233
Email: carrie.shockley@cuny.edu

Sarah MorganoSarah Morgano

College: Central Office
Job Title: Social Media Manager, Communications and Marketing
Pronouns: She/Her, They/Them
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Outreach & Online Presence
Phone: 646-664-9301
Email: sarah.morgano@cuny.edu

Elvis Bakaitis

College: CUNY Graduate Center
Job Title: Interim Head of Reference, Mina Rees Library
Pronouns: They/Them
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Gender/Name Policies & Information Systems
Email: Ebakaitis@gc.cuny.edu

Anick RollandAnick Rolland

College: CUNY Graduate Center
Job Title: Associate Registrar, Student Services
Pronouns: She/Her/Elle
Phone: 212-817-7507
Email: arolland@gc.cuny.edu

Sherry Adams

Sherry Adams

College: CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy
Job Title: Student Wellness Counselor, Office of Student Affairs
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Mental Health, Wellness & Security
Phone: 646-364-9526
Email: sherry.adams@sph.cuny.edu

Spring Cooper

Spring Cooper

College: CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy
Job Title: Associate Professor, Community Health and Social Sciences
Pronouns: She/They
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Mental Health, Wellness & Security
Email: spring.cooper@sph.cuny.edu

Jan Oosting Kaminsky

Jan Oosting Kaminsky

College: CUNY School of Professional Studies
Job Title: Assistant Professor of Nursing
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Phone: 973-865-9131
Email: jan.kaminsky@cuny.edu

Reshma Jaigobin

Reshma Jaigobin

College: CUNY School of Professional Studies
Job Title: Student Development and Leadership Coordinator, Office of Student Life
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Phone: 646-664-8627
Email: reshma.jaigobin@cuny.edu

Kevin Simmons

Kevin Simmons

College: CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies
Job Title: Academic Program Specialist
Pronouns: He/Him/His
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Gender/Name Policies & Information Systems
Email: kevin.simmons@slu.cuny.edu

  Read More

Kevin Simmons is an Academic Program Specialist at CUNY-SLU and is one of the school’s LGBTQI+ allies.

Anna Zak

Anna Zak

College: CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies
Job Title: Head of Internships and Experiential Learning, Academic Affairs
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Mental Health, Wellness & Security
Phone: 646-313-8359
Email: anna.zak@slu.cuny.edu

Lisa Davis

Lisa Davis

College: CUNY School of Law
Job Title: Associate Professor of Law & Special Advisor on Gender Persecution to the International Criminal Court Prosecutor
Pronouns: They/Them
Phone: 718-340-4148
Email: lisa.davis@law.cuny.edu

Bibi N. Amin

Bibi N. Amin

College: CUNY School of Law
Job Title: Admissions Counselor & Pipeline to Justice Liaison
Pronouns: She/Her
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Gender/Name Policies & Information Systems
Phone: 718-340-4631
Email: bibi.amin@law.cuny.edu

Chris RothChristopher Roth

College: Guttman Community College
Job Tilte: Associate Director of Academic Technology, Office of Academic Affairs
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Phone: 646-313-8189
Email: christopher.roth@guttman.cuny.edu

Dana LePageDana LePage

College: Guttman Community College
Job Tilte: Associate Director of the Connect Center, Student Affairs
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Phone: 646-313-8064
Email: dana.lepage@guttman.cuny.edu

Charles Rice-Gonzalez

College: Hostos Community College
Job Title: Assistant Professor of English
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Phone: 718-518-6865
Email: crice-gonzalez@hostos.cuny.edu

Jewel Jones

College: Hostos Community College
Job Title: Associate Director of Compliance and Diversity
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Phone: 718-518-4328
Email: jjones@hostos.cuny.edu

Anika Seidman-Gati

College: Hunter College
Job Title: Student Psychological Counselor and Health Educator, Counseling and Wellness Services
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Outreach & Online Presence
Phone: 212-772-4925, 212-650-3397
Email: anika.seidman-gati@hunter.cuny.edu

Miesha SmithMiesha Smith

College: Hunter College
Job Title: Director of Student Life
Pronouns:
Phone: 212-772-4916
Email: ms177@hunter.cuny.edu

Dominique Mendez-Rose

College: John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Job Title: Administrative Events Specialist, Theater & Events Support Services
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: SafeZone Trainings/LGBTQI+Centers
Phone: 212-237-8739
Email: domendez@jjay.cuny.edu

Michelle Garcia

Michelle Garcia

College: John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Job Title: Assistant Director of LGBTQ+ Resource Center, Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Gender/Name Policies & Information Systems
Phone: 212-484-1305
Email: Micgarcia@jjay.cuny.edu

Raquel Torres

College: Kingsborough Community College
Job Title: Assistant Director of Student Life
Pronouns: She/Her/Ella
Email: Raquel.Torres@kbcc.cuny.edu
Phone:
718-368-5597

Gordon Alley-YoungGordon Alley-Young

College: Kingsborough Community College
Job Title: Dean of Faculty & Professor of Speech Communication
Pronouns: He/Him (Eng) Il/Lui (Fr)
Phone: 718-368-6634
Email: Gordon.Young@kbcc.cuny.edu

Deema Bayrakdar

Deema Bayrakdar

College: LaGuardia Community College
Job Title: Director, Women’s Center and LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Mental Health, Wellness & Security
Phone: 718-482-5179
Email: dbayrakdar@lagcc.cuny.edu

Nathan Tosh

College: LaGuardia Community College
Job Title: Program Coordinator, Women’s Center and LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub
Pronouns: He/Him/His, They/Them/Theirs
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Gender/Name Policies & Information Systems
Email: ntosh@lagcc.cuny.edu

Matthew Frye Castillo

College: Lehman College
Job Title: Lecturer
Pronouns: He/Him
Phone: 908-948-8055
Email: matthewfryecastillo@gmail.com

Ashmini Hiralall

College: Lehman College
Job Title: Director, Health and Wellness Services
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Phone: 718-960-2415
Email: ashmini.hiralall@lehman.cuny.edu

Erin Mayo-AdamErin Mayo-Adam

College: LGBTQ+ Policy Center at Roosevelt House
Job Title: Director of LGBTQ Policy Center, Roosevelt House & Assistant Professor of Political Science, Hunter College
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Email: erin.mayo-adam@hunter.cuny.edu
Phone: 212-772-5505 (email preferred)

Chris Daversa

College: Macaulay Honors College
Job Title: Director of Student Development
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Cell: 212-729-2937
Email: chris.daversa@mhc.cuny.edu

Eileen MakakEileen Makak

College: Macaulay Honors College
Job Title: Assistant Director, Student Development
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Phone: 212-729-2946
Email: Eileen.Makak@mhc.cuny.edu

Christina Chala

College: Medgar Evers College
Job Title: Career Specialist, Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP)
Pronouns: She/Her, They/Them
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Outreach & Online Presence
Phone: 718-804-8239
Email: CChala@mec.cuny.edu

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Christina Chala is a social justice educator committed to creating transformative educational spaces and experiences. She currently works as the ASAP Career Specialist at CUNY Medgar Evers College. She earned her B.A. in Women’s Studies with a minor in LGBT Studies from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and her M.A. in Higher Education/Student Affairs from New York University (NYU). Prior to moving to New York Christina worked with the UCLA Center for Community College Partnerships. Her research interests include examining the role intersectionality plays in supporting students with multiple community identities, promoting access and excellence for underrepresented and underserved student populations, and best practices for creating safe and healthy community spaces.

Lisa Evelyn

College: Medgar Evers College
Job Title: Assistant Director, Women’s Center
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Phone: 718-270-6940
Email: levelyn@MEC.CUNY.EDU

Dorie Clay

College: New York City College of Technology
Job Title: Director of Strategic Initiatives and Planning, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Phone: 718-260-5000
Email: dorie.clay85@citytech.cuny.edu

Eric Rodriguez-Chan

Eric Rodriguez-Chan

College: New York City College of Technology
Job Title: Chairperson, Department of Social Science & Associate Professor of Psychology
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Phone: 718-260-5080
Email: erodriguez@citytech.cuny.edu

David Rivera

David Rivera

College: Queens College
Job Title: Associate Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Educational and Community Programs & Founding Director of the CUNY LGBTQI+ Student Leadership Program
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Co-Chair of Council
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Email: David.Rivera@qc.cuny.edu

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David P. Rivera, Ph.D., is an associate professor of counselor education at Queens College-City University of New York (CUNY) and founding director of CUNY’s LGBTQI+ Student Leadership Program. He received his doctorate in counseling psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. He also holds degrees in psychology and counseling from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Wyoming. A counseling psychologist by training, his professional experience includes college counseling and higher education administration. His practical work also includes consultations on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dr. Rivera has worked at a variety of institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, Prince George’s Community College, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, and the Addiction Institute of New York. Dr. Rivera’s research focuses on cultural competency development and issues impacting the marginalization and wellbeing of people of color and oppressed sexual orientation and gender identity groups, with a focus on microaggressions. He has published journal articles and book chapters in various areas of multicultural psychology and social justice, and his co-edited book, Microaggression Theory: Influence and Implications, was released 2019. Dr. Rivera is adviser to The Steve Fund, faculty with the Council for Opportunity in Education, and holds leadership roles in the American Psychological Association. He has received multiple recognitions for his work from the American Psychological Association, the American College Counseling Association, and the American College Personnel Association.

JC Carlson

JC Carlson

College: Queens College
Job Title: Student Life Events Manager, LGBTQIAA+ Programs Coordinator & Associate Director, CUNY LGBTQI+ Consortium
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: SafeZone Trainings/LGBTQI+ Centers
Phone: 917-659-2646
Email: JC.Carlson@qc.cuny.edu

Sonal Soni

College: Queens College
Job Title: Counselor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Mental Health, Wellness & Security
Email: Sonal.Soni@qc.cuny.edu

Aliza Atik

Aliza Atik

College: Queensborough Community College
Job Title: Assistant Professor, English
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Phone: 718-631-5367
Email: aatik@qcc.cuny.edu

Robin Ford

Robin Ford

College: Queensborough Community College
Job Title: Assistant Professor, English
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Mental Health, Wellness & Security
Email: rford@qcc.cuny.edu

  Read More

Dr. Robin R. Ford is an Assistant Professor of English at Queensborough Community College, City University of New York. She is a queer, black, woman, whose scholarship is both academic and personal, focusing on critical literacy, intersectionality, social justice, and critical interrogation of the spaces we occupy. She has been published in Salon.com, the Kenyon Review, The Conversant and appeared on NPR’s “On Point, with Tom Ashbrook.

Clarence Jefferson Hall Jr.

Clarence Jefferson Hall Jr.

College: Queensborough Community College
Job Title: Assistant Professor, History
Pronouns: He, Him, His
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Gender/Name Policies & Information Systems
Phone: 718-631-6645
Email: chall@qcc.cuny.edu

Ebonie Jackson

College: York College
Job Title: Director
Department: Women’s Center for Gender Justice
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
LGBTQI+ Council Subcommittee: Gender/Name Policies & Information Systems
Phone: 718-262-2008
Email: ejackson@york.cuny.edu

Charmaine TownsellCharmaine Townsell

College: York College
Job Title: Director of Student Disability Services
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Phone: 718-262-2274
Email: ctownsell@york.cuny.edu

CUNY STUDENTS MARCHING IN NY GAY PRIDE PARADE
CUNY STUDENTS MARCHING IN NY GAY PRIDE PARADE

LGBTQI+ Related Policies

The City University of New York is committed to providing educational excellence to its students while creating a diverse, inclusive atmosphere for learning. In Student Affairs, we are dedicated to assuring this inclusive atmosphere for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and intersex communities and others whose identification extends beyond these borders.

LGBTQI+ Student Leadership & Internship Programs

CUNY offers programs specifically tailored to support its LGBTQI+ students and allies by providing them with career engagement opportunities and leadership skill development. These programs benefit from both the CUNY LGBTQI+ Council and the University’s LGBTQI+ Advisory Council.

The CUNY LGBTQI+ Council is made up of staff and faculty representatives from all 25 CUNY colleges. Programs connected through the CUNY LGBTQI+ Council engages the next generation of LGBTQI+ leaders through a variety of social justice training, personal development, community engagement, experiential, mentoring, and social networking activities.

​The LGBTQI+ Advisory Council is an external group of leaders connecting CUNY’s LGBTQI+ and allied students to New York City’s various resources and opportunities by leading and supporting various programs. The group is led by philanthropist Mitch Draizin, founder and president of the Concordia Philanthropic Fund and a long-time champion of CUNY’s LGBTQI+ community.

Learn About the LGBTQI+ Advisory Council
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If you are in need of emotional support, please visit our Counseling page.

If you are in need of health and wellness resources, please visit the Health Services page.

If you or anyone you know is in a crisis situation:
please call 911, visit your local emergency room, text “HOME” to 741741
or reach out to The Trevor Project or The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

LGBTQI+ Student Initiatives

Throughout CUNY, there are plenty of LGBTQI+ clubs, organizations, and chapters to be a part of! These student LGBTQI+ groups bring together LGBTQI+, questioning, and allied peers through community-based activities, actions, campaigns, social advocacy, education, friendships, and fun. As with many CUNY student groups, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused several LGBTQI+ student groups to cease operations. While there are still active LGBTQI+ student groups across CUNY, many are in the process of revival or are in need of revival. Check out what student LGBTQI+ groups are on your campus below.

If your college is not listed below, it either has not yet established an LGBTQI+ Student Group or has one that needs help reviving. Please reach out to your college’s CUNY LGBTQI+ Council representatives to see how you can get started on your campus!

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: Gender Love and Sexuality Spectrum (GLASS)
Email: TBA
Social Media: Instagram @baruchglass_
Staff/Faculty Advisor: Jan Martinez – jan.martinez@baruch.cuny.edu
Meeting Details: Every Thursday 12:40-2:20 p.m. in NVC Room 8-150

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: Rainbow Alliance, QueerLit Book Club, The Agenda (Queer Art Club), and Black & Queer
Email: lgbtqi@bcc.cuny.edu
Social Media: TBA
Staff/Faculty Advisor: Edwin Roman – edwin.roman@bcc.cuny.edu
Meeting Details: LGBTQI+ Resource Room (Roscoe Brown Student Center Room 312)

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance (LGBTA)
Email: TBA
Social Media: Instagram @brooklyn.lgbta
Staff/Faculty Advisor: Kelly Spivey – lgbtqcenter@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Meeting Details: Student Center Room 221

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: LGBTQ+ Open Alliance Club
Email: saga@gtest.ccny.cuny.edu
Social Media: Instagram @ccny_open_alliance_club
Staff/Faculty Advisor: Jake Nill – jnill@ccny.cuny.edu
Meeting Details: Every other Thursday 12:30-2 PM in the LGBTQ+ Student Center (NAC 1/101B)

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: Pride Club
Email: TBA
Social Media: Instagram @sps_prideclub
Staff/Faculty Advisor: Jan Oosting – jan.oosting@cuny.edu
Meeting Details: TBA

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: OUTLaws
Email: TBA
Social Media: Instagram @cunyoutlaws
Staff/Faculty Advisor: TBA​
Meeting Details: TBA – Join Listserv

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: Stonewall Club
Email: TBA
Social Media: TBA
Staff/Faculty Advisor: Christopher Roth – ChristopherRoth@guttman.cuny.edu
Meeting Details: TBA

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: JJ Spectra
Email: jjspectra@jjay.cuny.edu
Social Media: Instagram @jjspectra
Staff/Faculty Advisor: TBA
Meeting Details: TBA

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: Queer and Fierce (Queer AF)
Email: TBA
Social Media: TBA
Staff/Faculty Advisor: Nathan Tosh – ntosh@lagcc.cuny.edu
Meeting Details: Thursdays 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM in MB-68

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: Crystal Queer
Email: TBA
Social Media: Instagram @lehmancrystalqueer
Staff/Faculty Advisor: Matthew Frye-Castillo – matt.caprioli@lehman.cuny.edu and Benjamin Holtzman – benjamin.holtzman@lehman.cuny.edu
Meeting Details: Every first and third Monday of the month

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: Macaulay Queer Alliance
Email: TBA
Social Media: Instagram @macaulaylgbt
Staff/Faculty Advisor: TBA
Meeting Details: TBA

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: PRIDE Club
Email: TBA
Social Media: Instagram @citytechpride
Staff/Faculty Advisor: Laura Westengard – laura.westengard25@login.cuny.edu
Meeting Details: Thursdays 12:45-2 p.m. in Namm 1017

LGBTQI+ Student Group Name: Gender, Love, and Sexuality Alliance (GLASA)
Email: TBA
Social Media: Instagram @qcglasa
Staff/Faculty Advisor: TBA
Meeting Details: TBA

Supporting Your Preferred Name & Gender

A chosen name (referred to in CUNY policy as a preferred name and sometimes known as a name-in-use) is a name that a person uses which is different from the one on the person’s legal records. There are many reasons a person may use a chosen name, including to reflect their gender identity or to go by a more familiar nickname.

CUNY policy allows you to update your chosen first and middle name as well as your gender at your discretion, without documentation. Unless noted, your chosen name will be displayed (with your legal last name) on CUNYfirst, Blackboard and course rosters. You can also update your student ID card, email address and Zoom display name.

Colleges may use a chosen name on all documents and records except for certain official documents (e.g. diplomas and transcripts), where a legal name change is required to update.

Update Your Preferred Name

  • Log in to CUNYfirst
  • Go to Student Center
  • Under Personal Information, click “Names”
  • Click “Add a New Name” and choose the Preferred option

You may also submit the CUNY Preferred Name Request Form to your college registrar’s office.

Note: To update your legal name (including corrections to a typographical or spelling error), request a Personal Data Change Request Form from your college’s registrar’s office.

Update Your Gender

  • Log in to CUNYfirst
  • Go to Self Service (might also say Employee Self Service)
  • Under Personal Details, click “Gender Identity”
  • Choose your gender identity. Options include: male (M), female (F), transgender (T), gender nonconforming (G), non-binary (X), a gender not listed (L) and not specified (U)
  • Choose the date you want your gender identity to be shown

You may also complete the CUNY Gender Change Form and submit it to your college registrar’s office.

Note for Students: Updating your gender may create data mismatches if you have applied for federal financial aid using a different gender. If you update your gender, contact your college’s financial aid office to inform them of the update.

Use Someone’s Chosen Name

In short, use someone’s chosen name whenever possible. This includes:

  • in casual conversation and email communication
  • in formal settings
  • on registration and sign-up forms

If you have access to a student or colleague’s legal name, treat this as confidential data and limit usage to specific circumstances where a legal name is required (e.g. for a background check or when dealing with financial records.)

Note: In certain circumstances, it may be unclear whether a person would prefer you use their chosen name versus their legal name (e.g. when contacting a family member or writing a letter of recommendation). If you are not sure, privately ask the person what they would prefer.

Update Your Student ID Card

CUNY students are entitled to a free updated ID card to reflect their preferred name, without a legal name change! Your preferred name must be updated in CUNYfirst.

Contact your college’s Public Safety department or photo ID card services office to request a new card.

Update Your Student Email

Your preferred name must be updated in CUNYfirst. Once done, you can contact your college’s IT department and request your student email address reflect the update.

Update Zoom

During a meeting, you can click the three dots next to your screen and choose “Rename”. Update the display name to reflect your chosen name and pronouns.

Need Help?

If you have any issues with making these changes or if you do not see them reflected after a week, please contact your college’s CUNY LGBTQI+ Council representative and registrar’s office.

CUNY LGBTQI+ Centers

LGBTQI+ Centers are places where LGBTQI+, questioning, and allied students, staff, and faculty are able to connect with LGBTQI+ affirming resources and build strong community. Throughout CUNY, there are various LGBTQI+ Centers, these include resource centers, academic/policy centers, student centers, hubs, and much more! Not every CUNY college has an LGBTQI+ Center but those that are open welcome folks from all CUNY schools. With that said, more LGBTQI+ Centers are opening up throughout CUNY! Please see the current list of CUNY LGBTQI+ Centers below.

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BMCC Pride Center (est. 2022)

The BMCC Pride Center (PC) is a new area under the pilot program called the Social Justice & Equity Centers at BMCC. We foster a supportive environment for all students, faculty, and staff focusing on the experiences and identities withing the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQIA+) community. The Pride Center offers events, programs and services focused on supporting and celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community, and the role of allies. Our goal is to educate the BMCC community on inclusion, allyship, and intersectionality. All students are welcome to participate regardless of orientation, sex, gender, or expression.

Learn more about the BMCC Pride Center

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Bronx Community College LGBTQI+ Resource Room (est. 2018)

The LGBTQI+ Resource Room at Bronx Community College works to foster an inclusive, safe, and welcoming environment for students, faculty, and staff of all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions. The Resource Room aims to sustain visibility and a sense of community by providing LGBTQI+ education, programming, and support services on campus.

Learn more about the BCC LGBTQI+ Resource Room

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Brooklyn College LGBTQ Resource Center (est. 2014)

The LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning) Resource Center is both a welcoming space and supportive network for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual and/or ally (LGBTQIA) students, staff and faculty at Brooklyn College.

Learn more about the Brooklyn College LGBTQ Resource Center

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The City College of New York LGBTQ+ Student Center (est. 2021)

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Student Center is a collaborative resource dedicated to celebrating, empowering, and supporting LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and faculty at The City College of New York.

Learn more about The City College of New York LGBTQ+ Student Center

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College of Staten Island LGBTQ Resource Center (est. 2012)

The LGBTQ Center embraces the diversity of the CSI community and provides resources and programs for campus members who want to learn more about and advocate for LGBTQ issues.

Learn more about the CSI LGBTQ Resource Center

CLAGS

The Center for LGBTQ Studies (CLAGS) (est. 1991)

The Center for LGBTQ Studies (CLAGS), located at the City University of New York, Graduate Center, was founded in 1991 and is the first university-based research center in the United States dedicated to the study of historical, cultural, and political issues of vital concern to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals and communities.

Learn more about the Center for LGBTQ Studies (CLAGS)

CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium

CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium (est. 2017)

We are the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium, housed under the LaGuardia & Wagner Archives, and we are changing the face of CUNY and NYC. Our mission is not only to preserve LGBTQIA+ history, but to make it! We facilitate the archiving of LGBTQIA+ history across New York, and we support LGBTQIA+ training, education, and programming. The CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium began in the borough of Queens in 2017, and since that time we have expanded across all 5 boroughs. Currently there are 14 participating campuses, but we are still growing!

Learn more about the CUNY LGBTQIA+ Consortium

LGBTQ Policy Center at Roosevelt House

The LGBTQ Policy Center at the Roosevelt House (est. 2008)

The LGBTQ Policy Center at Roosevelt House provides educational and enrichment opportunities for students interested in LGBTQ studies, develops public programs on LGBTQ politics and policy for the broader community, and creates bridges between researchers and policymakers who are invested in advancing LGBTQ rights. The mission of the center is to support research on LGBTQ issues to inform policy decisions; to disseminate findings to inform public opinion and promote LGBTQ social, health, and political equity; and to provide academic training and practicum opportunities for Hunter College students in LGBTQ studies.

Learn more about the LGBTQ Policy Center at the Roosevelt House

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John Jay College of Criminal Justice LGBTQ+ Resource Center (est. 2021)

The LGBTQ+ Resource Center is a student-centered campus resource that provides an open, safe and inclusive space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students as well as students whose identities fall in-between or expand beyond these categories. The Center builds community, awareness, and knowledge; provides leadership development, educational and social programs; and advocates for students, promotes research and offers resources.

Learn more about the John Jay College of Criminal Justice LGBTQ+ Resource Center

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LaGuardia Community College LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub (est. 2015)

The LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub is a collaborative resource for celebrating the experiences, identities and expressions of LGBTQIA students, faculty and staff as well as increasing awareness about LGBTQIA issues, gender and sexuality at LaGuardia. We are committed to leading with a social justice lens, offering support services and developing programs, events and opportunities for those who identify as LGBTQ+ or questioning. Whether you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, questioning or an ally, you are welcome here.The LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub is a collaborative resource for celebrating the experiences, identities and expressions of LGBTQIA students, faculty and staff as well as increasing awareness about LGBTQIA issues, gender and sexuality at LaGuardia. We are committed to leading with a social justice lens, offering support services and developing programs, events and opportunities for those who identify as LGBTQ+ or questioning. Whether you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, questioning or an ally, you are welcome here.

Learn more about the LaGuardia Community College LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub

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Safe Zone Training

It’s an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to learn about the LGBTQI+ community through terminology, self-examination, discussion, and best practices. It teaches about some of the many struggles faced by the LGBTQI+ community and how we might better foster inclusion.

If you are interested in learning more about Safe Zone Trainings or setting up a training for your department or student organization please reach out to your campus contact.

If you would like more information on the CUNY LGBTQI+ Safezone Subcommittee, please contact Tammie Velasquez at tavelasquez@bmcc.cuny.edu.

FAQs

Yes, CUNY students can request to join groups on other CUNY campuses. However, it is up to the discretion of that campus whether to permit.

Yes, CUNY students with their CUNY ID can visit another campus’ LGBTQI+ physical space.

If you have a question, concern, issue, or would like to request co-sponsorship on an event, see the contact section to find your CUNY campus staff/faculty representative on the CUNY LGBTQI+ Council. The Council plans to host a variety of events throughout the year – these will be featured on this website and in CUNY Communications.

In 2019, the Human Rights Law was amended through the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) to explicitly add gender identity or expression as a protected category. Discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression is prohibited in all areas covered by the Human Rights Law. Sexual orientation was amended through the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA) in 2002.

The NYS Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination based on specific protected classes in employment, housing, credit, places of public accommodations, and non-sectarian educational institutions, including CUNY.

In observance of New York State Human Rights Law, listed below are the memorandums provided by CUNY that explicitly states CUNY’s policies on these matters:

  1. Memorandum on Student and Employee Requests for Name and/or Gender Changes (2018)
    • New York State requires the use of student’s legal names on official records.
    • For non-official records, students may select a preferred first and middle name. No documentation is required to change this.
    • For non-official records, students may select their gender. No documentation is required to change this.
  2. Memorandum on State and Local Laws Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Gender Identity and Gender Expression (2019)
    • Explicitly states that everyone at CUNY deserves safe and equal access to restrooms.
    • CUNY policy provides that single-occupancy and single-sex restrooms, locker rooms and other facilities be available to all individuals consistent with their gender identity.
  3. Memorandum on Student and Employee Requests for Name and/or Gender Changes (2021)
    • Individuals at CUNY have the right to be addressed by the pronouns of their choice, regardless of how their sex was assigned at birth.
    • An individual’s use of a preferred pronoun will not require documentation or a court order.
    • The failure to address a student by their preferred pronouns can be investigated as an act of sex discrimination and sexual harassment.
  4. Memorandum on Expansion of the New York State Gender Recognition Act (2022)
    • As of January 1, 2023, CUNY must provide an option for members of the public to mark “X” when identifying their gender during any interaction with CUNY.
    • To accomplish this requirement, the law requires agencies to “update any applicable forms or data systems by January 1, 2023…”

Students are able to use CUNYfirst self-service to select a preferred first and middle name. Follow the following steps:

  • Go onto the CUNYfirst Webpage
  • Log into your account
  • Go to Student Center
  • Scroll down to Personal Information and Click “Names” on the left hand side
  • On that page you should be able to add a name and indicate that it is your preferred name.

Please note that this will only change your name on CUNYfirst, it is not a legal name change. After making this update, your preferred name will also be shown on class rosters and Blackboard.

CUNY students, staff, and faculty can update their gender identity information on CUNYfirst or through their campus’ Registrar’s Office (students only).

Find instructions on updating your gender identity information in the Update Your Gender section of this page.

For Students: Please be aware that changing your gender in CUNYfirst may cause a mismatch if you are a recipient of federal financial aid. You are advised to contact the financial aid office to discuss further. In addition, you are advised to contact the Social Security Administration, to prevent any problems with data mismatches between that agency’s records and the information on file with the U.S. Department of Education, which administers federal student aid programs. While CUNY does not require documentation of gender identity, there may be documentation requirements at these agencies. In addition, because gender is a shared field for students and employees in CUNYfirst, a change in gender for students who are also employees will automatically change their gender in their employee record.

CUNY policy states colleges must replace student identification cards to reflect a preferred name without cost to the student.

Here are on- and off-campus options on reporting discrimination:

On-campus Reporting Options:

  • Please reach out to your Campus Chief Diversity Officer to report any acts of discrimination.  [Not confidential]*
  • CUNY has launched a University-Wide discrimination and retaliation reporting portal. This form is used to file a complaint of discrimination faced at CUNY, including against sexual orientation and gender identity as prohibited by and defined in CUNY’s Policy on Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination (“EO Policy”). [Not confidential]*
  • For reports of sexual harassment or sexual violence, including sexual assault, stalking, domestic and intimate violence, please follow the process outlined in CUNY’s Policy on Sexual Misconduct. To file a complaint, contact your Campus Title IX Coordinator to file a complaint. [Not confidential]*
  • If you are a student at a college of CUNY and you wish to speak to someone who will keep your communications confidential, you may speak to the following employees [Confidential]**:
    • Counselor or other staff member(s) at your college counseling center
    • Nurse, nurse practitioner or other staff member(s) in the college health office
    • Pastoral counselor (e., counselor who is also a religious leader), if one is available at your college
    • Staff member(s) in a women’s or men’s center, if one exists at your college

*Reports of violations will be kept private to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation, to comply with all applicable laws, and to cooperate with law enforcement authorities. A report may be made anonymously. An anonymous report will be taken seriously and reviewed thoroughly; however, the ability to investigate an anonymous report and pursue further action may be limited.

**These professionals are available to provide you with support. They will not report any information about an incident to the college’s Title IX Coordinator or other college employees without your permission, except if the information shared demonstrates that there is an immediate danger to the community. They may also have to report information that does not identify you by name for statistical reports required under federal law.​ Personal concerns shared are not integrated with a student’s academic record. However, there are a few exceptions to confidentiality guidelines, and these apply to any health or mental health treatment center in New York State.

Off-Campus Reporting Options:

CUNY is committed to conducting its affairs in compliance with federal, state and local laws and University policy. CUNY encourages all persons to report conduct or suspected conduct that they in good faith believe may violate the law or CUNY policy so that CUNY may investigate and take appropriate action. CUNY will not retaliate against anyone who makes such a report.

Persons with knowledge of conduct or conditions that pose an imminent threat to the health or safety of any member of the CUNY community or the public should immediately call 911 or Public Safety.

For more information, please follow process outlined in CUNY’s Policy on Reporting of Alleged Misconduct.

  • If you believe you have been the victim of discrimination in the City of New York, you may file a complaint with the Law Enforcement Bureau of the NYC Commission on Human Rights.
    • For more information on how to report discrimination, how to file a complaint, or about the complaint process, call 311 or (212) 416-0197.
    • The NYC Human Rights Law requires that the complaint be filed within one year of the last alleged act of discrimination (or three years for gender-based harassment).
  • If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your gender identity, you can file a complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights.
    • You can contact the NYS Division of Human Rights at 1-888-392- 3644 to discuss your situation.
    • A complaint must be filed with the Division within one year of the alleged discriminatory act.

There are many ways to connect with LGBTQI+ students on your home campus and across CUNY! Visit your campus’ Student Life website or platform to search for LGBTQ+ student clubs or resource centers. If you have any questions about what your particular campus offers, you can reach out to your campus LGBTQI+ Council representative (see the Contact Us section). Sometimes, LGBTQI+ events offered on one CUNY campus may designate that they’re open to attendees from all CUNY campuses.

See the CUNY LGBTQI+ Event Calendar.

Through the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies (CUNY BA), students can receive an individualized degree specifically in LGBTQ Studies. Working closely with a mentor and drawing on the wide areas of faculty expertise in LGBTQ Studies across CUNY campuses, students can now develop an academic path that prepares them to contribute to LGBTQ progress in the world. Click here for more information.

The LGBTQ courses page lists a sampling of some of the LGBTQ-inflected courses available across the CUNY campuses. Some are offered on a rotational basis. Please go to CUNY Class Search for current offerings and schedules.

Students at the LGBTQI Student Leadership Program

Current Events

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Join us on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 4:30pm for the opening of an exhibit, “Standing on the Shoulders of Heroes,” by the Stonewall Museum at CCNY and for a viewing and discussion of “There are Things to Do,” the short documentary about Urvashi Vaid. We will be joined by Mike Syers, the producer and director of the documentary, and he will lead a discussion after we view it together. We will also be joined by Shantal Rodriguez and Blaze Levario, the inaugural winners of the Urvashi Vaid Award for LGBTQ+ Advocacy at The City College of New York. The event will be followed by a reception.

Here’s the link for folks to RSVP

Previous Events

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Invites you to attend
a new public program presented in-person and on Zoom

The New Generation of Lesbian Bars:
A Stonewall Legacy

Featuring a Screening of a Documentary Short from NBC OUT

Wednesday, November 8 
5:30 PM (ET)
Click here to RSVP

For the past three decades, the number of lesbian bars in the United States has seen a steady decline—from an estimated 200 at their peak in the 1980s to a low point in 2020 of less than 20 across the country, according to an NBC News report. Since then, according to a more recent NBC News review from August 2023, a dozen new bars have opened, bringing the total number of venues geared toward queer women to 35—signaling “a measured revitalization” and bringing legitimate hope for an ongoing resurgence. Read More

Per that same review, bar owners and patrons are attributing the uptick to the rising need for queer and transgender-inclusive spaces amidst a flurry of anti-LGBTQ legislative attacks as well as an evolution towards messaging that is more inclusive of the full spectrum of the LGBTQ community within sapphic spaces. Also credited with generating this momentum is the fundraising campaign and documentary film Lesbian Bar Project, which features bars that are also included in the seven-minute NBC Out documentary with which the program will begin.

This event—a screening followed by panel discussion—will bring together leading advocates, bar owners, and community members to discuss efforts to counter the downward trend as well as the significance and evolution, from Stonewall to today, of the lesbian bar as a vital LGBTQ community space

Panelists:

Wanda Acosta (she/her) is a stalwart icon in lesbian nightlife in downtown New York. She has been creating and producing events in New York City for 30 years. She was an owner of WonderBar, Starlight, and Clubhouse in Manhattan’s East Village. She also hosted and curated lesbian events at Bar d’O, The Box, Angels and Kings, BLVD, Liquids, NYC, Clit Club, and recently at The Ace Hotel, The Jane Hotel, and Hotel Hugo. She has worked with a diverse range of clients and media, including The New Festival (New York Gay & Lesbian Film Festival), Mix NYC (New York Gay & Lesbian Experimental Film/Video Festival), Showtime’s The L-Word, Miramax Films, Tribeca Film Festival, Twist/Columbia Records, fashion/art magazine Visionaire, and non-profit organizations such as GLAAD, Empire State Pride Agenda, Astraea Foundation, Hetrick-Martin Institute and The Center. Most recently, she was awarded the Community Advocacy Award from The Leslie Lohman Museum of Art. She is currently the creator, producer, and co-editor of the podcast Sundays at Café Tabac, which focuses on queer lives and queer coming out stories.

 

Angela E.L. Barnes (she/her) is the co-owner of Nobody’s Darling, a woman-owned, women-centered cocktail bar in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. In 2021, Nobody’s Darling was a James Beard Award finalist. She lives on the south side of Chicago with her wife and many cats. She is a corporate attorney by day with expertise in advising corporations in highly regulated industries, including insurance, technology, construction, engineering, and real estate. But her main passion is helping others. Angela stands at the intersection of race, gender, and sexual orientation to help guide the strategic thinking and direction of the nonprofit organizations for which she has had the privilege of serving as a board director, including Center on Halsted, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, GLAAD Chicago Leadership Council, and SGA Youth & Family Services. She co-founded SHE100, a philanthropic giving circle of lesbian and queer women supporting organizations throughout Chicago. In 2020, she was appointed to the Racial Justice Diversity Committee for the Northern District of Illinois. Angela holds a Juris Doctor from Columbia University and Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College. She is also a member of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics.

 

Alex Berg (she/her) is an on-air host, creative director, and multimedia journalist who recently wrote a feature about new lesbian and queer women owned bars for NBC OUT. Over the course of her career, Alex has served as a morning show host, interviewing presidential candidates and Oscar-winners alike, has directed short documentaries about LGBTQ+ people and social issues, and has produced and anchored content about pop culture and trending topics. Alex recently served as a director and producer of the documentary series Authentic Voices of Pride for LGBTQ Nation and as the host of Lambda Legal’s inaugural podcast, Making the Case. Alex’s work has received Anthem, Shorty, and Muse awards, was nominated for GLAAD Media Awards, and screened by NewFest. Alex has also been recognized as an honoree in the Webby’s News & Politics category.

 

Kathy Jack (she/her) is the Director of Operations for Caven Enterprises, Inc., which owns Sue Ellen’s (the oldest lesbian bar in Texas) along with many other Gay Bars. Kathy has lived in Dallas for over six decades, where she works as the manager of Sue Ellen’s. Kathy has been a leader in the LGBTQIA+ community for over 40 years. She has spent much of her life managing Lesbian bars in Dallas and owned her own restaurant and bar with her wife of 27 years from 2008-2012. Her life has been dedicated to inclusivity and equality. She feels passionate about inviting everyone to the conversation. She is proud to have been named the first Inclusion Ambassador to the LGBTQIA+ community for the Dallas Mavericks in 2018.

 

Stacy Lentz (she/her) is an LGBTQ+ activist, speaker, and Co-Owner of the Stonewall Inn, which became the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement after the Stonewall Riots in 1969.  In 2006, the Stonewall Inn was closed, and Lentz was part of a team of investors who saved the iconic landmark. Stonewall was named a National Monument in 2016, making it the first LGBTQ+ national monument in US history. Lentz has also helped organize hundreds of fundraisers for grassroots activists and organizations. In addition, Lentz also helped organize the March for Marriage rally uniting over 80 LGBTQ+ organizations and thousands of people to call for the repeal of DOMA in 2013. She was also a featured rally speaker on the Supreme Court steps calling on the courts to rule in favor of LGBTQ+ workplace protections. She is also a TEDx speaker and has appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, and various other news outlets discussing gay rights and issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. She has also talked about equality at live events all over the globe, including London Pride, Stockholm Pride, Amsterdam Pride, Berlin Pride, and Out and Equal.

 

Erin Mayo-Adam (she/her), moderator, is the Director of the LGBTQ Policy Center at Roosevelt House, an assistant professor in the Political Science Department, and a member of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Faculty and Curriculum Committee. She is the author of Queer Alliances: How Power Shapes Political Movement Formation and has published in numerous academic outlets, including the Law & Society ReviewLaw & Social Inquiry, and the Oxford Encyclopedia of LGBT Politics and Policy. Her research is situated in the fields of American politics, law and society, and political theory and bridges scholarship on social movements, interest groups and public policy, intersectionality, gender and sexuality, and migration and labor politics.

This event is co-sponsored by the CUNY LGBTQ Advisory Council and it is made possible by the generous support of the New York City Council and the CUNY LGBTQ Consortium.

 

Please click the link below to join via Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84297375091