A safe space for LGBT youth

>>> do you remember being a teenager, how important and difficult it was to find a safe space? a place where you could be yourself and speak your mind? safe space is more than just a metaphor for lesbian, gay, by sexual and transgender youth . in new york city 40% of the city's estimated 38% homeless youth are lgbt . safety is especially challenging for transgender youth . this is transgender awareness week, culminating in a day of remembrance for all those who have been victimized because of their gender identities. when you face homelessness and violence, refuge is much more than a symbol, it's a necessity. which is why among the many devastating losses caused by sandy, one stands out this week. superstorm sandy wreaked havoc on the ali forney center, the largest organization of its kind serves more than 1,000 highly vulnerable lgbt youth annually with access to showers, beds, hot meals and mental and physical health services. our foot soldier this week, carl siciliano, ali foreany's executive director and founder knows it's a safe place for these kids. he spent the day before the storm preparing for the city-wide shutdown. he directed the youth to emergency storm shelters, he told us "they didn't provide all the services we did but we knew at least they'd be safest there." carl didn't expect the devastation that hit his own cozy but highly functional 1200 square foot center. four days after the storm he was finally able to get inside. and what he found was four feet of water. all of the computers, medical and food supplies were destroyed. the space carl had made an essential escape for the most vulnerable of new york's youth, 90% of whom carl says are young people of color, that space it was deemed uninhabitable. through a simple post on facebook, carl put out the word of what had happened. and he looked for help online for a new space. he told us within 36 hours $100,000 came in, a surge of support had come forward. sandy wiped out the ali forney center but the surge of support allowed carl to start anew. he is now running services temporarily out of the lgbt center downtown but will soon open a new space. starting christmas, the ali forney center in harlem will be a 9,000 square foot facility open 24 hours a day . for not letting our underserved and underrepresented lgbt youth drown, carl siciliano is our foot soldier for the week. that