Hi friends and family,
The short version: help me raise $8,000 for the Newburgh LGBTQ+ Center to support their incredible work in New York State! I am matching the first $2,000 in donations.
Who: The Newburgh LGBTQ+ Center is a hub of resources, education, community building, advocacy, and organizing, with the goal of building more resilient networks in the mid-Hudson Valley.
Why: I'm fundraising for the Newburgh LGBTQ+ Center as part of my participation in the 2021 Anne Braden Program because:
1) They have an excellent track record in grassroots organizing and community-building work in the mid-Hudson Valley region of New York. They center the leadership and resilience of queer people of color in everything they do, from their annual Pride events, to their trainings and workshops on LGBTQ+ cultural competency, to advocating for the release of a community member from ICE detention. The Newburgh LGBTQ+ Center's fierce anti-racist lens has strengthened my personal understanding of how all struggles for justice are tied together.
In 2020, like many organizations, the Center pivoted much of their programming online. It is not easy to do this, especially with such a small crew at the helm, but they have done an amazing job of it! I have been learning so much about the movement to end mass incarceration from taking part in their abolitionist study group, which meets online twice a month. They even launched a COVID-19 Queer Relief Fund to monetarily support LGBTQ+ people in the mid-Hudson Valley who lost work.
2) I know how big a difference we can make! The pandemic has hit small organizations like the Center hard. They have some really exciting programming coming up, but current funding has left them a bit short-handed on the people-power to handle the hours and hours of work that go into their projects and events. Being able to hire some additional people for the upcoming Pride Caravan and other projects will make a huge difference not only for the Center, but for the folks that they will hire, such as panelists, performers, an event coordinator, and a social media person.
Now, let's move some money!
Goal: $8,000
I will match the first $2,000 in donations.
Make a donation that feels meaningful to you! If you have questions please feel free to reach out to me on my phone or by email (gcaputo (at) gm.slc.edu).
In solidarity,
Gina Caputo
P.S. The Center's executive director Rae Leiner and I share a birthday (June 7)! What better way to celebrate our birthday?
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