June 28 ribbon cutting (Photo: Queens Community House)
July 9, 2018 By Tara Law
A new LGBTQ center dedicated to teenagers and young adults has opened in the heart of Forest Hills.
The center, located at 107-20 71st Rd, is now the home of Generation Q, a division of Queens Community House that provides educational and recreational programming for LGBTQ youth— and serves as a place where they can safely express themselves and build a community.
Generation Q offers an array of services, such as after-school programs for teenagers, workshops, support groups, counseling, opportunities for activism and field trips.
Generation Q, located on the ground floor of large complex (Photo: Google)
A ribbon-cutting for the new center took place on June 28 and was attended by nearly 100 community members, program participants and Generation Q’s founder Larry Menzie.
Menzie, who started Generation Q in his living room in 1999, gave the new space his blessing.
“I hope that each time a young person walks into this space, you do what you can to make them feel special and welcome. It should be a moment they never forget,” Menzie said.
Before the new center opened, the Generation Q youth center was located on the lower level of a public housing unit on 62nd Drive.
Queens Community House Executive Director Ben Thomases said that he was glad that the new center is much more accessible via public transit than the old location.
“It has huge growth potential,” Thomases said. “Sitting on top of this transit hub, we have the opportunity to bring young people from all over the borough.”
Congratulations to @generationq @QCHnyc for their Grand Opening LGBTQ YOUTH CENTER at 107-20 71st Rd, Forest Hills pic.twitter.com/MGSrzMynsU
— Queens Pride NYC (@QueensPrideNYC) June 29, 2018
Thrilled to attend ribbon cutting for @qchny @generationq's new space. I founded Generation Q w social worker Larry Menzie nearly 2 decades ago. It was the only org in Qns exclusively dedicated to serving LGBTQ youth. Great to see it grow under director Lindsey Duel's leadership! pic.twitter.com/07Z3CB6pZ8
— Daniel Dromm (@Dromm25) June 29, 2018
3 Comments
At least it is not run by the LGBT Network from Long Island. Their operation in Long Island City is a joke and was done to grab a foothold in Queens where they can cozy up to Dromm to get them city money.
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Congratulations! I’m straight, but never liked the word queer to describe someone who is gay or transgender. Queer means weird and they aren’t weird, they are being what makes them happy. Everybody should do what makes them happy in their own lives.
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Its all good be who you want to be.
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