“My mom met my boyfriend today,” Gabriel Haggray said, seated at a patio table at Savage Pizza in Little Five Points with friends Chris Kontopidis and Casey Geyer. “She gave him a hug.”
A huge grin allowed a flash of his blue-tinted braces to shine. This was a huge step for Haggray, 24, a psychology major at Georgia Perimeter College who once had dreams of a ballet career and now hopes to become a criminal profiler for the FBI.
When Haggray came out in the 11th grade, his parents were a bit reluctant to understand and accept. It’s a different story today. Haggray said the support he receives from his family, especially his older sisters, is monumental.
New generation of Atlanta LGBTQ youth discuss organization
Gathered around a table at Avondale Pizza, several young people waiting for their food to arrive joked about school, the different haircuts they want and teased some friends who accidentally went to Savage Pizza down the street.
All utilize the services provided by YouthPride and say they are grateful for the agency and do not want it to disappear.
They understand the nonprofit is facing a financial crisis, can’t pay its rent and is dealing with administrative difficulties. Two community volunteer ad-hoc committees have formed to study YouthPride’s financial and programming viability and are scheduled to make a public report to the community on Feb. 8.
“It’s sad but at same time the people would find ways to continue on [if YouthPride] closed,” said Sean Hussey, 24, who identifies as transfeminine and is a computer science major at Georgia Tech.
Proceeds from tonight’s performance of the award-winning musical help Atlanta’s agency for LGBT youth
LGBT youth outreach organization hosts two forums tonight
Fundraiser for The Trevor Project, candlelight vigil tonight in Midtown honors recent suicides of LGBT youth
Local LGBT organizations will hold a discussion panel on the upcoming Georgia gubernatorial election next Tuesday. The panel will be moderated by internet radio host Miko Evans and will focus on the implications of the 2010 election for Georgia’s governor.
Members of Georgia Equality, AID Atlanta, Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative, YouthPride and the Human Rights Campaign are scheduled to participate in the forum.
Georgia Equality is urging voters to vote against Republican candidate Nathan Deal and is promoting a “No. Deal.” campaign on Facebook targeted against Deal.
YouthPride, a non-profit LGBT youth outreach organization, hosts a series of weekly discussion groups for teens and young adults
The Atlanta Police Department’s new GLBT Advisory Board now has a place on the APD’s website. There’s not much on it right now — the nine-member board met for the first time on Monday — but there is a list of email address of all members in case you want to contact them about any concerns.
Glen Paul Freedman is the chair of the board, Terence McPhaul is vice-chair and Ebonee Bradford-Barnes is secretary.
“This site will include our meeting agendas, meeting minutes, advisory group member contact information, by-laws, events and additional information. This is a good step forward towards working together and a first for APD,” said Freedman in an email statement.