Putnam County Pride Guide 2024

PRIDE GUIDE Putnam County

Thank you to all of our amazing vendors, partners and advertisers! With your support we are able to hold our annual Putnam Pride celebration and to print and distribute our annual Pride Guide, which spotlights local businesses, organizations, artists and performers which are LGBTQ+-affirming.

And thank you to our volunteers who help make Putnam Pride happen! You rock!!

2024 Food vendors:

Dutchess Dog House, Wrapper’s Delight, Pink Sugar Pastries, Thai Golden, Chef Dion, Paradise Food Truck

2024 Retail and Nonprofit Vendors: Putnam Progressives, H Line/Long Island Crisis Center, Moms Demand Action, Queery, The Alzheimer’s Association, Putnam County Dept. of Health, Magazzino Italian Art, Dope Girl Magic, Secondaries Boutique, Forward Motion Counseling, Strength of the Mind Psychiatry, The Black Cat Boutique, A2Z Designs by Nikk, Instinct Dog Training, Hudson Valley Credit Union, Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, WMC Health AllyCare, Nuvance Health, Trans Closet of the Hudson Valley, A Kind of Magic Travel, JenArt, Color Street, Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson, Inc., HeadCount, Candles by Chaska Bregante, Defense of Democracy, CEPAB, Lucky Rabbit’s Foot, SlimeStudios

2024 Advertisers/Supporters: Split Rock Books, Putnam County Economic Development Corporation, Feehan Insurance, Putnam County Tourism, CoveCare/MHA

Message From Putnam Pride

Happy Day One of Pride month all! This year, we wanted to focus the Pride Guide on our community. The photo project featured here was conceived and carried out by Putnam LGBTQ+ resident Laurie Doppman and includes testimonials from a range of LGBTQ+ people and allies across Putnam County about what Pride means to them and/or their experiences of being queer in Putnam. This is more important than ever because there is a local and national attack on queer experience that has been gaining momentum for the last several years. Drag shows have been restricted or banned in places around the country over the last two years and trans people have continued to be targeted with violence and discriminated against by lawmakers everywhere. In our own backyard, the Nassau County Executive tried to ban trans women and girls from playing sports in county-run facilities. Gender-affirming care is being restricted in many states. The death of Nex Benedict in February of this year brought the scourge of bullying and abuse of gender-expansive kids in schools into the national spotlight. Locally, trans and nonbinary students continue to be under fire as well, although the passage in August 2023 of the Carmel Central School District’s first Gender Identity Policy is a triumph for protecting the rights of gender expansive students locally. So this Pride month, let’s celebrate EVERYONE in our community and resist these repeated attempts to cast some members as “inappropriate,” “deviant” or “dangerous.” These are fear tactics that represent a backlash to a parallel move toward wider acceptance of trans and nonbinary identity and art forms like drag that have always existed and that make our community – indeed, the world – more colorful, joyful and beautiful for us all. Happy Pride!!!!

June 1st, 2024

hosted by

ANGEL ELEKTRA SHAY D’PINES

The 5th Annual

Putnam Prid e Celebration

with Speakers

Ixmucane N. Pereira

Pastor Jen Boyd, Trinity Lutheran Church

Duane Boutte, Gilead Presbyterian Church

Pete Harckham, NY State Senator

Rebecca Loeffel

Dakota Pinon, GLSEN

James Young aka I.Den.t.T, Queery

Jim Wise

Abigail Lyons

Entertainment by

Angel Elektra & Shay D’Pines

DJ Brittany Carrasco

Kitty KaBoodlez and Starr

Kid’s Entertainment with Miss Patti

Open Mic hosted by I.Den.t.T

Graphic Design & Artwork

Daniel Basiletti

Jean Basiletti

Founder

Eileen McDermott

Sound & Music

Brittany Carrasco

Jill Paxton

Roderick Cumming

Photography & Video

Laurie Doppman

Stephanie Schleicher

For over 90 years, Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic has provided exceptional health services, accurate information and education, and fearless advocacy for reproductive rights and justice

Abortion care Birth control

Emergency contraception

Gender-affirming care

Gynecological care

HPV vaccine

HIV testing and initial treatment

PEP and PrEP for HIV prevention Both oral and injectable PrEP available!

Pregnancy testing and options counseling

Prenatal care

STI testing and treatment

Vasectomy care

Be Proud! Testimonials

A photo project by Laurie Doppman

One of the greatest qualities of the LGBTQIA+ community and its supporters is the bond that exists between us allone that is fortified by a sense of pride and belonging, commonalities, advocacy and progression, and a passion to be seen, heard and understood.

What I love most about my community and our allies is the ability to uphold such unity while embodying and honoring our individuality. I believe we all understand the larger message that Pride events attempt to convey to society, but what does it mean for us on a more personal level? I believe we are all in pursuit of the same overarching outcome, which includes a greater sense of acceptance, but how do such outcomes tie back to individual purpose? That was something I thought about as I embarked on this project, and why I chose to share it with all of you; to remind us that while we are all part of the larger collective, it is equally important to celebrate our uniqueness, which is what makes us so colorful.

I truly enjoyed connecting with each and every person I photographed, and my hope is that through reading their testimonials, you will too, and the cycle of generating unity, purpose, and connectedness will continue on.

Angela Ghiozzi (She/Her) Cold Spring

I moved to Cold Spring 11 years ago, but I’ve attended NYC Pride every year since my son came out 12 years ago. I always carry my “Free Mom Hugs” sign at Pride, but my favorite one reads “You are not alone. I’ll be your mom today.” The hundreds of emotional hugs I receive when kids see that sign both warm and break my heart. I am honored to share my mom-love with the LGBTQ community, but I’m also saddened by the number of people who tell me they’ve been disowned by their parents, shunned by their friends, or didn’t

get love from their families, just because they came out as gay. Participating in Pride events and attending the Pride March year after year means a lot to me. But more importantly, it means a lot to my son to see that I’m there to support him. My hope for Putnam County is that we can create a community of acceptance and safety, both in our schools and in our homes. My dream is that one day, LGBTQ kids can feel FREE to be who they are, and feel SAFE to be who they are, so they can be their authentic selves without fear of judgment or repercussion.

I always carry my ‘Free Mom Hugs’ sign at Pride, but my favorite one reads, ‘You Are Not Alone.’

Maritza Santana (She/Her) Lake Carmel

I grew up in Patterson and have always loved Putnam County, it’s a beautiful area. Growing up in the suburbs with trees and lakes has really shaped me and guided me to being who I am. But being a part of the LGBTQ+ community here has been difficult in some respects. I ended up losing friends when I came out. That was challenging growing up. Then, as I got older, politically, there are a lot of people who I don’t see eye to eye with and I lost a lot of friendships that way as well. But I think Putnam Pride is a great way for

people to see that it’s ok. I’ve been to two Putnam Prides now and at both I’ve seen people I went to high school with. It’s nice to see them there showing support and to know that there’s an event that allows people in your community to come together in that way. I hope that Putnam Pride impacts families in general; so many kids deserve to be loved and don’t have that love. I hope Putnam Pride can show families that it’s ok to be who you are, it’s ok to accept your child, to love your child regardless, because it all starts in the home and if we don’t have that, we can’t make it further in the community.

Abigail Lyons (She/Her) CAFÉ Founder, Carmel

Putnam Pride means a lot to me as a woman of color; I don’t identify as LGBTQ+ but I’m a huge ally for many reasons. It shouldn’t matter who you love or what you look like – respect is respect, and Putnam Pride brings that. When you go to these events you see nothing but love, happiness, laughter, and coming from a Latin background, that’s what our family and our community has. When we gather, it’s nothing but music, dancing, laughter and joy, so when I see that in my community, I feel at home. When I was growing up, there weren’t many people who looked like me, so I didn’t have that sense of finding where I fit in because I stood out, so being among other people who understand that experience makes me feel welcome and at home. And I want to feel at home because this is my home—I was raised here, I grew up

Sisters Maritza Santana (left) and Abigail Lyons (right)

here, I’m raising my child here. I love the fact that we can have something in our own community that shows my daughter that it’s ok to love people no matter what, that you can be friends with anyone, no matter their background, how they identify or who they love. So, to me Putnam Pride is a family and a community. I hope having an event like this shows people in Putnam that the LGBTQ+ community and allies and minorities are not the bad guy out here to indoctrinate your children.

If you can respect me then I can give that respect back.

I hope it helps the community to be less close-minded and to educate themselves about what is happening with their own children sometimes, and the children in the community. Just because you might not understand doesn’t mean you don’t have to respect it. If you can respect me then I can give that respect back.

Dakota Piñon (He/Him) Putnam Valley

I grew up in Putnam County and went through the school system here, then came out in middle school and began living my truth as a trans man. It was hard not seeing representation and having to navigate difficult conversations in school, being bullied, not just by students, but many faculty and staff also didn’t

respect me as a man—as who I am. I would spend my summers in Cold Spring riding horses and being out in nature and that was where I found more acceptance and visibility. It was a place to get awayfrom the stress and the constant battle between living my truth and being denied it.

I hope in the future to see more acceptance in the school systems and more visibility for those youth, and support.

Having Putnam Pride now means a lot; to have that visibility and to not only celebrate and be proud but to show kids that they can be who they are. It’s important to have that validation and visibility and show them that they can grow up and live their truth and be accepted by people who see them and let them know they’ll get through it. I hope in the future to see more acceptance in the school systems and more visibility for those youth, and support, which is already happening to some extent. But I also hope that even folk in the towns become more aware and accepting—not just tolerant but that they accept us and see us as humans who deserve to live equally with them.

Rebecca Loeffel

(She/They)

Brewster

I’m 17, a senior at Brewster High School, and I identify as femme lesbian and somewhere on the nonbinary spectrum. I’ve lived in Brewster my whole life and attended the schools here since kindergarten. I came fully out to everyone in eighth grade. Coming out in middle school, no one took me seriously, but I kind of preferred that treatment over what I’ve had to deal with in high school, which includes a lot of slurs and a few threats to kill me—that went on almost every day for an entire year and the school didn’t do anything about it, even when I reported it.

Trans kids have been especially ignored and bullied in the schools; I’ve been taken somewhat seriously because they’re able to understand my identity a little bit more, but that’s not appropriate at all. Another thing that’s hard is that a lot of people talk to me about their identity and ask things like, “how did you figure out you were gay?” but I don’t have an answer because I never had any issues with that, it’s just kind of a thing I knew. It’s a bit tokenizing in a way. I’m not the only queer person at my school, but not everyone is as visibly queer. I’m one of the few in my grade who has been in a queer relationship; I can’t hide it or try to ignore that part of myself. It makes it a lot harder to fit in with everyone. I just want more acceptance for people who aren’t cisgender and heterosexual.

It’s rough to live a queer life in general but it’s especially hard in a conservative-leaning town. I want people to understand that queer people are human, and I especially hope things like Putnam Pride have an impact on the school district. I just want queer kids here to know that no one else can dictate your identity besides you; not your parents, not your priest, not your cousin who lives on the other side of the world – just you. It’s not up for debate by other people.

I just want queer kids here to know that no one else can dictate your identity besides you; not your parents, not your priest, not your cousin who lives on the other side of the world – just you. It’s not up for debate by other people.

As part of a report, I did for a civics class I had to choose an issue in my state, county or town and mine was the ongoing suicides and murders of transgender and gender nonconforming people. I’ve been seeing constant reports of people who have died and it’s very upsetting, but I know it doesn’t have to be like that, which is the worst part. If someone is telling you who they are, and you don’t respect them for that identity, and they say they feel suicidal or unsafe, listen to them because if you don’t, that’s how you end up with a dead 13-yr old. You don’t need to understand why I don’t want to date a man, but you don’t have the right to berate me for it.

Trans + Gender Noncomforming People

lost May 2023-May 2024

Ashia Davis, 34 (MI) Chanell Perez Ortiz “Uvita”, 29 (PR) Michelle Dionne Peacock, 59 (IN) Jacob Williamson, 18 (SC) Colin Smith, 32 (OR) Fernielle Mary Mora, 26 (NY) Elena Esther Adem (TX) Mykal Rae (VA) Camdyn Rider, 21 (FL) Jean Thomas Butchart, 26 (MI) DeVonnie J’Rae Johnson, 28 (CA) Dolli Goins, 27 (OR) Luis Angel Diaz Castro, 22 (PR) Lovely Page, 54 (IL) Thomas Robertson “Tom-Tom”, 28 (IN) Catherine Wheeler, 35 (OH) Tree Crane, 18 (UT) Dacoda Lawrence “Codii”, 25 (VA) Bre’Asia Bankz, 27 (AZ) Charm Wilson, 32 (OH) Alexa Andreevna Sokova, 34 (FL) YOKO, 30 (LA) Theadora Cassidy “Thea”, 18 (PA) Erin Ezra Young, 24 (IA) Sherlyn Marjorie, 35 (NM) Allen O’Donnell, 20 (NY) Skylar Harrison Reeves, 30 (DC) Chyna Long, 30 (WI) Rani Baker (OR) Cris Velazquez, 37 (PA) Dominic Dupree/Palace, 25 (IL) A’nee Roberson, 30 (DC) River Paige Olmsted, 17 (PA) Lisa Love Turman, 35 (IL) London Price, 26 (FL) Mya Finch, 36 (MA) Naomi McNew (IN) Lola Laperla Ebony McDaniels (NJ) Kejuan Richardson, 21 (OH) Amiri Jean Reid, 21 (OH) Shandon Floyd, 20 (SC) Savannah Ryan Williams, 38 (MN) Care Hansen, 21 (UT) Tripp Schultz, 31 (UT) Amber Minor, 40 (MO)

Meghan Riley Lewis, 53 (MD) Lexus Walker, 43 (VR) Kitty Monroe, 43 (AZ) James Moen, 23 (CO) Quin Joy (IA) Sasha Williams (NV) Emma Garcia, 25 (PR) Noah Jackson Chase (NC) Ashton Myles Clatterbuck (PA) Righteous Torrence “TK” Hill (Chevy), 35 (GA) Diamond Brigman, 36 (TX)

Alex Franco, 21 (UT) Meraxes Medina, 24 (CA)

R. Clark Jr, 45 (LA) Tee Arnold “Lagend Billions” “Ace”, 36 (FL) River Neveah Goddard “Phoenixx”, 17 (MA) Andrea Doria Dos Passos, 37 (FL) Reyna Hernandez, 54 (WA) Nex Benedict, 16 (OK)

Pepper (FL) Ivory Nicole Smith (CA) Jasmine “Star” Mack, 36 (DC) KC Jonhson, 27 (NC) Banko Brown, 24 (CA) Stefan Grygelko “Heklina” (CA) Mia Alaina-Lorene Knight, 20 (CA) Gloria Stein (FL)

Carmen Xtravaganza, 62 (FL) Tyler Barclay (FL)

Koko Da Doll, 35 (GA) Belle Adelman-Cannon, 17 (LA) Asia Davis (MI) Emoni Wright, 26 (MI) Nova Dunn, 14 (NH) Rachel Pollack, 77 (NY) Marilyn Augustine Hendren, 51 (OK) Wendi Miller, 76 (PA)

Meadow Elisabeth Goodman, 15 (TX) Tyler Svetich, 22 (UT) Evelyn Mae Sorensen (VT)

All reports come from tdor.translivesmatter.info and transremembrance.org.

Ixmucane N. Pereira (She/Her)

It is extremely important to be clear about the alliance allowing us to expand Putnam Pride since together we can collaborate and continue the education needed for all of us. I speak as an immigrant, a mother, grandmother and community member. I understand the importance of having passion, compassion and empathy as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. We are born the way we are born and who are we to judge or tell another human being how or who to be? For our ancestors, gender didn’t exist. We are born as human beings, and that is how we die as well.

It was such a breath of fresh air when Putnam Pride was created: A group of people gathered together in harmony to protect human rights. I hope we can continue growing by including younger populations allowing the organization to continue for decades to come. Groups may be afraid of the differences, but they also are afraid of different colors of skin, what an individual may wear, colorful tattoos. We must realize these are only distractions. Let’s go back to the basics where our ancestors were respectful of nature and integrated nature and the elements that surround us into our practices. We all need love as we do air and warmth. Let’s step back and look into the commonalities we have and ways that we can collaborate with each other.

En Español

Como una persona que aboga por la grupos y persona de la comunidad, pero que también fielmente creo en el empoderamiento e inclusión, tenemos que regresar a lo básicos a los elementos como aire, como agua, comida amor todo necesitamos y compartimos esto. Por qué pensar que tenemos que seguir contradiciéndonos cuando podemos vernos de cara a cara, cuando podemos

sentir un corazón a corazón, cuando podemos trabajar juntos por humanidad, por integración, por aceptación. Nuestros ancestros no se limitaron en creen en un par de géneros, nuestros ancestros de antepasado de miles de años no promovieron dos géneros ella/ el sí solo limitado a una dualidad.

Cuando nosotros nacimos, nacimos sin ropa, cuando nosotros morimos nos vamos así

iguales, entonces, pensemos cómo podemos acertarnos a una solución y entender que respecto es lo que estamos buscando.

Nuestros ancestros creen en la parte humana donde la naturaleza es una realidad energética integral que no se puede vender ni comprar. Es muy importante reconocer ello, reconocer esto y reconocer que somos parte de la solución del grupo humanitario, somos parte de la solución que necesitamos en el presente para construirnos, para respetarnos y estamos en Putnam County, creamos una comunidad inclusiva y que entendemos como el respeto es una base primordial para un niño, para una niña, porque el vestimento no lo hace de una/uno género o un tatuaje no te hace de uno o del otro margen social y económico, un arcillo, un arete de nariz, nada que sea diferente, no importa.

Cuando nosotros nacimos, nacimos sin ropa, cuando nosotros morimos nos vamos así iguales, entonces, pensemos cómo podemos acertarnos a una solución y entender que respecto es lo que estamos buscando.

En Putnam County, en Putnam Pride la parte integral de lenguaje español es un objetivo claro para Eileen la directora de la organización y todas las personas que colaboramos con ella porque es importante integración para a nuestros hijos, a nuestras hijas.

Como guatemalteca nueva en este país, pero no nueva en el respecto porque es el respecto fue inculcado y mostrado por nuestros padres, tenemos que dejar de juzgar al próximo porque nosotros somos obra y semejanza de Dios. ¡Entonces como obra y se semejanzas de Dios entonces Dios tiene senos como yo y todas las mujeres procreadoras de humanidad, y dios tenía todas las partes que yo tengo y que todos tenemos!

¡Yo de descendencia Maya y Latina que me amo mucho quien soy y si tenemos preguntas y que no tenga no miedo a investigar y reconocer que somos parte de la próxima generación por venir que no las restrinjamos más que las apoyemos y que caminemos juntos! ¡Crezcamos juntos como una familia terrenal en nuestra Pachamama!

Jeanine Valentino-Lopez (She/Her) and son, Julian (He/Him) Patterson

Pride means love, acceptance, educating and celebration. My roots in Pride run deep. I started the first chapter of PFLAG in my community in The Bronx, NYC as an educator. As a member of Putnam County, I was filled with a feeling of support when I discovered Putnam Pride. Putnam Pride has given me the opportunity to support the LGBTQ+ community through sponsorship and service with my small business, The Black Cat Boutique.

For my family, Putnam Pride is being unafraid of being your true self with understanding and support of feeling a part of a community that is connected by acceptance. I am grateful for the existence of Putnam Pride and look forward to it every year with my son. The message of Love is Love, has been instilled in my son’s heart and mind because of the dignity, equality and affirmation Putnam Pride provides.

David R. (He/Him) Garrison

For me, being a part of the LGBTQ+ community is about not having to live within the heteronormative constraints. One thing that excites me about being gay is that the community is always pushing the line a little bit further. Marriage equality was a big thing a long time ago and I think now I’m very interested in how people don’t necessarily want to subscribe to that structure anymore. I think, for me, Pride is about accepting who you are and not being afraid to show people what that it is, regardless of what their idea is of your lifestyle. On a local level, I always hope that Pride helps people to see that they’re not alone, if they are a member of the community; whether they realize it in that moment or not, it’s helpful to just to see that we gather in groups and we’re everywhere. When it comes to people outside of the community, I always hope they see that Pride is a very welcoming event and that they also feel welcomed. And if it’s just not your thing, I hope that if it looks like we’re having fun, you know that you can be part of the fun.

The first Pride was a protest and I think every Pride after is a little bit of a protest—we’re not going back; we’re refusing to hide anymore. Around the world, not everyone gets the opportunity to be out in the open this way and so I do hope on an international level that people see and know that if you’re

From left to right: David R., Anthony F., Indigo A., and Jonathan P.

not able to be proud where you are, there is always somewhere else you can go and that communities exist everywhere.

For me, I think a lot of the self-acceptance came when I learned to stop judging other people. I tend to project when I see someone else doing things, I’m not able to do; it annoys me. And I think a lot of internalized homophobia works that way. When we’re upset with people who act a bit more feminine than we feel like we’re allowed to be or who are so confident in their identity, it bothers us. Self-acceptance took a while for me because I had to let go of a lot of the preconceived notions, I had of what it meant to be a man, what it meant to be a gay man, what it just meant to be a person. So, if I could go back to myself when I was 16 or 17 or someone younger, I would say ‘what you’re scared of is other people treating you the way you treat other people. If you let go of what bothers you about other gay people you’ll find a lot more self-acceptance.’ Let your limp wrist be limp. I think we fight a lot of our natural tendencies and when you just accept them, you grow into them. As a person of color, you don’t’ really see a lot of representation of yourself in the world. I’m becoming the person I wanted to see when I was younger and it’s a really rewarding experience.

Self-acceptance took a while for me because I had to let go of a lot of the preconceived notions, I had of what it meant to be a man, what it meant to be a gay man, what it just meant to be a person.

Anthony F. (They/Them) Garrison

Pride means to me accepting who you are for what you are. I grew up in a time when it was more acceptable to be who you are; I never knew how to hide it, so I never tried. It’s nice to see in the world that other people are starting to feel more comfortable in their own skin; there are a lot of different people at different stages of acceptance and self-identity. I find it cool that this county is doing something for Pride because it’s not like Albany or NYC so it’s good that smaller places are also joining in. Hopefully the people who aren’t as accepting can learn something new. I was the first LGBTQ+ person in my family, so when I came out everyone was like “oh my goodness” but watching me grow up changed their point of view a little. Once you meet someone who’s from the community and learn they’re just another person like

you are, your views can change. The reason people are more accepting is because people like us in this room are talking and I hope that by me expressing myself and being who I am other people who might not be able to will see this and be like “wow, other people are doing it, so I can, too.”

Indigo A. (He/They) Garrison

Pride for me is about celebrating who I am. Sometimes that’s difficult because I’m not always in safe spaces. For me, it’s about pushing my own boundaries a little bit— being a little bit brave every day and showing a little extra about who I am. That includes being around people who make me feel good and who make me feel proud, happy and seen. Representation and Pride is important because seeing others be themselves makes me want to be myself and it creates a circumference of connection; we need that as queer people. To feel connected is to feel free almost. Seeing all kinds of queer people do all kinds of things is also important. Sometimes the media funnels queer people into doing just a couple of things, but when I go to Pride, I see all types of options and I think it makes our community vaster, more colorful. When I’m isolating there are fewer colors but when I’m sharing who I am I’m participating in the spectrum.

Sometimes

the media funnels queer people into doing just a couple of things, but when I go to Pride, I see all types of options and I think it makes our community vaster, more colorful.

Johnathan P. (He/They) Garrison

Pride means being who you are and being as comfortable as you can be in your own skin. I know a lot of people come from different family backgrounds and it’s hard for certain people. When I was a teenager, I was just lost; there was no communicating with someone who was gay unless you went to a bar. It was hard to find people and if you thought you did, you couldn’t talk about it. Being gay definitely had a dark stigma. I remember when Matthew Shepherd was murdered, and it was all over the news – it was very scary. People always affiliated being gay with AIDS and that was hurtful. I was eager to move to the city at the age of 20 just to be around my own people. But even then, there was this sense of awkwardness and fear. It was like coming out of a shell very slowly. But now I think the new generation has the advantage of going online at an early age, although that has its disadvantages too. I’m not envious of it but I do remember being 19 or 20 and needing friends; it was very isolating. I’d spend a lot of time in my room with my hobbies and it was tough. My parents were not supportive, to say the least. You didn’t talk about it. I think people are more accepting these days and it’s just different.

Pride means being who you are and being as comfortable as you can be in your own skin.

All photos by Laurie Doppman.

Local Resources

Hudson Valley LGBTQIA+ Resources

Putnam Pride putnamnypride@gmail.com putnampride.com

Putnam County Department of Health Immunizations, New Parent Support Groups, Hep C & HIV testing + more 1 Geneva Rd, Brewster (845) 808-1390 putnamcountyny.com/health IG @PutnamHealthNY

The LOFT LGBT Community Services Center 252 Bryant Ave, White Plains, NY 10605 (914) 948-2932 loftgaycenter.org

Dutchess Pride Center 1085 State Rte 55, Lagrangeville, NY 12540 (845) 380-6549 dutchesspridecenter.org

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Lower Hudson Valley PO Box 604, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 (914) 962-7888 MJ Karger: mj@lowerhudsonvalley.glsen.org glsenlhv.org

Rockland Pride Center (845) 353-6300 rocklandpridecenter.org

Newburgh LGBTQ+ Center (845) 616-2870 thenewburghcenter@gmail.com newburghlgbtqcenter.org

Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center 300 Wall Street Kingston, New York 12401 (845) 331-5300 info@lgbtqcenter.org lgbtqcenter.org/hudson-valley-pride/

Queery - Making Queer Theory Fun and Accessible queery.us

WJCS Center Lane 845 North Broadway White Plains, NY 10603 (914) 423-0610 centerlane@wjcs.com www.centerlaneny.org

Putnam Organizations Working for Change

Dear Asian Youth Putnam County Chapter dearasianyouth.org

IG @dayputnamcounty dearasianyouthputnamcounty @gmail.com

Putnam County Human Rights Task Force putnamcountyhumanrightstaskforce.org nohate4putnam@gmail.com

Putnam Progressives putnamprogressives.org IG @putnam_progressives antivirus@eeyore18.info

Sustainable Putnam sustainableputnam.org

IG @sustainableputnam info@sustainableputnam.org

Community Alliance for Empowerment (CAFE), Carmel cafecommunity23@gmail.com

Local Resources

Yorktown for Justice yorktownforjustice@gmail.com yorktownforjustice.org

Second Chance Foods secondchancefoods.org

Brewster Cares 468 N Main Street, Brewster, NY

Hudson Valley Patriots for Immigration Reform facebook.com/HVPIR patriotsforimmigrationreform@gmail.com

Hudson Valley Regional Community Health Centers 15 Mount Ebo Road South, Suite 1 Brewster, NY (845) 278-6930

Moms Demand Action in Putnam County Katherine O’Sullivan katherine.c.osullivan@gmail.com

Immigrant Services

Catholic Charities Community Services 175 Main Street, Brewster, NY (845) 279-5276  Immigration.Services@archny.org  www.catholiccharitiesny.org

Putnam County Clerk’s Office 40 Gleneida Ave, Carmel, NY 10512 www.putnamcountyny.com/county-clerk/ naturalization/

Hudson Valley Chapter - NYCLU 297 Knollwood Road, Suite 217, White Plains, NY (914) 997-7479 lowerhudsonvalley@nyclu.org

Putnam Free and Sliding Scale Health Services

Cove Care Center / MHA Putnam 1808 US-6, Carmel Hamlet, NY covecarecenter.org (845) 225-2700

Putnam Community Services 1620 NY-22, Brewster, NY (845) 278-2500

Open Door Family Medical Center and Foundation 155 Main Street, Suite 101 Brewster, NY (914) OD-CARES WIC (845) 207-5432

The H Line

NY State HIV/STI/HCV Hotline English: 800-541-2437 Spanish: 800-233-7432

Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic www.plannedparenthood.org/ planned-parenthood-hudson-peconic 800-230-7526

Nonprofit Addiction Treatment & Recovery Services

St. Christopher’s Inn Where Hope and Compassion Meet 21 Franciscan Way, Garrison, NY 10524

stchristophersinn-graymoor.org (845) 335-1000

The Prevention Council of Putnam 67 Gleneida Ave Carmel Hamlet, NY 10512 (845) 225-4646

Local Resources

Legal Services

NY State Bar Association

Referral Service nysba.org/lawyer-referral-program

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (877) 574-8529 lshv.org

Pace Women’s Justice Center  Legal Helpline: 914-287-0739 Free Walk-in Legal Clinic: (914) 422-4188 Main office: (914) 422-4069 law.pace.edu/wjc

Disability Services

Westchester Disabled on the Move

984 N Broadway #400, Yonkers, NY 10701 (914) 968-4717

Green Chimneys 400 Doansburg Rd, Brewster, NY 10509 (845) 279-2995 greenchimneys.org

Community Living Corporation 135 Radio Cir Dr, Mt Kisco, NY 10549 (914) 241-0581

This list of resources was compiled in partnership with the Putnam County Human Rights Task Force.

Domestic Violence/ Sexual Assault Services

Putnam / Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center (800) 656-4673

CRISIS LINE: (845) 628-2166   pnwwrc.org

RAINN (800) 656-4673 rainn.org

NYS Coalition Against Domestic Violence (800) 942-6906

NYC Coalition Against Domestic Violence (800) 621-4673

Deaf, Hard of Hearing

TDD/TTY (800) 342-3720

Video Phone (845) 764-8384 nyscadv.org

The Family Justice Center women.westchestergov.com/familyjustice-center

Danbury Women’s Center

Sexual Assault Hotline: (203) 731-5204

Domestic Violence Hotline: (203) 731-5206

Counseling/Administrative Headquarters: (203) 731-5200 Appointments: (203) 731-5200 x104 womenscenter@wcogd.org wcogd.org/services

LGBTQIA+ Books for Children and Young Adults

by Dr. Clare Echterling

LGBTQIA+ children’s and young adult (YA) literature is a great resource for LGBTQIA+ young people to explore and celebrate their identities. It can also help allies learn more about supporting their LGBTQIA+ friends, loved ones, and communities.

Unfortunately, children’s and YA books about LGBTQ+ characters and topics are frequently challenged, censored, and banned, including here in Putnam County. Each year, the American Library Association compiles a list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books. In 2023, 7 of the 10 most challenged books were censored for LGBTQIA+ content.

Here are some tips on how to support challenged books in our community, plus recommendations for LGBTQIA+ children’s and YA books. For more book recommendations, checkout your local public library or bookstore, the Lambda Literary Awards website, and the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books.

Supporting Banned and Challenged Books

•Get involved with your local school board (run for a position, vote, and show up to voice support for LGBTQIA+ and other diverse books—you don’t have to have kids in school to do so!)•Research what others are doing to support LGBTQIA+ books and authors and join in

•Pay attention to local and national challenges, and don’t let local challenges go unnoticed

•Report censorship and find support at the American Library Association’s Banned & Challenged Books Website (ala.org/advocacy/bbooks)

•Request and check out LGBTQIA+ books at your local public library

•Recommend, share, and talk about LGBTQIA+ books

•Support local libraries, library workers, and teachers

Read the Top 5 Most Challenged Books in the US of 2023

Source: American Library Association, Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2023

1. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

Number of challenges: 106

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

2. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

Number of challenges: 82

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

3. This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson

Number of challenges: 71

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, sex education, claimed to be sexually explicit

4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Number of challenges: 68

Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit, LGBTQIA+ content, rape, drugs, profanity

5. Flamer by Mike Curato

Number of challenges: 67

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit

2700 Route 9, Cold Spring, NY

Open: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday

Closed: Tuesday, Wednesday

magazzino.art +1 (845) 666-7202

Pride Month Events

Greenwich Pride 2024

All are welcome!

June 2nd at 1pm, Greenwich Town Hall

Westchester Pride 2024

Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride in Westchester County, New York, with Westchester Pride, hosted by The LOFT!

June 2nd, All Day, White Plains, NY

Pound Ridge Color Run 2024

Lace up those sneakers! Registration for the 3rd Annual Pound Ridge Color Run is now open! Inspired by Holi. Powered by Pride.

Sunday June 2nd, 9am-10:15am Pound Ridge Elemtary School, 7 Pound Ridge Rd, Pound Ridge, NY

Hastings-on-Hudson PRIDE

Friday, June 7th, from 6-9 pm in downtown Hastings.

Yonkers Pride Flag Raising

Please join Mayor Mike Spano and Members of the Yonkers LGBTQ Advisory Board for a Flag Raising Ceremony at Yonkers City Hall Unity Fountain. June 7th, 4:30pm - 5:30pm, The Unity Fountain at Yonkers City Hall, 40 S Broadway, Yonkers, NY 10701

Pride Month Events

Poughkeepsie Pride Parade + Festival 2024

Follow the parade from Market Street down to Waryas Park and then celebrate with a festival on the Hudson River waterfront.

June 8th, 11am - 5pm, Downtown Poughkeepsie, Main Street, Market Street

Yonkers Pride 2024

The City of Yonkers Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, Yonkers Pride Planning Board Board, and the Yonkers Downtown Business Improvement District are pleased to invite you to join us at the 7th Annual LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration.

June 8th, 1pm-7pm Downtown Yonkers 66 Main Street, Yonkers, NY

The Village of Tarrytown will host a Pride-themed “Open Streets” visitor day on Main Street on June 9

Woodstock NY Pride Parade 2024

Join the parade through the Village from Comeau Upper Lot to Colony. June 9th, 11am - 1:30pm, Woodstock, NY

Kingston Pride

Friday June 14-Sunday June 16

Village of Red Hook Pride Parade!

We can’t wait to march in pride with you and celebrate our local community! We are always better together. See you there!

June 22nd, 10am - 12:30pm Red Hook Village Hall/Municipal Lot 7467 S Broadway Red Hook, NY 12571

OutHudson Pride Parade & Festival 2024

The City of Hudson’s Annual Pride Celebration returns the weekend of June 22, 2024; This year’s theme is Age of Aquarius.

June 22nd, 2pm-4pm, Hudson, NY

Greenburgh/Ardsley/Dobbs Ferry Pride Rally

June 23rd, 1-4p at Dobbs Ferry Riverfront Park.

Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Out At The Tent

Join us on Sunday, June 23 for an evening that celebrates diversity, creativity, and inclusivity. Get ready for an evening filled with culture, community, and entertainment.

June 23rd, 6pm-7:30pm, 2015 US-9, Garrison, NY

Peekskill Pride’s Family Pride In The Park 2024

Join us for this 4th annual FREE event!! Fun for the whole family - featuring Cacophony Daniels & Evita Loca!

June 29th, 1pm-5pm, Pugsley Park, 1036 Main Street, Peekskill, NY

Yorktown Pride March and Festival

June 29th, march begins at 1pm at Railroad Park, Festival from 12-4pm 1826 Commerce Street, Yorktown, NY

I am Gay

Mom, dad…

“I’m gay.”

“I’m queer.”

“I’m transgender.”

You hear those words for the first time, and your life is forever changed.

Try to understand and appreciate the courage and strength it took to come out. Your child has no idea how people will react…until they do. They are sharing something deeply personal with you, yet they are terrified you will reject and abandon them. Listen as they share their thoughts and feelings. Tell your child you love them, even if you don’t understand everything yet. Be your child’s champion in this new beginning. And thank them for trusting you with this.

Although your child may have been planning to come out for some time, you may not have been prepared to hear it. You may be flooded with complex emotions, questions, and concerns. You may feel disoriented and confused. You may worry about the struggles your child will face in a world that is not always accepting or kind or safe. Know that what you’re feeling is valid too. Give yourself the grace and time to process this. You will evolve along with your child. Seek support from other parents who have gone through this. You are not alone.

But most importantly, remember… they are still your child. That same person you loved so fiercely 5 minutes ago needs you to love them just as fiercely now. And support them, and accept them, and hopefully, one day, celebrate them. Because they are wonderful, and brave, and…still your child.

~ Angela Ghiozzi

Anonymous student contributor

Small online boutique with handmade and distributed unique items.

Patterson, NY (646) 305-1485

Visit A2Z Designs booth to pick up the 2024 commemorative Putnam Pride T-Shirt! Limited supply!