Welcome to Tender Magazine’s first issue on the theme of vulnerability.
What is Tender Magazine?
The term Tender refers to showing affection, love, and compassion for someone or something. Tenderness requires intimate knowledge of ourselves and others to allow space for attuning to our specific and personal needs.
The birth of Tender Magazine is a shared vision, one that aims to be community based, driven, and dedicated. As a collective, we believe in the deliberate implementation of better relational systems in our communities and movement spaces. Embracing and celebrating our different backgrounds unlocks the doors to mutual learning, allowing our hearts and minds to welcome the unique lessons offered by each of us. Through visual art and written work we highlight the importance of various media as effective political strategies.
What is accessible radical politics?
Accessibility, in a literary sense, is an intentional and ongoing practice to remove barriers that restrict use and comprehension within storytelling. Rid of impenetrable academic jargon, we believe everyone deserves comprehensive resources to understand the world around them and inspire political action.
In the words of Angela Davis, “Radical simply means grasping things at the root”. We see radicalism as an approach that delves deep into the core of issues and enacts tangible change, seeking to treat more than just superficial symptoms.
Current systems intentionally siphon away our power; they do not develop the skills in us to meaningfully transform entrenched structures. We are conditioned by the dominant patriarchal, ableist, white-supremacist, colonial society to be alienated from one another, to value certain people’s voices over others, and to compete, distrust, and be dishonest. When viewing politics as a dreadful responsibility, it becomes just another weight upon our shoulders rather than a means to lift us up. Everyday politics shifts the political framework to recognize that everyone has a stake in considering their lives, asking themselves what they want out of it and how they can get it. Everyday politics is about valuing the strengths in our communities, connecting people, questioning the status quo, cultivating dialogue to create shared understandings, and developing solutions. We dedicate this space to meet each other with compassion and grow our capacity for things like self-governance, interpersonal accountability, and healing. Tender employs politics to present the question, “How can we shape the present to enable the future we want to see?”
Why vulnerability?
“The willingness to show up and be seen with no guarantee of outcome” - Brené Brown Vulnerability is essential to tenderness. It requires authenticity, connection, and courage. Being vulnerable is a radical act of healing for the self and the community. Vulnerability fosters joy, creativity, love, and belonging. It can also cultivate feelings of shame that may close off the desire to be vulnerable. Many narratives placed on society teach exclusion in how certain identities and behaviors are perceived. Giving in to shame by numbing emotions can alienate the possibility of building connections. Showing up as our authentic selves without minimizing or exaggerating is a measure of bravery.
Vulnerability builds stronger communities. Sharing the vulnerable parts of ourselves allows others to understand what brings us shame. Listening to others helps us expand our minds. If we are vulnerable enough to speak on our struggles, we can better understand the issues we face and consider how to address them. When we listen compassionately and confide in one another, we can validate and stand in solidarity with each other. Being vulnerable can help tear down the walls of isolation and self-doubt to allow support to enter. It can help make others of similar experiences feel less alone.
Every present emerges from the past, and all futures grow from the present. Tender is a space and supportive outlet to begin practicing, here and now, for the better world we want to bring into existence.
ARTISTS: HERMONA HADUSH, EVA BALISTRERI, AVA LUBKEMANN, CHIKA MA
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: KELLEN COSGRAVE
avoidance
pg. 19-25
ARTISTS: AVA PORTNEY, LILIANA MORENO, HENRY CRUSE, BRIAN COHEN
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: SADIE ROBERTS
acceptance pg.26-35
ARTISTS: ADAM DJ, ELLA WHICKER, MAXINE BRACKBILL, NINA TRAN, OLIVIA SCALERE, PARFAIT NSUBAYI, AHNA FLEMING
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: ADAM DJ, LUZON ORION
community
pg. 36-44
ARTISTS: ROBERTA LITTLE, PARFAIT NSUBAYI, ADAM DJ, AQUINNAH CROSBY, BRIAN COHEN
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: LUZON ORION
community resources
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: LILY SPOELHOF
ART BY CHLOE MCCULLOUGH
pg. 45-46
CONNECTION
Human connection is a deep bond that’s formed between people when they feel seen, valued, heard, and understood; fostering a sense of belonging. Humans are neurologically hardwired for connection to survive. Empathy is at the core of connection, cultivating a level of self- and other-focused compassion can aid in navigating conflict or disagreements productively. Connection is the result of authenticity. Letting go of who we think we should be. Being vulnerable to allow connection means committing ourselves to love without the guarantee of reciprocation.
Your eyes swim like koi in their sockets avoidant eyes that do not look at me. They avoid what is honest chasing each other’s tails in murky water.
When you look at your father I wonder who you see. When I look at you I see him. Stone skin, stubborn roots in rich soil I do not know.
You catch his speckled colors, snow frosting a sunkissed California beach. Unmelting ice, a thick pane I can see but not reach to
talk to that young boy who now bears frigid scales. He glides recklessly, bright colors flashing on the water’s rippled surface
until he catches on an orchid’s thick tendrils spilling from above. With a tight grip he is pushed under, deep into the security of the dark pond. Into the cold as the glassy sunlight dims overhead.
Your exterior white and clouded show years of an orchid’s love. When we talk I wish you could leap out of the water without the shackles you’ve taught yourself to grow.
- Megan Chan
Graphite on tracing paper, collaged archival images, embroidery thread
Seeing me means seeing you
(A very small but defiant, difficult, and inherently vulnerable attempt at self-love) ...In the mirror, I sometimes find myself looking for the faces of my family members. Evidence of my ancestors sits in the slope of my nose, texture of my hair, and rounding of my cheeks. Acknowledging, appreciating, remembering, and seeing them through these points of connection, reminds me that I am not alone. My family is here with me & within me all the time. Seeing me means seeing them. And loving myself means loving them too.
Rumi Nguyen
Mixed Media - Graphite, ink, and alcohol markers
This piece is inspired by Luna Lu’s Anatomy of a Hug. It shows hearts physically close when hugging and how synced heartbeats can help connect two people physically and emotionally. I’ll Heal You shows how physical touch can be not only grounding but relieving. You never know what’s going on in someone else’s mind or heart. When hugging someone, emotions bleed into one another and I like to think that the support, care, and comfort emitted during a hug overpowers the darkness someone could be feeling.
ART BY MAXINE DONAHUE
Materialwise, an interesting part of the creation process was the color. I initially wanted to use watercolor but I didn’t have access to any, as an alternative, I used alcohol markers and played around with water and hand sanitizer to see what ratio would make the color bleed the best. Overall, this piece is extremely important to me because while I’m generally not a physical person, when I need it, physical connection can be the difference between my salvation and my darkness.
By Kacie Moschella
Misunderstandings Modern Misunderstandings
Misunderstandings of Misunderstandings of Love
MANY FEEL THE NEED TO MOLD THEMSELVES TO FIT SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS AND BE ACCEPTED WITHIN A COMMUNITY, THIS IS OFTEN AT THE EXPENSE OF AUTHENTICITY. IN AN ATTEMPT TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM OUR INSECURITIES, WE MAY SUPPRESS OR INTERNALIZE, HINDERING OUR ABILITY TO COEXIST WITH THEM. WE MAY ALSO NUMB OURSELVES WITH EXTERNAL METHODS OF ESCAPE AND IN TURN PROJECT THESE INSECURITIES ONTO OTHERS.
Coming to college was liberating. It was a struggle getting here and it changed my relationship with my family a lot; but I, for once in my life, was fighting for what I knew was best for me, what was best for my sanity. Physically taking myself out of a place that was tying me down allowed my mind to explore the curiosity I was so deprived of in my childhood. Now at age 19, I have no shame in talking about mermaids and fairies (two creatures I strongly believe in, call me up whenever and I will tell you why they are real). I have no shame in wandering around with every intention of getting lost, and finding everything about the world somewhat interesting: movements people make, the sounds nature provides, and the colors of life - what would have enjoyed as a child if I was given the opportunity
Each one of these collages centralizes around smaller themes under the quote I chose: nostalgia for a childhood I never had, the movement of time that always seemed to work against me, regret for the stagnant relationships with my siblings, and a world that I strongly believe in today. My mother’s eye is placed in every collage, as she is always watching me whether I want her to or not (usually I don’t). I also took inspiration from Rookie, a publication that played a huge part in why I even do art, I utilized some of the collage kits from their website
MaBeing from an Asian immigrant family, I always strived to be nothing short of perfect: partly because I was raised by tiger parents who wanted nothing but perfection and also because I felt like I was representing the whole Asian population in the white suburbs I grew up in. I was - I had to be - a mini adult at a young age: showing up 15 minutes early to everything, supervising my mother at school events due to her limited English capabilities, being extremely critical of myself and others, even the way that I dressed. I was constantly trying to prove myself to others, dismissing my passions and interests for the sake of pleasing others. But that’s not a sustainable mindset to be in, especially at a young age. I, without realizing it, completely changed my whole identity so I could fit the mold of my white suburbs. In turn, I was awkward and relentlessly bullied for most of my life.
Many people talk about healing their inner child and nurturing them, but I never even had achildhood. I was so limited due to the toxic environments around me that I was almost terrified to make a mistake. If it wasn’t my parents who wanted me to pursue a STEM pathway, it wasthe people at school who judged me for wanting to be creative and expressive. For these collages, I based them on the quote “Your fear of looking stupid is holding you back.” I remember reading this quote on some random Tumblr blog a few years ago and it’s truly one of the few quotes that stuck in my head. I started to, and still do, walk through life with that quote constantly on my mind and it has allowed me to start doing rather than being so hesitant.
A common emotional challenge is developing different defense mechanisms to protect ourselves.
This leads to the fear and unwillingness to be vulnerable by building walls around our hearts and isolating ourselves.
The unwillingness to be vulnerable hampers our ability to be present and the development of intimacy with ourselves and others.
When we lose our capacity to be vulnerable, we tend to seek distraction and relief from our realities.
“What’s your fatal flaw?”
Written by: Ella Whicker r E a
I was lying on his bed, reading a May Swenson poem when he asked me this. I was taken aback, sure, but more than anything I was afraid. I couldn’t think of any good reason a person should ask such a question, much less out of the blue as he had. He was hanging up a shirt in his closet across the room and then all of the sudden he expected me to tell him something embarrassing and revealing about myself. I didn’t want him to see how troubled and–let’s be honest–anxious I was regarding this so instead I told him that I didn’t have any. I was simply a perfect, flawless human being. He looked at me and scoffed. I could tell he didn’t really believe me. Nevertheless, he dropped it and told me his FF instead: he was too curious for his own good. I thought it made a lot of sense, was endearing, and in a way it made me appreciate him more. How ironic.
This took place almost a year ago, and I think about it a lot. It seems like such a silly thing to worry over. What had I been so afraid of? Was the sky going to come crashing down around me? Was the earth going to crack open and swallow me whole? No, not really. I had even disproven my own fears by hearing his FF and accepting it despite the fact that it was “unsavory”. This didn’t matter because in my irrational, mildly diseased brain, all I could think about was this: if I let him know my fatal flaw, the chances of him loving me would decrease exponentially. It didn’t matter that I could love him despite his flaws - the same logic would never apply to me because mine was so bad that he would never look at me the same. I wouldn’t even give him the chance.
In retrospect, I don’t think my lie was totally justified. I had intended to protect myself from potential rejection, but really I was just too scared of letting him see the parts of myself I hated. Even something as silly as a “fatal flaw” was too much for me to give away. For months after this conversation I cursed myself for not being open. Months before this happened my roommate and I had had a conversation about vulnerability. She had a very different outlook. I was afraid of it; she saw it as a way to gain power in a relationship. When I confided in her my fears she told me I was being ridiculous, that being open was synonymous with being in control. I had to let myself go of this fear if I ever wanted to maintain meaningful relationships. In a way she was right. In friendship I was able to let my walls down and it always paid off. Why couldn’t I do the same in romantic relationships?
Vulnerability is not a one-size-fits-all deal. Every new relationship has to be met with a mental assesment: how much of myself am I comfortable giving away to this person? Sometimes you’ll get it right, sometimes you won’t. That’s the beauty of life. I like to think that one day I’ll figure it all out - vulnerability, openness, love. I’ll crack the code and harmony will befall every relationship in my life. We’ll all join hands, dance in a circle, and sing a happy song. Wishful thinking, I know. But a little hope never killed anybody. Right?
Illustration by Adam Dj
Quote from Jhonen Vasquez Il
Maxine Brackbill
INNOVATION | REBELLION | PRIDE
I associate my black identity with resilience, innovation, and grace. The black diaspora has survived so much erasure, violence, and dehumanization. Through it all, we continue to create. We continue to challenge. I believe that we have immense potential for greatness. And my goal is to capture that greatness and refusal to be belittled. I think there is such a beauty to the black community that I think we should all hold with pride.
Radical acceptance is a conscious effort to acknowledge and honor difficult situations and emotions. This means coexisting with negative emotions and embracing them as they are. Embracing discomfort and negative emotions allows a clear understanding of their impact on behavior, interpretations, and reactions. Radical acceptance isn't about pretending everything is okay; it's about acknowledging reality while striving for change. It is understanding that you cannot always be in control of your reality and sitting with the discomfort of not being able to change your past. Acceptance doesn't equate to approval, complacency or surrender of our circumstance, but understanding that willfully neglecting or denying the facts of reality does not change our reality. Although pain is inevitable, radical acceptance is an active practice to prevent pain from morphing into suffering.
When we allow ourselves to lean into the discomfort of painful and uncomfortable emotions, we can clearly recognize what we are feeling in the present moment and regard that experience with compassion. It is good to remind ourselves that emotions are signals from our bodies, it provides us with information about our past, present and future selves. Feelings exist for reasons- if you repress them too hard, you can miss important lessons they may have for you. Lean into those negative emotions, speak it to yourself. Bear witness to yourself. Pause. Notice what is happening in your body, heart, and mind. Implode. Scream. Shake. See the situation as it is before deciding how to respond. Let go of the need to control, judge, and wish things were different than they are. While it’s important to feel these deep rooted feelings, it's important to be mindful of how they may allow us to feel immoble. We tend to tell ourselves diverging narratives. When we get caught up in our stories and fears about how we might fail, we are stuck in a cycle of deprecation and unwillingness to try. Feel the pain, embrace it, and transform it.
The paradox of radical acceptance and setting healthy boundaries
Although we cannot control others' reactions, we have the ability to establish our wants and needs. Accepting what we can and cannot control frees up energy and focus on helping us effectively cope with the situation and take care of ourselves. This is where setting healthy boundaries becomes crucial. Examining our feelings provides us with the responsibility and power to express a guideline for how someone is to behave towards us. It emphasizes meeting your needs in order for you to feel safe. Acceptance and setting boundaries become in tune with each other as meeting your needs can prove challenging when you're not fully attuned to them. Healthy boundaries can look like: saying no, clarifying your values, advocating for your needs, or standing by your decisions. It is capping yourself from giving more than what you are capable of giving. It is drawing a line where your needs overpower catering to others. It is recognizing that you are worthy of the same compassion you give to others and that means putting yourself first.
Through radical acceptance, we develop a keen awareness of our needs and what is important. We can then start actively and consciously move towards asserting our thoughts and feelings in order to meet our needs.
Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries can help us strengthen relationships with ourselves and others. When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, our relationships become unfulfilling and susceptible to resentment, mistreatment, and abuse. Personally, boundaries were not a concept I grew up learning. That presented me with limited experience of setting boundaries thus making it difficult to implement them in the present. I’ve had to learn to accept the discomfort that arises as a result of asserting boundaries, whether it’s guilt, shame, or remorse. Setting boundaries is not always a controlled circumstance as some may or may not respect them. Sometimes you have to restate, reassert, and reinforce your boundaries. You have to be potentially willing to lose something or someone if they continue to disregard and violate your boundaries. They can also shift as you reevaluate and revise in order to adjust to circumstances. Establishing boundaries is a blend of vulnerability, acceptance, and self-compassion. Communicating and asserting boundaries in accordance to our wants, needs, thoughts, and feelings can provide a sense of empowerment and self respect, demonstrating ourselves as a priority.
Written by Nina Tran, Art by Ria Maisano-Torres
Who gets to decide for us who we can love? How we can love? What we can wear? Who we can be? Deviance says, we define that on our own accord.
This piece is about queerness as deviance. Deviance is something that has been used to define queer people for a very long time, rarely with a positive connotation. Queer forms of expression – whether that be the way we love and express intimacy, our private sexual relationships, the ways we dress or things we identify with to express ourselves, – have commonly been looked down on with disgust. But I think deviance has the potential to be a powerful and transformative thing, used to challenge the significance of societal norms.
Artwork by Olivia Scalere
Forming meaningful connections is integral to the human experience. When we open our hearts to others, we begin a conversation by which each person can learn from another’s experience and broaden their perspective.
As a community we can grow collectively, letting people be seen, heard, and nurtured. We can teach love and openness, and inspire the courage to identify the root causes of shame. Often the source of our shame is not unique to our experience and we may find an outlet in others by which we can heal.
Neighbors convening on a porch
Your city is your community.
WRITTEN BY ROBERTA LITTLE
The intricate tapestry of Black women's hair has served as a regrettable instrument of both systemic oppression and internalized hatred. However, it has functioned as a catalyst for resilience, fostering a sense of community and empowerment within its strands. Numerous movements have arisen urging Black women to proudly display their natural hair, yet within their hearts the burden of shame still lingers, casting a shadow upon their authentic beauty. To fathom the intricacies of this relationship, an exploration of its historical context becomes imperative.
Black hair embodies the rich history and culture of Black America, serving as a unique hub for community bonding and socializing. Since the 1900s, Black barbershops and salons have been thriving centers of success in Black neighborhoods. These establishments have been the lifeblood of Black communities for decades, even during tough economic times.
This industry has opened business opportunities for Black women, leading to the emergence of numerous Black-owned beauty brands and employment. Since the 19th century, beauty salons and barber shops have not merely dispensed hair care services, but have served as sanctuaries for African Americans. Within these spaces, conversations flow freely, touching on community ssues, politics, and local gossip, further fueling the camaraderie and evolving to embody a distinctive social function.
In the pre-colonial societies of Africa, the significance of Black hair transcended mere aesthetics, serving as a symbol of individual identity.
ART BY PARFAIT NSUBAYI
The conclusion of the 19th century marked the advent of the hairstraightening comb, a tool designed to "manage" Black hair. This era also witnessed the ascent of Madam C.J. Walker, the first African American female millionaire, who many criticized for perpetuating Eurocentric beauty standards.
As the painful era of the Transatlantic slave trade unfolded, individuals from West Africa were transported to colonies across Brazil and the Americas. Amid this dire circumstance, African women ingeniously concealed rice seeds within their braided hair for sustenance, which is a testament to their resilience and determination to preserve their cultural heritage. Enslaved Africans utilized the art of cornrows, employing them as both maps and symbols of resistance against captivity. In urban centers like New Orleans, a striking contrast emerged; free Creole women proudly adorned ornate hairstyles that celebrated their natural kinks and coils with an aura of aristocracy while the city enacted the Tignon Laws, mandating that these women drape a scarf over their hair. This requirement forcibly symbolized their affiliation with the enslaved class, despite being free.
For better or worse, Walker's entrepreneurial endeavors provided Black women with a pathway towards societal acceptance during a time when derogatory minstrel songs cruelly caricatured the texture of African American hair, frequently referring to it as "nappy." In the 1960s, the first wave of the natural hair movement arose. These activists demanded the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a pivotal legislation that aimed to dismantle segregation.
Despite these legal strides, racial discrimination persisted, including biases tied to hair texture. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 left a crucial gap allowing employers and schools to engage in race-related bias. The CROWN Act was a pivotal measure strengthening safeguards against discrimination in workplaces and schools.
It broadens the definition of race to encompass the manifestations of race through hair, shielding individuals from hairbased bias in employment, education and beyond.
Throughout history, Black women have harnessed the expressive power of their hair as a tool for individual survival and as a conduit to amass social and economic wealth, forging profound connections within their communities, and establishing a deeply rooted sense of identity. In the enduring struggle against systemic oppression, it is imperative that they remain steadfast, undeterred by the weight of injustices. Black women should embrace the very essence of their distinct features, not as mere adornments, but as potent symbols of freedom and the unification of a community whose strength lies in its shared history, heritage, and unwavering spirit. In the face of relentless internal
This image is made to represent the restful state one feels when their need for community is met. The chaos of the world seems to fade, or rather become more coherent, and a serene tranquility envelopes the individual.
ART BY ADAM DJ
ADULT RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHILDHOOD TRAUMA
We navigate our present relationships through the lens of all our past relationships, and through the relationships that have been modeled for us. Our present is understood through the lessons, narratives and fears we’ve internalized from our experiences. For those of us who have endured complex childhood trauma, our experiences can affect how we show up in our relationships.
Trauma is not the actual thing that happened to us, but what changes inside of us as a result of it. It rewires our brains. Our body, especially our nervous system, remembers our trauma even if we consciously or subconsciously avoid it. Sometimes it’s necessary to avoid addressing trauma if we are not ready to process it healthily, but if we never unpack it we’re more susceptible to reactivity when triggered by reminiscent situations. We may project internalized shame onto our relationships, or we may feel unworthy of being in them at all.
Our attachment styles as adults are heavily influenced by how our caregivers met our emotional and practical needs as children. Trauma may be rooted in abandonment, neglect, instability, betrayal, rejection or humiliation. It may be the result of sexual, physical or verbal abuse, or from navigating a hostile or dysfunctional environment. It may also arise from being held to unrealistically high expectations. Trauma is a broad term that reflects many different deeply distressing experiences.
Different people embody trauma in different ways–even those who’ve had similar experiences. Trauma can shape how we see the world, each other and ourselves. It can create trauma responses, and though these physiological adaptations are designed to keep us safe, they may interfere with how we relate to others within our relationships.
As someone with childhood trauma, I’ve had difficulty maintaining close relationships. My experiences hindered my ability to develop a stable sense of self. I’d source my selfworth through my relationships, and how I believed others were perceiving me. Moments I perceived as judgmental or dismissive put me in defense mode. I’d sabotage intimate relationships to create a sense of control and protection for myself.
Approaching relationships from insecurity made cultivating romantic relationships problematic. The looming anxiety that the other person would “find someone better” left me suspicious and jealous. The minute I felt my fears were being confirmed I’d push the other person away, often very dramatically–cutting them off before they could cut me off.
I’d yearn for a romantic relationship to make me feel better about myself, not to build a deep connection. This led to me giving away my heart too quickly. I wouldn’t give myself enough time to learn about the other person before I attached myself, and I wouldn’t give them enough time to know me before I expected their devotion.
My insecurities affected how I presented myself in general. I felt like I’d only be accepted if I was funny, happy or high-energy all the time. I wouldn’t allow myself to be present and connect with others because I was too busy performing the version of myself I believed they wanted. I was blocking myself from the connections I yearned so badly for. Many times I avoided attempting to build connections altogether.
Looking at my behavior, it’s easy to be hard on myself. But I’m learning not to ask, “What’s wrong with me?” and instead, “What happened to me?” My trauma is not my fault, but healing from it is my responsibility, and there is no quick fix. Dysregulation, or having a trigger response, can be inevitable. But being mindful of my internal experience, and pausing before I act, can be extremely grounding.
Professor and vulnerability researcher Brené Brown has a process called “reckoning, rumble and revolution” for internal exploration in the heat of strong emotion. The first step, reckoning, suggests that we explore our current emotional experience not from a place of criticism, but curiosity. Most of us are taught to avoid our emotions because they are a sign of weakness or because they are too uncomfortable to approach, but when we’re conscious of our experience we can reconnect and regulate ourselves.
The second step, rumble, is to honestly investigate our experience: What happened to make me react that way? Where do these emotions come from? What beliefs may I be holding about myself? We question the regular narratives we tell ourselves to get to a more accurate version of our experience. The final step, revolution, requires being vulnerable enough to put ourselves back out there to apply the lessons we learned. It’s a given that we will make mistakes. Maybe we’ll revert to old behavioral patterns. But the only way we can learn is if we give ourselves grace and get back out there to try again.
Everyone will experience trauma at some point in their life, but not everyone will show up in their relationships the same way. Relational trauma requires relational repair: safe, supportive connections with others, ourselves, and the environment can help us slowly heal those wounds. When we have relationships founded on love, patience and closeness, we have the potential to change how we relate to others and ourselves.
community resources
ADDICTION
• ACR Health
BLACK LIBERATION
• Center for Community Alternatives
COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS
• Alternatives to Violence Project
• Dunbar Association
• South Side Stand
• Syracuse Grows
• Syracuse Northeast Community Center
• Eastside Family Resource Center
• Westside Family Resource Center
DISABILITIES
• Access Cny
• Arise
• Syracuse Peace Council
• Exceptional Family Resources
ECONOMIC JUSTICE
• CNY Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
• Cooperative Federal Credit Union
• Eastern Farmworkers
• Refugee Resettlement Services
FOOD JUSTICE
• In My Father’s Kitchen
• Grace Episcopal Church Food Pantry
• Rescue Mission
• Westcott Community cCnter
• Samaritan Center
HEALTH
• Vera House
• Adolescent Health Initiative
• Onondaga 211
• Prevention network
HOUSING
• Syracuse Tenants Union
• CNY Fair Housing
• The Housing and Homeless Coalition of Central New York
JEWISH
• Jewish Voice for Peace –Syracuse
• Jewish Community Center of Syracuse (JCC)
LGBTQI+
• Black Cuse Pride
• New Pride Agenda
• The Q Center
• Friends of Dorothy
Listed are just a few of the many community resources that Syracuse has to offer. TENDER recognizes that not every subject is addressed in the listed resources and so we ask that if you need any further help from any community, to visit the Central New York Solidarity Coalition page which lists every organization, their description, contact information and what their focus is.
MUSLIM
• Refugee and Immigrant Self Empowerment (RISE)
• Islamic Society of Central NY
• Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) at Syracuse University
REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE
• Planned Parenthood of Central and Western NY
• REACH CNY, Inc.
• SASSE (Students Advancing Sexual Safety and Empowerment) at Syracuse University
• Use Condom Sense Syracuse NATIVE
• Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation (NOON)
POVERTY
• Citizens in Action – Central New York Chapter
• Cooperative Federal Credit Union
• Dunbar Association (Dunbar Center)
REFUGEES
• Catholic Charities of Onondaga County Resettlement Program
• InterFaith Works
• New American Women’s Empowerment
• Refugee Resettlement Services
SEXUAL HEALTH
• Gay Straight Alliance at Onondaga Community College
• Planned Parenthood of Central and Western NY
• REACH CNY, Inc.
• SAGE Upstate
SPANISH SPEAKING
• La Casita Cultural Center
Scan for CNY Solidarity Coalition Website
SOCIAL JUSTICE
• Center for Community Alternatives
• Unchained
• The Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse (ACTS)
• Refugee and Immigrants Self Empowerment
WOMEN
• National Organization for Women (NOW) CNY Chapter
• New Feminists for Justice
• Syracuse Cultural Workers
WORKERS
• National Organization for Women (NOW) CNY Chapter
