Operation Home Base Provides Home Away From Home for Youth

They are everywhere – street corners, subways stations, sidewalks, storefront doorways. Oftentimes their struggle for shelter, food, and help go unnoticed or even ignored. They, are the homeless. However, the struggle to survive can be made all the more difficult when you’re “different”.

In a 2007 report conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, approximately 20 to 40 percent of the estimated 15,000 to 20,000 of homeless youth in New York City identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT).

In an effort to decrease these numbers the Bronx Community Pride Center, located at 448 East 149th Street in the South Bronx, created Operation Home Base. The program, funded by New York City’s Department of Youth and Community Development, provides homeless and runaway youth with intervention, case management and counseling on homelessness, psychosocial issues and academic performance.

Utilized by generally Black and Latino youth between the ages of 17-24 of all genders and orientations, Operation Home Base negotiates LGBT friendly emergency housing with organizations such as Covenant House, Green Chimneys, and Carmen’s Place. This month the center estimated that they connected about 130 Bronx youths to resources regarding emergency housing.

Although Director of Research, Evaluation, and Outreach, Zachariah Hennessey, acknowledges the other services the city offers for displaced youth, he recognizes the pride center’s unique position in the borough. “We are the only drop-in center for runaway and homeless youth,” he said. “And the only organization that provides special services for LGBT people.”

Sean Coleman, Operation Home Base Coordinator said that although the program is designed to accommodate LGBT youth no one will be turned away. Due to its position as the Bronx’s only drop-in center most clients are dealing with several external factors including home hostility, teenage rebellion, intolerance of sexuality, as well as issues of abuse, he said.

With a heavy emphasis on education, family mediation and reunification Operation Home Base intends to instill youth with the tools to cope with the issues that resulted in their displacement.

If programs like Operation Home Base weren’t provided Arbert Santana, Director of Youth Services, sees kids “falling between the cracks.” “I definitely believe that we are one of the few agencies that help fill those cracks by linking people to resources,” he said. By connecting youth with counselors, agencies, and outside resources the pride center hopes to ensure that they will have a place to lay their heads.

“At the end of the day we are providing a safe space for their [the Bronx’s] youth,” said Coleman. “And hopefully the emphasis won’t be on just their sexuality,” he said. “These are just kids and that should supercede everything else,” said Coleman.

Over the Rainbow

This month “The Advocate” Magazine celebrated their 40th year anniversary by showcasing 40 of the LGBTQ community’s most influential individuals.

“When we asked you to sift through a list of 100 notable politicians, artists, activists, and thinkers to choose 40 of your favorite gay heroes, we knew it wouldn’t be easy. Our criteria: A hero had to be entirely out. And more than just being supremely talented or superbly competent, he or she had to have contributed significantly to our LGBT lives. Yet, even with the limits, picking just 40 hardly seemed possible. Bravo, Advocate readers. Here are your best and brightest.” – The Advocate September 2007

At first glance the list seems extremely comprehensive. There are contemporary heroes as well as those who laid the foundation for their success. The rainbow parade of artists, poets, politicians, soldiers, and renaissance men and women that have positively impacted the community literally brim at the pages. It inspires, it gives hope, however it also raises questions.

Out of the 40 heroes that “The Advocate” recognized only 16 were women and a staggering 3 were people of color. It has been a long struggle for the LGBTQ community to break out of the young, white, male stereotype and according to this list they have a long way to go. Of course one cannot re-write history, those who made the list have certainly gone above and beyond the call of societal duty to secure fair visibility and treatment of the LGBTQ community.

However it seems strange that the rainbow coalition seems to be missing a few colors. The only people of color are Audrey Lorde, Pedro Zamora, and Bayard Rustin. These individuals have brought issues of the LGBTQ community of color to light and influenced the further acceptance of both communities. But assuredly there are several others that have done their part to pave the way. Individuals such as Andrew Jolivette, Parinya “Nong Toom” Charoenphol, or Laura Aguilar seem to have gone unnoticed along with a whole host of others that deserve the same amount of recognition.

So the questions must be asked: Who were the other 60 people that “The Advocate” provided? Who were picking the 40 that made the list?

Kudos to “The Advocate” for recognizing these influential figures. The fact that Ellen DeGeneres was their number one pick speaks volumes about how much the social norms have changed for the better. However hopefully next time they’ll delve a little deeper and educate their readers at the same time.