Hello all, 

My name is Dean Adams and my colleague, Nikki Gennaro, are reaching out to the community of Staten Island with a pressing issue that needs immediate attention. As social workers we noticed Staten Island fails to shine light on the LGBTQAI+ community that still experiences homophobia, which has been hindering the rights of so many queer individuals. 

People who identify with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Asexual, Intersex (LGBTQAI+) community constantly face discrimination on a daily basis. Many queer folk experience different forms of homophobia which negatively impact their mental, emotional, and physical being.

Listed below are just some of the major obstacles queer individual people experience simply for being non-straight: 

• Verbal, physical, and sexual harassment. 
• Denial of mental health and medical services. 
• Rejected and/or fired from their place of employment. 
• Internalized homophobia, which leads to low self-esteem, hopelessness, depression, and anxiety. 
• High substance uses due to the stress of living in a community that does not value queer folk. 
• Extremely high rates of suicide. 

Due to the conservative culture on Staten Island, many queer individuals have a difficult time navigating and exploring their sexuality without facing backlash. Staten Island, a borough of a half a million people, has only ONE organization that provides resources for the LGBTQAI+ community, which is located on the North Shore. As grateful as we are to have that safe haven, we need more centers geared towards helping queer folk throughout the entire island. 

I now turn to the great people of Staten Island to sign this petition which states we need more resources for queer folk. This petition is the very beginning in my mission to get state officials to publicly fund a second organization on the SOUTH shore of Staten Island. The organization will provide queer folk with services such as mental health counseling, medical treatment, employment assistance, substance-abuse treatment, and a shelter for individuals who are experiencing homelessness. 

Every signature, donation, and social media post sharing this petition is greatly appreciated. Now let's get to work!