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Coming Out and Stepping In

Jessica Greer Morris | October 7, 2022

Dear Friends,

 

Happy almost-National Coming Out Day! I couldn’t think of a better time to start my journey as Brooklyn Community Pride Center’s Interim Chief Executive Officer and newest member of the team. 

 

The Pride Center’s commitment to representing and including everyone among and across the spectrum of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, age, and other characteristic is what drew me to this role. I will never forget how afraid and relieved I felt walking into an LGBTQ+ community center as a teenager in 1988. Today, as an out-and-proud bisexual, I am amazed and inspired by the tremendous progress our community has made.

However, many challenges remain ahead for the LGBTQ+ community, including here in Brooklyn. I have dedicated my career toward creating interventions that address social inequities and health disparities. In 2009, I co-founded and co-built an intersectional feminist nonprofit in Brooklyn, led by young people passionate about stopping gender and racial-based violence and prejudice. We expanded our work to Trinidad and Tobago to create trauma-informed, school-based programs that continue to serve as safe havens for lesbian, bisexual and gender nonconforming youth. In our country, and abroad, systemic misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia are so entrenched in our cultures, that youth are often kicked out of their homes or “disappear.” 

 

Coming out as LGBTQ+ is not only dangerous but oftentimes fatal in communities across the globe. That is why I am humbled and honored to sustain and amplify Brooklyn Community Pride Center’s mission and vision as Interim Chief Executive Officer in the coming year..

 

I look forward to getting to know you over the coming months, whether here at the Pride Center, in the neighborhood, or virtually. We welcome LGBTQ+ community members, their loved ones, and allies from community-based, faith-based, and business organizations across Brooklyn and NYC to join us at the Center to celebrate National Coming Out Day!  We cannot do this work alone.  If you cannot attend, please consider supporting our work. Whether you are a parent, sibling, friend or spouse of an LGBTQ+ identified person, this is the perfect day to donate in their honor.

 

Proudly,

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Jessica Greer Morris

Interim Chief Executive Officer

Brooklyn Community Pride Center, Inc.

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