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FIERCE Frontlines: Winter 2009

Season's Greetings & Happy New Year

FIERCE Frontlines | Wednesday December 23, 2009 10:54

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FIERCE Frontlines: Winter 2009

Welcome to the year-end edition of FIERCE Frontlines, the quarterly e-newsletter of FIERCE, a membership-led organization working to build the leadership and power of LGBTQ youth of color in New York City.

 

As this year comes to a close, we’d like to thank you for all the hard work, dedication and support you’ve given to help make 2009 one of our most successful, memorable and exciting years to date!   We look forward to keeping the momentum going into 2010, the year of our 10th Anniversary.


In the past 12 months, we’ve celebrated many victories and historic moments for our communities, while also marking a few organizational milestones. 

 

2009 Accomplishments include:

  • Appointed to the Mayoral Commission on Homeless LGBTQ youth, which will make recommendations to better serve LGBTQ youth, who make up 40% of the homeless youth population in NYC. Watch the video of FIERCE youth members testifying at the first public hearing of the Commission.

  • Appointed to the Hudson River Park Advisory Council, which is charged with giving recommendations to development projects in Hudson River Park. We are the first-ever LGBTQ organization and youth organization to be appointed to this important community decision-making body
  • Held the first-ever vogue ball on the Christopher Street Pier and one of the only LGBTQ-specific events since the Pier's redevelopment in 2001. FIERCE and the Kiki Coalition's Global Warming Mini-Ball was recently named Ball of the Year by the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

  • From 2008 to 2009, we more than doubled our income from grassroots fundraising sources. Major highlights include our annual member-led fundraising efforts: over $27,000 was raised in our Bowl-a-Thon fundraiser and over $20,000 through our Major Donor Campaign.

  • Expanded our membership base by 114 new members.

  • Trained a record number—27— youth through our leadership development program.

  • Built stronger alliances with other community organizations.

 

Overcoming Obstacles

Historically, LGBTQ youth, people of color, and low-income individuals have been amongst the first to be pushed out, threatened, and drastically underserved.  In the midst of one of the nation’s most critical economic crises, our communities continue to bear the heaviest burden of the fallout, with fewer and fewer housing options and higher rates of unemployment.  However, as a community of leaders and organizers, we remain committed to shaping a social, racial, and economic justice movement that seek to end all forms of oppression and make real change for our communities.

 

FIERCE will continue to meet challenges head on—now and in the years to come. 

Thanks to the fierceness of LGBTQ youth members, staff, Board, allies, donors, and other supporters, FIERCE will continue to fight to win for our communities.

 

  • LGBTQ youth members are currently building an even stronger campaign to make our vision of a 24-hour LGBTQ youth center in the West Village a reality, which has won support from Council Speaker Christine Quinn and over 20 prominent LGBTQ organizations.  

  • FIERCE members are organizing and carrying out innovative grassroots fundraising campaigns that empower a liberation movement funded by our communities - people of color, LGBTQ people, our allies, and our constituents!

  • FIERCE members are also planning for the first-ever National LGBTQ Youth of Color Organizing Summit where we will be building the leadership and power of other LGBTQ youth of color from across the country.

 

Since FIERCE was founded ten years ago, we have consistently relied on your support to help carry out our mission to create the next generation of social justice leaders. As you look back with us over this last year, we hope that you feel proud, hopeful, and empowered, and that you truly see your support in action.

 

As we roll out the New Year, we ask that you continue supporting LGBTQ youth of color by making a contribution to FIERCE today.  Your generosity will help sustain our work as we continue to make history building the leadership and power of LGBTQ youth of color.

 

In solidarity and with love,

FIERCE

 

P.S. As you read this newsletter, another LGBTQ youth is being kicked out of their home for being who they are. As the temperature drops, the need for safe places is increasingly dire.

A gift of $100 today will help FIERCE fight for a warm and empowering 24-hour LGBTQ youth center!