Recently, a 16-year-old teen in Utica came out to their parents, a decision that resulted in the teen losing their home after their parents kicked them out. Couchsurfing and hitchhiking for newly homeless LGBTQ+ kids is not uncommon, but in a blue state like New York, one might think they’d have access to more support than those from deep red parts of the country. However, that’s not always the case upstate.

Utica didn’t have an LGBTQ+ center, so the teen needed to look elsewhere. Their options were Syracuse or Albany. Without access to care closer to home, a lack of transportation options and money meant the teen walked to Albany. The state capital is home to the social services nonprofit In Our Own Voices, which focuses on supporting Black, Indigenous and other LGBTQ+ communities of col

See Full Page