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Welcome to the latest edition of Front and Center! This week we spotlight our Center Wellness program, which has supported two immigrants on the road to asylum as well as helped a gay man overcome rejection from his faith community. Plus we share the inspiring story of a national LGBT radio program’s efforts to help us end HIV/AIDS. Please enjoy reading these stories, share them, and thank you for your continued support.

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Immigrants Find Solace at the Center and a Path to Citizenship

Recently two immigrants came to the Center seeking our help. Both came from countries with no laws to protect LGBT people. They had traveled to the United States to find freedom and live their lives without having to hide their sexual orientation. They visited Center Wellness, looking for support and guidance to resolve their immigration status. We in turn connected them with counselors who could help them not only navigate the personal challenges they faced, but also the difficult road to citizenship. Our advice and referrals to LGBT friendly immigration attorneys paid off; during the month of August the Center had the pleasure of celebrating with the two clients after they were granted political asylum. It is an incredible experience meeting clients for the first time and seeing the fear and sadness on their faces, yet watching them leave the Center with a big smiles and tearful eyes; but now the tears are not caused by abuse, homophobia and discrimination, they come from happiness, justice and love.

Thanks to Migdalia Santiago, MSW, CASAC, Center Wellness Counselor



Center Wellness Helps Client Accept Himself and Rediscover His Faith

Sadly, some faith communities still condemn LGBT people for who they are. One of the most difficult jobs for Center counselors is helping people affected by this kind of rejection find new ways of maintaining their spirituality and accepting themselves. For the last three months Center Wellness worked with a client that was disconnected from his faith for being gay. He recalled the day when “his beloved Miraculous Mary statue fell from his hands when he was preparing an altar for her.” He said this sent a message that even the Holy Mary had stopped loving him because he is a gay man. He was feeling alone, rejected and “angry with God and Mary.” He said he had dreams of demons carrying him to hell and would wake up crying and feeling miserable. Counseling at the Center helped him explore and analyze the role religion has played in his life and begin to reconcile his faith with his sexual orientation. He now looks at himself as a person with the right to be loved and respected while maintaining his deep faith. In his latest session he said a prayer for all LGBT people.

Thanks to Migdalia Santiago, MSW, CASAC, Center Wellness Counselor



The Derek & Romaine Show Goes the Extra Mile for Braking the Cycle

Back in May we booked Executive Director Glennda Testone on the Derek & Romaine Show, a popular national LGBT focused radio program on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. The topic: Braking the Cycle, the 285-mile cycling event from Boston to New York, which benefits the Center’s HIV/AIDS Services. Clay Williams, who is participating in this year’s ride with around 150 other riders, joined Glennda. We certainly appreciated the platform to talk about the importance of HIV/AIDS awareness and the need to continue bolstering our efforts to end the epidemic, but never did we imagine what hosts Derek Hartley, Romaine Patterson, and executive producer, Amber Hall had in store for us.

In a nutshell, Amber Hall signed up for Braking the Cycle soon after Glennda and Clay appeared on the program, and she and hosts Derek & Romaine have been tirelessly raising money for the ride since then. The show has raised over $35,000 for the Center’s HIV/AIDS Services, making it one of the top three fundraisers for the ride. We cannot begin to thank Derek & Romaine and Amber enough for their phenomenal commitment to Braking the Cycle! And we are even more touched that not only is Amber riding, not only does the show continue to raise money for us every night on the program, but Romaine Patterson has also signed on to be a member of the Braking the Cycle crew, a dedicated group of individuals who look out for the riders every mile of the journey. Bravo and kudos to this amazing trio!

Read more about Braking the Cycle

Make a donation to Braking the Cycle!