Queens Community House Hosts Career Panel for LGBTQ+ Youth
On April 22, Generation Q, QCH's LGBTQ youth center, hosted an in-person career panel at Grove 34 in Astoria.
 
It was Generation Q's first in-person career panel since before the pandemic.

This year's event had two panels: one focusing on public service and the other on careers in the arts. Panelists included City Council member Tiffany Caban, Lawyer/Musician Courtney Hargrove, LGBTQ/HIV Services Attorney Julian Castronovo, Artist Diana Teeter, Digital Video Editor Desi Sulca-Foote, and Educator Kade Jumper.
 
“Having this panel for queer teens is important for so many reasons, especially now,” said Teeter. “Kids can look beyond the scary headlines of what is happening today and see people finding success and joy in their lives and their careers as queer adults.”
 
During the panel, LGBTQ+ youth were able to hear from queer professionals about their jobs, career paths, and skills they used to succeed.
 
“It was great being able to speak directly with queer adults about the realities of working in different fields and working towards different career goals,” said James, a Generation Q youth participant. “Seeing successful queer adults helps the youth conceptualize the idea of a future.”
 
Generation Q Director Lindsey Duel said that the Queer Career Panel helps queer youth in Queens to see themselves and their experiences reflected in a variety of young professionals. “You could see the youths’ faces light up when they’d hear stories and experiences similar to their own,” said Duel. “The panelists shared their struggles as well, and the importance of advocacy around queer and trans visibility in the workplace.”
 
“It is so wonderful to have a safe space for teens to just be themselves and talk about their career aspirations without needing to hide a part of who they are” said Teeter.
Queens Connect Helps Andrew in Journey to Becoming a Professional Chef
With aspirations of becoming a professional Chef, Andrew joined QCH's Queens Connect Culinary Arts program to enhance his knowledge of the food industry. Under the guidance of Queens Connect Culinary Instructor Chef Robert Rosario, Andrew was able to learn knife skills, plating, menu planning, how to properly season food, professionalism in the kitchen, and more. While enrolled in Queens Connect, Andrew attended Job Club workshops to enhance his resume and fine tune his interviewing and networking skills. Applying all of the skills gained in the program, Andrew passed the NYC Food Handler's exam and was hired at Eleven Madison Park as a Prep Cook. He is well on his way to reaching his goal of becoming a professional Chef.
Assemblywoman Cruz Joins Seniors Hybrid Exercise Class
On April 20, Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz joined older adults at QCH's Queens Center for Gay Seniors (QCGS) in Jackson Heights for their weekly hybrid exercise class.  
 
The “Train with Tony” exercise class has been active at the center for 15 years. “Members come from all over the city and online to take part in Tony's class,” said Chynna Pitlock, QCGS Director. “The class focuses on strength, balance and stretching, which helps older adults function in their day to day lives. Since the pandemic, we've been doing a hybrid model -- with some members at the center, and others following along remotely."
 
After exercising alongside the older adults and observing that in-person participants didn’t have any weights to use for the class, Assemblywoman Cruz announced that she will be purchasing weights for them to have at the center. “I love visiting the Queens Center for Gay Seniors,” said Assemblywoman Cruz. “It’s such a fantastic place for everyone to get together and stay connected.”  
Meet Your Neighbor: Leigh Sabinsky
Our Friendly Visiting program pairs kindhearted individuals with homebound older adults in need of companionship. Through regular visits, these relationships quickly grow into lasting friendships. In this Meet Your Neighbor profile, Leigh Sabinsky talks about the strong bond she built with the older adult she was paired with over the past year.

“While at Penn State, I got heavily involved volunteering. When I moved to Queens and became a 3rd grade teacher, I felt a void in my life. That is when I got involved with Queens Community House. Over the past year as a volunteer for their Friendly Visiting program, I have spent time getting to know the wonderful and inspiring woman I was paired with. Due to the pandemic, we could not meet in person, but formed a bond through weekly phone calls. She always made me laugh and put a smile on my face. She showed a true interest in my teaching, wedding planning, and traveling, and showed gratitude for always giving her a call. She unfortunately passed away this month. I will always treasure the bond we formed and deeply miss our weekly phone calls.”
Queens Community House provides individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities.