[ THEME MUSIC ] ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," WE'LL CHECK IN WITH REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY MEMBER MARY-BETH WALSH, WHO IS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST A DEMOCRATIC-LED EFFORT TO SHIFT A LARGE NUMBER OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS TO EVEN YEARS, AND LATER IN THE PROGRAM, WE'LL UNPACK THE CHALLENGES FACING OLDER LGBTQ+ NEW YORKERS AND HIGHLIGHT RESOURCES DESIGNED TO HELP THEM FIND COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTS AS THEY AGE.

I'M DAVID LOMBARDO, AND THIS IS "NEW YORK NOW."

[ THEME MUSIC ] WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M DAVID LOMBARDO, FILLING IN FOR DAN CLARK.

BACK IN JUNE, DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED A BILL DESIGNED TO MOVE MANY MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, TRADITIONALLY HELD IN ODD YEARS, TO EVEN YEARS.

THE MEASURE'S DEMOCRATIC SPONSORS, AS WELL AS THE SO-CALLED GOVERNMENT GROUPS, HAVE ARGUED THE TRANSITION WILL BOOST VOTER TURNOUT IN ELECTIONS THAT TRADITIONALLY HAVE LOWER LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT.

IF SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL, THE MEASURE WOULD NOT IMPACT ALL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, THOUGH.

INCLUDING RACES FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY AS WELLS AS POSITIONS IN NEW YORK CITY WHICH WOULD REQUIRE CHANGES TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION IN ORDER TO MOVE.

THE BIPARTISAN GROUP OF COUNTY LEADERS HAD PUSHED BACK AGAINST THE POTENTIAL CHANGES, ARGUING THEY'RE AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEADACHE, WON'T SAVE ANY MONEY, AND WILL RESULT IN DOWNBALLOT RACES GETTING OVERSHADOWED BY STATE AND NATIONAL ELECTIONS.

REPUBLICANS HAVE ALSO ACCUSED DEMOCRATS OF PUSHING THE ISSUE TO GAIN AN ELECTORAL EDGE AS DEMOCRATIC ELECTION TURNOUT IS HIGHER IN EVEN YEARS.

FOR MORE ON THE MEASURE, OUR SHANTEL DESTRA SPOKE WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER MARY-BETH WALSH, A CAPITAL REGION REPUBLICAN WHO VOTED AGAINST THE BILL AT THE CAPITOL.

ASSEMBLY MEMBER WALSH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

OH, IT'S MY PLEASURE.

WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS BILL, I THINK THEY WERE FIRST CONSIDERING IT LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE.

I DON'T REMEMBER.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS ON IT WERE THAT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA FOR FINANCIAL REASONS.

I THOUGHT PUTTING ALL ELECTIONS ON EVEN YEARS WOULD, YOU KNOW, CONSOLIDATE THINGS AND COUNTIES WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY.

THEN I WAS READING THE BILL TODAY AND PREVIOUSLY, I FIND THAT WE'RE STILL HAVING ELECTIONS ON ODD YEARS.

THEY'RE JUST MOVING SOME OF THEM TO EVEN YEARS.

SO ALL OF THAT ASIDE, TELL ME YOUR POSITION ON THE BILL.

I KNOW YOU'RE AGAINST IT.

YEAH.

IT WAS INTERESTING THROUGH THE DEBATE-- WE DEBATED THIS BILL EXTENSIVELY AND THE SPONSOR KEPT ARGUING THAT IT WAS GOING TO SAVE MONEY AND WE KEPT SAYING, BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE ODD NUMBER OF YEAR ELECTIONS STILL BECAUSE UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY CLERK, THE SHERIFF, FAMILY COURT JUDGES, SURROGATE COURT JUDGES, THEY'RE ALL STILL GOING TO BE ON ODD-NUMBERED YEARS ANYWAY AND THOSE ARGUMENTS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, STAFFING.

YOU'RE STILL GOING TO NEED POLL WATCHERS AND YOU WILL NEED POLL WATCHERS FOR THE EARLY VOTING, THE EQUIPMENT, EVERYTHING.

RIGHT THAT WHOLE ARGUMENT REALLY FELL FLAT.

I'M KIND OF FROM THE SCHOOL IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.

I DIDN'T SEE ANY REASON FOR THIS BILL.

IT'S JUST ONE MORE BILL IN A SERIES OF BILLS AND LEGISLATION THAT WE'VE SEEN SINCE WE'VE GONE TO ONE-PARTY RULE IN ALBANY.

THE TENS HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN ADVANTAGE TO THEM OR THEY WOULDN'T DO IT.

YOU KNOW THEY CAN ARGUE ALL THEY WANT AND MESSAGE ALL THEY WANT THAT THIS IS ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND HEEDING THE WILL OF THE VOTER AND EVERYTHING, BUT YOU KNOW, I DISAGREE.

I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS NECESSARY.

I THINK, IN FACT, IT'S REALLY AS SOMEBODY WHO CAME UP THROUGH THE HOCHUL GOVERNMENT, I THINK IT CAN BE A BAD THING.

I SHOULD MENTION THAT YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN.

THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE NECESSARILY.

THE NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES ALSO WANTS THE GOVERNOR TO VETO THIS BILL.

THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT LOCAL ISSUES.

YES.

GETTING SWEPT UNDER THE RUG DURING EVEN YEARS.

IF YOU MOVE THESE ELECTIONS TO WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS HAPPENING, THEN VOTERS MIGHT VOTE DOWN THE BALLOT.

IF THEY'RE VOTING FOR SOME CANDIDATE OF PRESIDENT OF ONE PARTY, THEY MIGHT JUST VOTE DOWN THE BALLOT WITHOUT CONSIDERING LOCAL ISSUES.

DO YOU ALSO SEE IT THAT WAY?

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I THINK THE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AS YOU REPRESENT, SOME COUNTIES ARE ONE PARTY AND SOME ARE IN THE OTHER.

THEY'RE UNANIMOUSLY OPPOSED TO THIS LEGISLATION.

THAT DOES TELL YOU SOMETHING.

SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, THE TOWN RACES TEND TO BE AT THE VERY END OF THE BALLOT ANYWAY IN ANY YEAR, EVEN OR ODD.

YEAH.

I CAME UP THROUGH TOWN GOVERNMENT AND THEN HAD A POSITION AT THE COUNTY AND THEN RAN FOR THE STATE OFFICE THAT I HOLD NOW.

SO I'VE SEEN IT.

I'VE SEEN IT ALL AND I'VE BEEN AT THE MIDDLE OF THE BALLOT AND I'VE BEEN AT THE VERY END OF THE BALLOT.

THERE'S A REAL RISK FOR AN UNDERCOUNT.

EVEN FIRST YEAR THAT I RAN FOR THE STATE ASSEMBLY.

WHEN PEOPLE DON'T KNOW YOU OR THEY JUST-- THEY SKIP.

THEY DON'T NECESSARILY VOTE THE WHOLE LINE.

THEY MIGHT COME IN-- NOW IF THE GOVERNOR DOES SIGN THIS AND I HOPE SHE DOESN'T, BUT SAY IT'S AN EVEN YEAR ELECTION THAT'S A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, LIKE NEXT YEAR.

YEAH.

YOU COULD HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN AND THEY DEFINITELY WANT TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT AND THEN REALLY, THEY MIGHT VOTE FOR THE NEXT CUPEL AND THEN THEY MIGHT JUST LEAVE.

I REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO, ONE OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, THAT RACE WAS RAZOR THIN.

I THINK EITHER BY SINGLE DIGITS OR DOUBLE DIGITS, THAT RACE.

SO IT'S NOT UNCOMMON.

I KNOW THE SPONSORS OF THE BILL CLAIM THE PURPOSE OF IT IS TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT.

THEY WANT MORE PEOPLE TO COME OUT TO THE POLLS.

THE IDEA BEING IF MORE IS ON THE BALLOT THAT WILL DRIVE MORE PEOPLE OUT.

YOU DON'T AGREE WITH THAT, OBVIOUSLY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WE CAN DO TO BOOST TURNOUT WITHOUT DOING THIS?

IF WE DON'T DO THIS BILL, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO THE POLLS?

I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE DONE SO MANY THINGS.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE.

I MET WITH A GROUP OF CUB SCOUTS AND BOY SCOUTS YESTERDAY DOWN AT THE CAPITOL, AND WE MET ON THE BILLION DOLLAR STAIRCASE AND I GOT A CHANCE TO TALK WITH THEM, ALONG WITH SENATOR TEDISCO, AND HE QUIZZED THEM ABOUT THE STATE BIRD, WHAT'S THE STATE MUFFIN, WHAT'S THE STATE FLOWER AND THE KIDS WERE REALLY ENGAGED.

BUT WHAT I TALKED TO THEM ABOUT WAS BASIC CIVICS AND SAID, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW AS A BOY SCOUT OR A CUB SCOUT, YOU NEED TO DO YOUR DAILY GOOD TURN.

YOU NEED TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN.

AND I THINK THAT IDEA THAT ALLOWING STUDENTS TO PRE-REGISTER TO VOTE AT 16 IS VERY INTERESTING AND I THINK PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT CLASSES, MAKING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, REALLY, THAT THESE RACES ARE CLOSE AND THAT THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND THE WAY THAT THEIR COMMUNITY'S RUN AND HOW HIGH THEIR TAXES ARE GOING TO BE ONCE THEY GET OLD ENOUGH TO REALLY BE PAYING THEM AND JUST TO DEVELOP THAT HABIT AMONG THE YOUTH TO ALWAYS GO, TO ALWAYS GO AND VOTE AND HOPEFULLY TO CAST A VERY EDUCATED VOTE, BUT TO ALWAYS GO AND VOTE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, IS SO IMPORTANT.

I THINK ADULTS BRINGING THEIR KIDS TO THE POLLING PLACE IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY ENCOURAGE.

I LOVE THAT.

I DO, TOO.

I DO, TOO.

I LOVE SEEING KIDS THERE.

BECAUSE IT REALLY SHOWS THEM, LIKE THE FRONT WINDOW OF DEMOCRACY.

YOU KNOW, THEY WILL-- I'M ASSUMING THESE CHILDREN WILL WATCH TELEVISION, SEE SOME POLITICIANS, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.

SO WHEN THAT PARENT GETS THEM IN THAT VOTING BOOTH AND CAN SEE THAT MOMENT OF THEM TAKING THAT VOTE, WHICH CAN BE SO IMPACTFUL AND SO SPECIAL.

IT'S JUST SO-- IT IS INSPIRING I REMEMBER IN TROY.

YEAH, I REMEMBER GOING WITH MY GRANDMOTHER AND BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN THEY HAD THE CURTAIN, YOU KNOW, THE CURTAIN THAT CLOSED AND THE LEVERED MACHINES AND EVERYTHING.

I REMEMBER GOING WITH HER WHEN I WAS A REALLY LITTLE KID.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE WAY THAT VOTER ENROLLMENT IS NOW IN THE STATE, WE KNOW THAT DEMOCRATS OUTNUMBER REPUBLICANS BY A LOT, BUT THIS LAST TIME, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT UNAFFILIATED VOTERS, NO OFFICIAL PARTY VOTERS OUTNUMBERED REPUBLICANS.

EVEN WHEN THE KIDS DO PRE-REGISTER TO VOTE AT 16, MANY ARE OPTING TO REGISTER WITH NO PARTICULAR PARTY, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE CHANGES IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS MAKING IT HARDER FOR THIRD PARTIES TO EVEN EXIST BECAUSE THEY RAISED THE NUMBER, THE THRESHOLD FROM LIKE 50,000 TO IT WAS LIKE 120 OR 130,000.

I DON'T KNOW THE MATH.

YEAH.

SO IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE POLARIZED AND SO I THINK THAT CAN TURN A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF, BUT I THINK THAT GETTING TO YOUNG PEOPLE REALLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO VOTE AND CREATING, YOU KNOW, EASIER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE, LIKE THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT THE EARLY VOTING-- I DON'T PARTICULARLY DO IT, BUT IT DOES, YOU KNOW, BECOME SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WILL AVAIL THEMSELVES OF, I THINK THAT'S GOOD.

YEAH.

YEAH.

I'VE EARLY VOTED BEFORE.

THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO VOTE NOW.

THIS BILL, IN PARTICULAR, IF THE GOVERNOR SIGNS IT, I DON'T WANT YOU TO LOOK INTO A CRYSTAL BALL NECESSARILY, WHAT DO YOU THINK COMES AFTER THAT?

DO YOU THINK THAT SOMEBODY SHOULD SUE OVER THIS TO HAVE IT OVERTURNED?

YOU'RE AN ATTORNEY.

I'M NOT.

I DON'T KNOW THE SECTION OF LAW THAT THEY COULD SUE OVER.

DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE THE BEST CASE FORWARD IF SHE SIGNS IT?

YEAH.

I THINK SO.

I THINK WE SEE THE OTHER LEGISLATION THAT WAS JUST SIGNED LAST WEEK THAT THE GOVERNOR SIGNED ON THE BASICALLY NO EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING BY ANOTHER NAME, THERE'S A LAWSUIT NOW THAT CONGRESSWOMAN STEFANIK IS THE LEAD PLAINTIFF ON SO THAT'S GOING ALONG.

THE GOVERNOR SIGNED ANOTHER PIECE OF LEGISLATION TO LIMIT THE FORUM WHERE YOU COULD BRING AN ELECTION CHALLENGE TO FOUR DIFFERENT COUNTIES IN THE STATE INSTEAD OF ALLOWING IT TO BE BROUGHT IN ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE, AND THAT HAS NOT BEEN CHALLENGED YET LEGALLY AND I HOPE IT IS.

I THINK THAT IS ABSOLUTELY-- THAT IS JUST AWFUL.

I THINK THAT KIND OF-- AND IT WAS ACTUALLY SOLD AND DEBATED AS A WAY TO ELIMINATE FORUM SHOPPING BY LIMITING THE FORUM TO FOUR PLACES THAT YOU COULD GO AND BRING THESE CHALLENGES.

SO ANYBODY WHO DOES APPELLATE WORK AND DOES THIS KIND OF LEGAL CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE VERY BUSY BECAUSE IT'S LIKE ONE-- IN MY VIEW, ONE BAD IDEA AFTER THE OTHER IS JUST COMING DOWN THE PIKE AND WE HAVE TO PICK OUR BATTLES TO SOME EXTENT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF BATTLES HERE THAT REALLY NEED TO GET FOUGHT.

I MEAN, SOMETHING THAT'S JUST-- IT'S JUST UNCONSTITUTIONAL, I BELIEVE, TO STEFANIK LAWSUIT THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THE VOTERS IN 2021 REJECTED A PROPOSITION TO DO NO EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING.

55% OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED NO AND THEY STILL CAME OUT WITH A BILL TO DO IT ANYWAY, YOU KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS JUST SO CLEARLY VOL VIOLATIVE OF THE NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION THAT I BELIEVE THAT WILL GET OVERTURNED.

IT GETS EXHAUSTED AFTER A WHILE AND YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE ALL THESE PRIVATE LAWSUITS GOING BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.

I KNOW THAT MY ASSEMBLY LEADER WILL BARCLAY IS VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF CALLING IT WRONG WHEN IT'S WRONG AND OPPOSING IT.

YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

IT'S A LOT TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW.

SO WE'LL BE WATCHING THE STEFANIK LAWSUIT AND ANY OTHER LAWSUITS THAT COME OUT OF IT.

IT'S INTERESTING LITIGATION.

YOU KNOW, IT DOES NOT TAKE A SHORT TIME.

I'LL BE WATCHING IT OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME TO SEE HOW IT WORKS OUT.

THERE'S A LOT TO LOOK AT HERE.

WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE YOU BACK AT SOME POINT I'LL BRING MY CRYSTAL BALL THEN.

PLEASE DO.

[LAUGHTER] ASSEMBLY MEMBER MARY BETH WALSH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[ THEME MUSIC ] WHILE GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL HAS YET TO SIGN THE ELECTION YEAR LEGISLATION, THE SMART MONEY AT THE CAPITOL IS THAT SHE WILL APPROVE THE BILL.

SWITCHING GEARS NOW TO NEW YORK'S AGING POPULATION WHICH INCLUDES THE FOURTH LARGEST COLLECTION OF SENIORS IN THE COUNTRY WERE HIGHLIGHTING A SUBSET OF THIS GROUP OFTEN OVERLOOKED, OLDER LGBTQ+ NEW YORKERS WHO CAN STRUGGLE TO FIND COMMUNITY OR ACCESS CRITICAL SERVICES.

WMHT'S WILL PEDIGO SAT DOWN WITH MJ OKMA, SENIOR MANAGER OF ADVOCACY AND GOVERNOR RELATIONS AT SAGE, WHICH ADVOCATES FOR LGBTQ+ ELDERS AND THEY DISCUSSED THE CHALLENGES FACING THESE NEW YORKERS AND THE HELP THAT IS AVAILABLE.

[ THEME MUSIC ] MY NAME IS MJ OKMA.

I DO POLICY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AT THE NEW YORK CITY AND STATE LEVEL FOR AN ORGANIZATION CALLED SAGE.

WE PROVIDE SERVICES AND ADVOCACY FOR LGBTQ+ ELDERS AND OLDER NEW YORKERS WHO ARE LIVING WITH HIV.

OFTENTIMES AN LGBTQ+ WE HEAR A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOUTH AND THAT'S IN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POLICY AND NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT.

ELDERS KIND OF FACE THIS DOUBLE INVISIBILITY WHERE THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS SPOKEN ABOUT IN AGING SPACES BUT THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS SPOKEN ABOUT OR DIRECTLY ADDRESSED IN LGBTQ+ SPACES AND THAT CAN RENDER THEM AS INVISIBLE.

SO THERE'S A MAJOR IMPORTANCE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HIGHLIGHT THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT AGING AS AN LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUAL COMES WITH.

THERE IS, YOU KNOW, MANY DISPARITIES THAT LGBTQ+ ELDERS FACE.

YOU'RE WORKING WITH A COMMUNITY THAT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THERE REALLY WAS NO OUT SPACES WHEN THEY WERE GROWING UP.

SO THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO ACCESS SUPPORT SYSTEMS OR COMMUNITIES WITHOUT RELYING ON MUTUAL AID AND UNDERGROUND SYSTEMS OR HIDING PORTIONS OF WHO THEY ARE.

SO WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE THIS LIFETIME OF COMPOUNDING DISCRIMINATION, IT LEADS TO A LOT OF DISPARITIES.

IT LEADS TO SOCIAL ISOLATION, HEALTH DISPARITIES.

THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO LIVE BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE, MORE LIKELY TO BE FOOD INSECURE AND ALL OF THESE ARE JUST A RESULT OF THE DISCRIMINATION THAT THEY FACE THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFETIME.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE ROOTS OF THE LGBTQ+ RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHICH STARTED HERE IN NEW YORK, THE STONEWALL UPRISING WAS ALL ABOUT THE RIGHT TO GATHER IN COMMUNITY AND BE YOUR FULL SELF WITHOUT BEING HARASSED BY THE POLICE.

THIS ALL HAPPENED IN THESE FOLKS' LIFETIME SO THEY CARRY THAT TRAUMA AND DISCRIMINATION THAT THEY FACED INTO THEMSELVES LIKE AS THEY AGE AND AS THEY WORK TO ACCESS AGING SERVICES.

SO THERE ARE REAL CASES OF DISCRIMINATION THAT STILL HAPPEN BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY.

WE'RE SEEING THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT THERE'S ALSO JUST THAT FEAR OF SHOWING UP AS YOUR FULL SELF BECAUSE IN THE BACK OF THEIR MINDS THERE'S THAT IDEA OF I'VE BEEN HARMED FROM THIS BEFORE, HOW DO I KNOW IT'S SAFE THIS TIME?

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ADVANCES IN NEW YORK TO GIVE PROTECTIONS ON FOLKS BASED ON DISCRIMINATION AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO OLDER ADULTS, THAT DOESN'T ERASE THE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'VE HAD LEADING UP TO THIS POINT IN THEIR LIVES.

JOB DISCRIMINATION, DISCRIMINATION ACCESSING HOUSING, BEING CUT OFF FROM THEIR FAMILIES, ALL OF THIS IMPACTS SOMEONE'S SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND MAKES IT SO LGBTQ+ ELDERS ARE MORE RELIANT ON THESE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO BUILD THE SAME WEALTH AND STABILITY THAT FOLKS WHO ARE NOT LGBTQ HAVE.

THERE HAVE BEEN TWO MAJOR BILLS THAT HAVE PASSED IN NEW YORK STATE RECENTLY.

THE FIRST PASSED IN 2022 AND THAT WAS TO DESIGNATE LGBTQ+ ELDERS AND OLDER NEW YORKERS LIVING WITH HIV AS WHAT IS CALLED POPULATIONS OF GREATEST SOCIAL NEED UNDER NEW YORK STATE'S INTERPRETATION OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT.

THAT SOUNDS REALLY WONKY AND BUREAUCRATIC, BUT BASICALLY WHAT POPULATION OF GREATEST SOCIAL NEEDS ARE ANYTHING OTHER THAN SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS THAT IMPACTS ONE'S ABILITY TO THRIVE AND AGE IN PLACE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

SO SOMEONE LIVING IN A RURAL COMMUNITY HAS A POPULATION OF GREATER SOCIAL NEED, BREAKING DOWN BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, THOSE ARE POP LAYINGS OF GREATER SOCIAL NEED.

WHAT THIS BILL THAT GOT SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2022 DOES IS ADDS LGBTQ+ PEOPLE AND OLDER NEW YORKERS LIVING WITH HIV INTO THOSE CATEGORIES WHICH MEANS AGING SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE TO START COLLECTING DATA AND REPORTING ON HOW THEY'RE BEST SERVING THAT POPULATION AND ALSO JUST RAISES GENERAL AWARENESS ABOUT THE DISPARITIES THAT THEY FACE.

ONE THING THAT WE SEE A LOT AMONG LGBTQ+ ELDERS IS THAT THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE CHILDREN AND LESS LIKELY TO BE CONNECTED WITH THEIR BIOLOGICAL FAMILIES.

SO THEY REALLY RELY ON THEMSELVES AND LIKE MUTUAL SUPPORT NET WORKS AS THEY AGE, BUT THAT CAN LEAD TO ITS OWN PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, THEIR SUPPORT NETWORKS CAN PASS AWAY.

THEY CAN LOSE TOUCH WITH THEM.

IT BECOMES A VERY ISOLATING EXPERIENCE.

BECAUSE THE DISTRUST THAT THEY HAVE BASED ON EXPERIENCES OF DISCRIMINATION, IT CAN BE REALLY HARD FOR THEM TO FIND THOSE NEW SUPPORTS AS THEY AGE.

I THINK IN AN IDEAL WORLD, ANY ELDER COULD WALK THROUGH ANY SOCIAL SERVICE DOOR AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN BE THEIR FULL SELVES IN THAT SPACE.

THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE FACING NOW IS THAT MANY HIGH ASPECTS OF THEMSELVES AND PART OF THAT COULD BE BECAUSE THEY'RE UNSAFE BUT PART OF IT IS FEAR THAT IT'S GOING TO BE UNSAFE, SO IN AN IDEAL SITUATION, WE WOULD HAVE ANY LGBTQ+ ELDER OR ANY ELDER AT ALL ACROSS NEW YORK STATE WOULD KNOW THAT THEY CAN WALK THROUGH THE DOORS TO ACCESS SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND BE ABLE TO BE THEIR FULL SELVES.

THERE ARE CASES OF OVERT DISCRIMINATION.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF GENDER IDENTITY OR THINK THAT SOMETHING IS INHERENTLY WRONG WITH BEING LGBTQ, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF WELL-MEANING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE AGING SERVICE NETWORK WHO JUST MIGHT NOT BE COMPETENT, LGBTQ+ COMPETENT OR HIV COMPETENT TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THESE ELDERS SO WHEN SOMEONE WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR ON HIGH ALERT, FEARING DISCRIMINATION, CARRYING WITH THEM ALL THIS TRAUMA THEY'VE HAD IN THE PAST, THEY'RE GOING TO PICK UP ON THOSE SLIGHT TURNS OF PHRASES THAT SEND THEM A MESSAGE THAT THEY'RE UNWELCOME, EVEN IF THAT WASN'T INTENTIONAL.

I MEAN, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OLDER ADULT CENTERS, LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, ANYONE THAT SERVES ELDERS ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW YORK NEW YORK TO BE LGBTQ+ COMPETENT IN THE AFFIRMING SPACES SO IDEALLY ELDERS WILL KNOW WHATEVER DOORS THEY WALK THROUGH THEY WILL FIND AN AFFIRMING SPACE AND A SPACE THEY CAN BRING THEIR FULL SELFS AND NOT HIDE ASPECTS OF WHO THEY ARE TO ACCESS SERVICES.

ONE CHALLENGE THAT SAGE HAS FACED IF OUR WORK AROUND ADVOCACY FOR LGBTQ ELDERS IS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO INVISIBLE OFTENTIMES, THERE'S REALLY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DATA AVAILABLE ON THEIR NEEDS.

SO IN 2020, WE PARTNERED WITH AARP NEW YORK TO WORK TOGETHER TO COLLECT THAT DATA AND PUT TOGETHER A REPORT ON DISPARITIES FACING THE LGBTQ+ ELDER COMMUNITY AND THAT REPORT IS CALLED, "DISRUPTING DISPARITIES," AND IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS IN ALL AREAS FROM SOCIAL ISOLATION TO SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS TO HEALTH, ALL OF THE WAYS THAT THIS LIFETIME OF COMPOUNDING DISCRIMINATION HAS TAKEN A TOLL AND LIKE LEADS TO DISPARITIES, AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT VERY RESILIENT AND VERY STRONG.

THEY HAD ALL THESE FACTORS OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL THAT HAVE LIMITED THEIR SUCCESS TO SUCCESSFULLY AGE IN THE SAME WAY AS THEIR NON-LGBTQ+ PEERS AND THE DATA THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER WITH AARP NEW YORK IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN DISPLAYING THAT AND HAS BEEN A POWERFUL TOOL FOR ADVOCACY TO GET CHANGES IN ALBANY.

ONE OF THE BILLS THAT WE'VE RECENTLY BEEN ABLE TO PUSH THROUGH AND GET PASSED IN THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR IS THE LGBTQ+ AND HIV LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES BILL OF RIGHTS.

WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS REALLY TWO-FOLD.

ONE, IT WOULD REQUIRE MANDATORY TRAINING FOR ALL STAFF THAT WORKS FACE TO FACE WITH RESIDENTS TO GET LGBTQ+ AND HIV COMPETENCY TRAINING, AND THE SECOND IS IT REALLY TRANSLATES NON-DISCRIMINATION LAW THAT EXISTS IN NEW YORK STATE ALREADY INTO THESE SETTINGS AND SETS CLEAR PARAMETERS OF WHAT IS AND ISN'T ALLOWED FROM THESE PROVIDERS WHEN THEY'RE WORKING WITH LGBTQ+ ELDERS AND OLDER NEW YORKERS LIVING WITH HIV.

BECAUSE LGBTQ+ ELDERS ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE ADULT CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN, THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO BE CONNECTED WITH THEIR BIOLOGICAL FAMILY.

STATISTICALLY THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE TO RELY ON LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES AS THEY AGE, BUT THEY ALSO, WE WERE GETTING REPORTS OF DISCRIMINATION FACED IN THOSE SETTINGS.

SO THIS BILL REALLY WAS STEPPING UP TO THAT AND SAYING, LIKE THIS IS A HIGH NEED.

WE HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF LGBTQ+ ELDERS ENTERING THESE FACILITIES AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE SAFE AND WELCOMING PLACES FOR THEM TO BE.

EVEN THOUGH NEW YORK STATE ALREADY HAD PROTECTION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY, WHAT WE WERE SEEING WHEN POPULATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH IS THERE WAS A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT TRANSLATED INTO A LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS AND EVEN STAFF THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WELL-MEANING WERE INEFFECTIVELY REALLY HARMING FOLKS AND SENDING THE MESSAGE THAT THEY WEREN'T WELCOME THERE.

WE HAVE A CASE OF A PARTICIPANT WHO WORKED WITH, WHO IS A LONG-TERM SURVIVOR OF HIV WAS LOOKING TO BE PLACED IN A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY IN HIS HOMETOWN OF ALBANY.

SAT DOWN FORTH INTAKE.

AS SOON AS HE DISCLOSED HIS HIV STATUS HE WAS MET WITH, WELL, WOULDN'T YOU BE BETTER SERVED IN NEW YORK CITY?

ISN'T THAT A BETTER SPACE FOR YOU?

THAT STAFF MEMBER MIGHT HAVE BEEN WELL-MEANING BUT THE MESSAGE THAT WAS SENT TO THAT INDIVIDUAL IS THAT YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO SERVE YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR HIV STATUS, AND THAT'S WHY SOMETHING LIKE THIS BILL IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

ALL NEW YORKERS, AS THEY AGE, THEY'RE FACED WITH AGEISM AND THEY'RE FACED WITH PEOPLE IGNORING THEIR NEEDS OR FEELING THAT THEIR AUTONOMY IS STRIPPED AWAY JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE.

IF YOU ADD ONTO THAT DISCRIMINATION THAT YOU FACE FOR BEING LGBTQ+ THAT JUST COMPOUNDS AND MAKES IT EVEN HARDER TO ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF.

UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT OF AGING SERVICE PROVIDERS ACROSS THIS STATE MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF HOW TO BEST SERVE LGBTQ+ ELDERS, SAGE DOES RUN A TRAINING PROGRAM THAT WE CALL SAGE CARE AND ANYONE WHO IS LOOKING TO FIND SERVICES THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN KNOW THAT THE STAFF HAS BEEN TRAINED ON THIS, THEY CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, SAGEUSA.ORG, AND THEY CAN LOOK AT WHAT PROVIDERS IN THEIR AREA HAVE BEEN SAGE CARE CERTIFIED.

[ THEME MUSIC ] YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SAGE AND THEIR ADVOCACY FOR LGBTQ+ NEW YORKERS ON OUR WEBSITE, NYNOW.ORG, AND FOR MORE ON THIS ISSUE, WE'RE TURNING OUR ATTENTION TO THE CAPITAL REGION WHERE COLONY SENIOR SERVICE CENTERS AND THE PRIDE CENTER OF THE CAPITAL REGION CAME TOGETHER TO BUILD AGING WITH PRIDE, A SAFE SPACE FOR LGBTQ+ ELDERS LOOKING TO CONNECT AND BUILD COMMUNITY.

A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE PARTNERSHIP PROVIDED A TRIP BACK IN TIME OFFERING A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH THE ARCHIVES FROM THE PRIDE CENTER OF THE CAPITAL REGION WHICH IS THE LONGEST CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING PRIDE CENTER IN THE COUNTRY.

THE "NEW YORK NOW" TEAM WENT OVER TO SUNY'S UNIVERSITY OF ALBANY WHERE THE ARCHIVES ARE HOUSED TO CAPTURE THIS SPECIAL EVENT.

[ THEME MUSIC ] I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BE OPEN AND BE FREE TO SAY WHO I AM.

I'M RIGHT NOW IN A WONDERFUL APARTMENT COMPLEX BUT I'M AFRAID TO EVEN SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT MYSELF.

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE ME.

IT'S LIKE A NEW COMING-OUT SITUATION.

[ SLOW MUSIC ] SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY.

WE HAVE SCRAP PAPER IF ANYONE WANTS TO TAKE NOTES.

YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES WITH YOUR PHONE.

FEEL FREE.

MAKE SURE WE'RE KEEPING EVERYTHING IN THE BOXES SO THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING THE ARCHIVES THAT THESE INCREDIBLE FOLKS ARE MAINTAINING FOR US.

MY THERAPIST HAD ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED THIS GROUP JUST TO FORM SOME NEW COMMUNITY, MEET SOME NEW PEOPLE, AND JUST TO GET OUT AND SOCIALIZE.

I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

I WAS REALLY UNAWARE OF THE GROUP, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUSLY.

I WAS JUST HERE TO KIND OF CHECK THINGS OUT REALLY.

SO THIS GROUP IS FAIRLY NEW.

I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO IDENTIFY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S EASY TO BECOME DISCONNECTED.

IT'S EASY TO BECOME ISOLATED.

SO TO HAVE A GROUP LIKE THIS WHERE WE CAN COME TOGETHER IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

BECAUSE IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT HUMAN INTERACTION, ONE ON ONE, WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO RELATE TO THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US.

WE WENT TO SUNY CAMPUS, TO THE LIBRARY, AND WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE ARCHIVES FROM THE GAY COMMUNITY CENTER.

BEING THERE AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE OLD NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, IT WAS A REMINDER OF WHERE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, BACK THEN AND WHERE WE ARE NOW, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T SEEM TO FEEL THAT WE'VE COME THAT FAR.

YOU KNOW, TO SOME DEGREE.

IT ALSO BROUGHT ME BACK, YOU KNOW, TO MY OWN-- MY OWN COMING-OUT DAYS AND THINGS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE '70S AND '80S ESPECIALLY, AND JUST TO SEE HOW MUCH WE'VE GROWN IN THE ALBANY AREA.

I NEED TO KNOW AND MEET OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE IN MY AGE GROUP IT'S A LONELY FEELING.

AT TIMES, I FEEL DEPRESSED.

SO I WANT TO GET BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AND THIS IS MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING HERE TO WHATEVER THE PROGRAM IS.

IT'S DIFFERENT EACH MONTH.

THESE ARE NEW FRIENDS THAT I'VE GOT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO JUST CONNECTING SOME MORE.

I THINK IT'S HARD WHEN YOU'RE OLDER ANYWAY.

YOU WANT TO LIVE AMONGST PEOPLE THAT IF THEY'RE NOT SIMILAR TO WHO YOU ARE, AT LEAST THEY'RE ACCEPTING.

YOU KNOW, YOUR BASIC CORE FOR ME, BEING A LESBIAN IS WHO I AM.

AN ORGANIZATION LIKE AGING WITH PRIDE IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS ME OR ANYONE TO JUST TO BE WHO THEY ARE.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AGING WITH PRIDE AND RESOURCES FOR LGBTQ+ OLDER ADULTS ON OUR WEBSITE.

AGAIN, THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG AND FROM ALL OF US AT WMHT, THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

[ THEME MUSIC ] SPONSORED IN PART BY EDDIE SENIOR LIVING PROVIDING INDEPENDENT LIVING, ASSISTED LIVING AND MEMORY CARE OPTIONS AND BY THE ALBANY GUARDIAN SOCIETY IMPROVING AGING THROUGH EDUCATION.