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

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

TUESDAY WAS PRIMARY DAY IN NEW YORK - WHERE VOTERS ACROSS THE STATE CAST THEIR BALLOT FOR WHO THEY WANT TO REPRESENT THEIR RESPECTIVE PARTIES IN THE UPCOMING GENERAL ELECTION.

THERE WERE RACES FOR CONGRESSIONAL SEATS, THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND A SLEW OF DOWN-BALLOT RACES DEPENDING ON VOTER'S DISTRICTS.

TODAY WE'LL BE FOCUSING LARGELY ON THE CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARIES.

AS YOU MAY RECALL, BACK IN 2022, DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK LOST FOUR HOUSE SEATS - WHICH ULTIMATELY HELPED REPUBLICANS GAIN CONTROL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

SINCE THEN, BOTH PARTIES HAVE HAD THEIR SIGHTS SET ON TRYING TO GET CONTROL OF THE CHAMBER THIS YEAR - AND SEE NEW YORK AS THE PATH FORWARD.

TO HELP US UNPACK THE COMPETITIVE RACES IN THIS YEAR'S CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARIES, WE'RE JOINED IN STUDIO BY AUSTIN JEFFERSON OF CITY AND STATE.

[MUSIC] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, AUSTIN.

PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

NATURALLY I WANTED TO START WITH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 16 WITH INCUMBENT JAMAAL BOWMAN AND GEORGE LATIMER, WE KNOW THIS WAS A VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE RACE.

ALL EYES WERE ON THIS RACE.

THERE WAS SO MUCH MONEY SPENT ON THIS RACE.

I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, CAN YOU GIVE US THE LAY OF THE LAND OF WHY THIS PARTICULAR PRIMARY WAS SO COMPETITIVE?

COMPETITIVE FOR A FEW REASONS.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE GEORGE LATIMER, WHO HAS INSANE NAME RECOGNITION AFTER BEING IN POLITICS IN WESTCHESTER FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS AND YOU HAVE JAMAAL BOWMAN, WHO IS A NATIONAL PROGRESSIVE FIGURE, WHO, FROM NEW YORK CITY TO SAN FRANCISCO, PEOPLE KNOW WHO THAT PERSON IS.

BUT I THINK THE REASON THAT THE RACE PLAYED OUT THE WAY IT DID HAD A LOT TO DO WITH OCTOBER 7TH.

I THINK THAT GALVANIZED SO MANY VOTERS ON BOTH SIDES AND IT'S A NATIONAL CONVERSATION.

WHAT'S REALLY A LOCAL SORT OF REFERENDUM ON WHAT KIND OF REPRESENTATION THEY WANT IN CONGRESS.

AND WE SAW THAT PLAY OUT ON TUESDAY WITH A PRETTY DECISIVE VICTORY FOR LATIMER.

ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S SO INTERESTING HOW A NATIONAL ISSUE CAN IMPACT SUCH A LOCAL RACE, AND THIS IS A DISTRICT THAT WE KNOW IS VERY DIVERSE, SPANNING PARTS OF THE BRONX AND NEW YORK CITY AND WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

IN TERMS OF THE DEBATE BETWEEN THE TWO CANDIDATES, HOW DID YOU SEE THAT IMPACTING THE WAY THAT IT TURNED OUT ULTIMATELY?

I THINK WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WAS WE DID SEE LATIMER SAY SOME INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT RACE DURING MOST OF THOSE DEBATES, BUT THE ISSUE WAS WHAT BOWMAN HAD TO SAY IN RESPONSE, GENERALLY, WASN'T AS COMPELLING.

HE COULDN'T GIVE A SALES PITCH IT SEEMED BEYOND "GEORGE LATIMER IS BAD," AND I THINK THAT CAME BACK TO BITE HIM BECAUSE VOTERS, ALL THEY HAD WAS SOUNDBITES OF HIM BEING UPSET WITH GEORGE LATIMER AND THE THINGS HE WAS DOING AND SAYING.

AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE PRIMARY OR HOUSE PRIMARY IN HISTORY, ACCORDING TO AD IMPACT.

IT WAS ABOUT $25 MILLION IN AD SPENDING.

SO HOW DID YOU SEE THAT IMPACTING THE WAY THAT GEORGE LATIMER PERFORMED IN THE END?

I THINK THAT IT DEFINITELY HAD AN EFFECT AS FAR AS VISIBILITY GOES.

BUT I MEAN MOST RESIDENTS IN THAT DISTRICT ALREADY KNEW THE LAY OF THE LAND.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE DECIDED THEY WERE VOTING IN JUNE.

BUT THERE WERE STORIES OF PEOPLE GETTING LIKE 19 MAILERS FROM GEORGE LATIMER IN A WEEK, WHEN THEY CAN'T EVEN GET THEIR MAIL ANYMORE.

AS FAR AS JUST THE LEVEL OF ATTENTION PAID TO EACH CANDIDATE IN THE RACE, IT DEFINITELY SHOWED UP IN TERMS OF WHO WAS ABLE TO MAKE THEIR MESSAGE THE LOUDEST AND MOST AVAILABLE.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I WANTED TO DISCUSS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1.

THIS IS A DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY REPRESENTATIVE NICK LALOTA AND THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WAS BETWEEN NANCY GOROFF AND JOHN AVLON.

WE KNOW JOHN AVLON WAS ABLE TO BEST NANCY GOROFF, BUT I THINK THE BIG QUESTION WAS WHO WAS BETTER SUITED TO TAKE ON NICK LALOTA IN NOVEMBER.

NOW THAT JOHN AVLON HAS SECURED THAT VICTORY AGAINST NANCY GOROFF, HOW DO YOU SEE HIM STACKING UP AGAINST NICK LALOTA COME NOVEMBER?

I THINK LIKE MUCH OF LONG ISLAND IT WON'T BE EASY TO OUST A REPUBLICAN, BUT I THINK BEING A MODERATE CAN AND WILL SERVE THEM WELL COME NOVEMBER.

I THINK THE ISSUE IS, WHICH IS FOR THE SAME ISSUE FOR ALL DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK, IS WHAT ISSUE WILL BE THE ONE THAT WILL SORT OF SPLIT THE SIDE OF VOTERS FROM REPUBLICAN LEANING IN DISTRICTS WHERE THEY HAPPEN TO VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS IN 2022 TO THE DEMOCRAT SIDE.

I THINK AT LEAST SO FAR THE IDEA IS TO GO AFTER THE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.

BUT IT'S YET TO BE SEEN IF THAT WILL WORK AGAIN.

RIGHT.

AND YOU MENTIONED REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, WERE THERE ANY OTHER BIG ISSUES IN THIS RACE?

I THINK LIKE A LOT OF RACES, JUST AFFORDABILITY, TO A MUCH LESSER EXTENT, NOT LESSER EXTENT, BUT THE MIGRANT CRISIS, JUST GENERAL PUBLIC SAFETY.

LOOKING AT CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 24, WE KNOW THAT THIS REPRESENTED BY REPRESENTATIVE CLAUDIA TENNEY, AND SHE RAN AGAINST MARIO FRATTO.

THIS IS A REMATCH BETWEEN THE TWO CANDIDATES, AND I THINK THE BIG QUESTION HERE WAS ABOUT POSITIONING.

MARIO FRATTO SEEMED TO REALLY HAMMER IN THIS IDEA THAT TENNEY WASN'T CONSERVATIVE ENOUGH ALTHOUGH SHE WAS BACKED BY FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.

HOW DO YOU THINK THAT POSITIONING ULTIMATELY HELPED OR HINDERED CLAUDIA TENNEY IN THIS RACE?

I THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING IN NEW YORK YOU CAN HAVE A SORT OF INTRA-MAGA FIGHT AGAINST REPUBLICANS.

I THINK ULTIMATELY HAVING TRUMP SUPPORT IF YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT AND THAT BEARS OUT IN THE RESULTS WHEN SHE BEAT FRATTO.

BUT I THINK THE STRATEGY RUNNING TO THE RIGHT OF HER, I'M NOT SURE THAT WAS THE MOST WELL-THOUGHT OUT, ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK.

BUT I THINK GOING FORWARD FOR CANDIDATES LIKE FRATTO AND TENNEY, I THINK SO LONG AS DONALD TRUMP IS THE SORT OF STANDARD-BEARER FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, IT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT THAT SUPPORT, IT'S THE SUPPORT OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS IDEAS.

WERE THERE ANY OTHER SURPRISES OR ANY OTHER RACES THAT YOU WERE LOOKING OUT FOR ON PRIMARY NIGHT?

I THINK IT WAS INTERESTING WHAT HAPPENED IN CENTRAL NEW YORK BETWEEN JOHN MANNION AND SARAH KLEE HOOD BECAUSE THAT WAS A CASE WHERE EACH CANDIDATE -- IT WAS HARD TO TELL THEM APART FROM POLICY FOR THE MOST PART.

BUT IT JUST CAME DOWN TO, I THINK, LIKE THE MARGINS.

MANNION HAD ONE TOUGH ELECTION AND BEFORE IT WAS VERY FLIPPABLE AFTER DISTRICTING, THE INCUMBENT BRANDON WILLIAMS IS DEFINITELY UP FOR A TOUGH FIGHT.

AND IN THE LEAD UP TO NOVEMBER'S GENERAL, AND I THINK HIM HAVING THE SUPPORT OF THE TEACHERS UNION IT REALLY DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

YOU REPORTED A LOT ON THE PROXY FIGHTS IN TERMS OF THE PRIMARY RACES, SPECIFICALLY AROUND CONGRESSIONAL SEATS.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE BIG PRIMARY OR PROXY FIGHTS FOR THE PRIMARY RACES?

IS IT TOO EARLY TO DECLARE AN EARLY WINNER IN THOSE FIGHTS?

I THINK IT'S STILL A LITTLE TOO EARLY BECAUSE I THINK IN SOME OF THESE CASES YOU WANT TO SEE THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS.

BUT I THINK IN THE CASE OF HAKEEM JEFFRIES AND I GUESS BROOKLYN SOCIALISTS (CHUCKLING).

I THINK THERE'S A REAL SENSE THAT HAKEEM IS AT LEAST IN A STABLER POSITION THAN HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN HAD CERTAIN RESULTS AT THE STATE LEVEL GONE DIFFERENT.

AS FAR AS IN WESTCHESTER WHERE YOU HAD BERNIE SANDERS BACKING BOWMAN AND HILLARY CLINTON BACKING GEORGE LATIMER, THAT ONE, I THINK, BERNIE SANDERS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, LOST.

I THINK ONE OF THE LARGEST VOICES IN PROGRESSIVE POLITICS, AT LEAST THE HOUSE, COULDN'T BEAT OFF HIS CHALLENGER, AND I THINK THE FACT THAT A DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT FIGURE SUCH AS HILLARY CLINTON, HAVING HER CANDIDATE WIN, I THINK THAT WAS A LARGE MESSAGE ABOUT THE SORT OF STRENGTH OF EACH OF THEIR MESSAGES.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT WAS SO IMPORTANT FOR THESE POWERFUL FIGURES TO SORT OF PARTICIPATE IN THESE PRIMARIES?

WHAT WAS AT STAKE FOR THEM?

I THINK FOR THEM IT'S BOTH THE IDEA THAT ADDING YOUR VOICE TO A FIGHT LIKE THESE RACES CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT I THINK PARTLY IT'S THEY'RE CONCERNED.

THEY WANT TO AT LEAST GET INVOLVED IF THEY CAN IN SOME CASES TO SETTLE SCORES.

BUT JUST FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VERSION OF DEMOCRATIC POLITICS HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF GOING FORWARD.

WE KNOW BACK IN 2022 NEW YORK WAS SORT OF INFLUENTIAL IN HANDING OVER CONTROL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO REPUBLICANS LOSING ABOUT FOUR HOUSE SEATS.

HOW DO DEMOCRATS LOOK IN TERMS OF THIS ELECTION CYCLE?

HOW ARE THEY POSITIONED?

ARE THEY IN A GOOD POSITION?

HOW WOULD YOU KIND OF DESCRIBE WHERE THEY STAND CURRENTLY?

I THINK THEY HAVE -- I THINK THEY'RE IN THE TOUGH POSITION OF HAVING TO UNDO MISTAKES OF 2022.

I THINK LONG ISLAND, THAT ALONG WITH THE HUDSON VALLEY, IS GOING TO BE A BIG TEST OF DO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT SORT OF HYPERPROGRESSIVE POLICY FROM NEW YORK CITY, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY PLAY AS WELL WITH SUBURBAN VOTERS.

IT'S NOT AS IF IN THE SUBURBS ARE NOT READY FOR CHANGE OR AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC POLICIES.

BUT THEY HAVE CONCERNS AND A LOT OF THEM THEY LIVE IN THE NEW YORK MEDIA MARKET.

THEY'RE SEEING THINGS HAPPENING IN NEW YORK CITY AND THEY'RE AWARE THAT'S COMING TO THEIR SMALLER COMMUNITIES.

SO I THINK UNDERSTANDING THAT AND SORT OF APPROACHING THESE RACES AS, ALL RIGHT, HOW DO WE CRAFT THE MESSAGE FOR ORANGE COUNTY OR NASSAU COUNTY AS OPPOSED TO HOW DO WE CRAFT IT FOR DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK, WHICH A LOT WITHIN THE PARTY IT DOESN'T EXTEND BEYOND NEW YORK CITY.

IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT DEMOCRATS HAVEN'T LEARNED FROM THEIR MISTAKES OF THE PAST?

I THINK THAT'S YET TO BE SEEN.

I THINK MANY HOPE THEY HAVE, BUT UNTIL WE COUNT VOTES IN NOVEMBER, IT'S HARD TO SAY.

CERTAINLY A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT TODAY.

THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY, AUSTIN.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

WE WERE SPEAKING WITH AUSTIN JEFFERSON OF CITY AND STATE NEW YORK.

THE WINNERS OF THE PRIMARIES WILL GO ON TO FACE EACH OTHER IN THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION.

IN ADDITION TO THE COMPETITIVE PRIMARY RACES FOR CONGRESSIONAL SEATS IN NEW YORK, WE'LL ALSO BE DIVING INTO THE RACES FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE RIGHT HERE ON THE SHOW IN THE COMING WEEKS.

NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER TOPIC JUNE IS ALSO PRIDE MONTH - SO WE WANTED TO EXAMINE THE RESOURCES, SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY AVAILABLE TO AGING NEW YORKERS WHO ARE PART OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.

TO LEARN MORE, WE SAT DOWN WITH MJ OKMA, SENIOR MANAGER OF ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AT SAGE, TO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES AND THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE AT THE STATE LEVEL.

HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

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 LIVING WITH HIV.

IN LGBTQ+ SPACES WE HEAR A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOUTH.

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 DIRECTLY ADDRESSED IN LGBTQ+ SPACES.

THAT CAN KIND OF RENDER THEM AND THEIR NEEDS INVISIBLE.

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

THERE'S MANY DISPARITIES THAT LGBTQ+ ELDERS FACE.

YOU'RE WORKING WITH A COMMUNITY THAT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THEY'RE REALLY WAS NO OUTSPACES 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 AND BE FOOD INSECURE.

THESE ARE ALL A RESULT OF THE DISCRIMINATION THEY FACED IN 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, LIKE, I'VE BEEN HARMED FOR 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 SOCIAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO OLDER ADULTS, IT DOESN'T ERASE THE EXPERIENCES 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 SOCIAL ECONOMIC 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 AS FOLKS WHO ARE NOT LGBT.

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

THE FIRST PASSED IN 2022.

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

THAT SOUNDS REALLY WONKY AND BUREAUCRATIC BUT BASICALLY WHAT POPULATIONS OF GREATEST SOCIAL NEEDS ARE, 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 THAT'S A POPULATION OF GREATEST SOCIAL NEED.

BREAKING DOWN BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, THOSE ARE POPULATIONS OF GREATEST SOCIAL NEED.

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

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

SO THEY REALLY RELY ON THEMSELVES AND LIKE MUTUAL SUPPORT NETWORKS AS THEY AGE.

BUT THAT CAN LEAD TO ITS OWN PROBLEMS.

THEIR SUPPORT NETWORKS CAN PASS AWAY.

THEY CAN LOSE TOUCH WITH THEM.

IT BECOMES A VERY ISOLATING EXPERIENCE, AND BECAUSE 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 HIDE ASPECTS OF THEMSELVES.

AND PART OF THAT COULD BE BECAUSE THEY'RE UNSAFE, BUT PART OF IT IS JUST FEAR THAT IT'S GOING TO BE UNSAFE.

IN AN IDEAL SITUATION, WE WOULD HAVE ANY LGBTQ+ ELDER OR ANY ELDER AT ALL ACROSS NEW YORK STATE WOULD KNOW THEY COULD 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 DO DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR 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 MIGHT NOT BE COMPETENT, LGBTQ+ COMPETENT OR HIV COMPETENT TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THESE ELDERS.

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

ONE CHALLENGE THAT THAT SAGE HAS ALWAYS FACED IN OUR WORK IN ADVOCACY FOR LGBTQ+ ELDERS IS BECAUSE THEY'RE INVISIBLE, A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DATA AVAILABLE ON THEIR NEEDS.

IN 2022 WE PARTNERED WITH AARP NEW YORK TO REALLY WORK TOGETHER TO COLLECT THAT DATA AND PUT TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON DISPARITIES FACING THE LGBTQ+ ELDER COMMUNITY.

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 LEADS TO DISPARITIES, AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT VERY RESILIENT AND VERY STRONG.

THEY HAVE 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 IT'S 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 TWOFOLD.

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 NONDISCRIMINATION LAW THAT EXISTS IN NEW YORK STATE ALREADY INTO THESE SETTINGS AND SETS CLEAR PARAMETERS WHAT IS AND ISN'T ALLOWED WITH 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 THAN THEIR OWN, THEY'RE LESS LIKELY 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 FACING THOSE SETTINGS.

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

WE HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF LGBTQ+ ELDERS ENTERING THESE FACILITIES.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE AND WELCOMING PLACES FOR THEM TO BE.

EVEN THOUGH NEW YORK STATE ALREADY HAD PROTECTIONS BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY, WHAT WE WERE SEEING AMONG THE POPULATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH IS THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT TRANSLATED INTO LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS.

AND EVEN STAFF THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WELL MEANING WERE EFFECTIVELY REALLY HARMING FOLKS AND SENDING THE MESSAGE THEY WEREN'T WELCOME THERE.

WE HAVE A CASE OF A PARTICIPANT WHO WORKED WITH, A LONG-TERM SURVIVOR OF HIV, WAS LOOKING TO BE PLACED IN A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY IN HIS HOMETOWN IN ALBANY, SAT DOWN FOR THE INTAKE, AS SOON AS HE DISCLOSED HIS HIV STATUS HE WAS MET WITH WOULDN'T YOU BE BETTER SERVED IN NEW YORK CITY, ISN'T THAT A BETTER SPACE FOR YOU AND 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.

BUT 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 THE STATE MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF LIKE 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 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 WHICH PROVIDERS IN THEIR AREA HAVE BEEN SAGE CARE CERTIFIED.

[MUSIC] AND YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SAGE ON OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW SAGE IS NOT ALONE IN ADVOCATING FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

IN THE CAPITOL REGION, AGING WITH PRIDE WAS CREATED TO PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE FOR LGBTQ+ OLDER ADULTS LOOKING TO CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER.

A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE GROUP HOSTED AN EVENT WHERE MEMBERS WERE INVITED TO LOOK THROUGH THE ARCHIVES OF THE PRIDE CENTER OF THE CAPITAL REGION - WHICH IS HOUSED AT SUNY'S UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY.

WE SENT A CREW TO CAPTURE THE EVENT.

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

I RIGHT NOW AM 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.

[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.

[MUSIC] 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 PREVIOUSLY.

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

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.

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 BACK THEN WHERE WE ARE NOW, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T SEEM TO FEEL THAT WE'VE COME THAT FAR.

TO SOME DEGREE.

IT ALSO BROUGHT ME BACK TO MY OWN COMING OUT DAYS, 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.

AND 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.

[MUSIC] I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING HERE TO WHATEVER THE PROGRAM IS IT'S DIFFERENT EACH MONTH.

THESE NEW FRIENDS THAT I'VE GOT I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO CONNECTING SOME MORE.

[MUSIC] I THINK IT'S HARDER 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.

IT'S JUST YOUR BASIC CORE FOR ME BEING A LESBIAN IS WHO I AM.

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

[MUSIC] AND FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON AGING WITH PRIDE, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

AGAIN THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

WELL THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[MUSIC] FUNDING FOR NEW YORK NOW IS PROVIDED BY WNET.

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