Value Walk: Ocasio-Cortez Visits Queens Community House’s LGBTQ Senior Center

Ocasio-Cortez Visits Queens Community House’s LGBTQ Senior Center | July 30, 2019: JACKSON HEIGHTS, NEW YORK (JULY 30, 2019) – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the U.S. Representativefor New York’s 14th Congressional District, paid a visit to members at Queens Community House’s (QCH) LGBTQ Senior Center, Queens Center for Gay Seniors (QCGS), this past Monday.

Center members welcomed the Congresswoman, more widely known as “AOC,” with a standing ovation as she was greeted by QCH Executive Director, Ben Thomases and QCGS Director, Chynna Pitlock. AOC is back in New York for a six-week Congressional recess.

“I’m excited to be in our community and to have important conversations and connect. That’s what I think representation at its best is all about. It’s community; it’s talking; it’s answering questions; but it’s also asking important questions. I can’t think of a better place in this district to kick off this whole tour, than right here at the Queens Center for Gay Seniors.”

The Congresswoman spent nearly two hours in conversation with the seniors. Topics of conversation included Census 2020, Healthcare, and LGBTQ issues, but members wanted to discuss more than local issues.  AOC later posted on social media, “One thing I loved about everyone’s questions is that they weren’t *just* concerned about our pocket of the country. People want to talk about solutions for West Virginia, Guam, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico.”

Queens Center for Gay Seniors, located in Jackson Heights, Queens, is operated by Queens Community House and has long been the meeting grounds for local LGBTQ leaders. The center provides a culturally-rich environment where older adults can engage with peers, make new friends, enjoy a hot meal, keep physically active, learn new skills and explore new interests, and give back through volunteer opportunities. The center’s tagline “We paved the way!” is a nod to its members’ longtime activism in LGBTQ communities in Queens and beyond.

Queens Community House (QCH) is a multi-service settlement house serving more than 25,000 children, youth, adults and older adults every year.  Our mission is to provide individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities.  Through a broad network of programs operating out of 32 sites in 14 neighborhoods, we offer Queens residents a needed support system at every stage of life, helping them to develop the knowledge, confidence and skills to change their lives for the better and become active participants in their larger community. Learn more at www.qchnyc.org.

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