50 for 50: Meet James Austin

"In 2018, I started and ran the Gender and Sexuality Alliance at JHS 157. While researching local LGBTQ+ resources, I found Generation Q, QCH’s LGBTQ+ youth center just 10 minutes away. Soon after, my peers and I took a field trip there. The timing was perfect. I was about to start high school with a new gender and a lot of fear. I needed a space to channel my passion but often felt held back by anxiety and self-doubt.

Back then, Gen Q was a cramped, chaotic room in the back of an apartment building that leaked when it rained. Art supplies, pride flags, and outreach materials teetered on every surface. But it spoke to my soul — I felt instantly at home. When Gen Q moved to a new location, I spent the summer helping. For the first time, I was excited to wake up and go clean.

What kept me coming back were the people — the director, the staff, and the community. I saw myself reflected in the adults around me, and for the first time, queer and trans adulthood felt real and attainable. I didn’t have to explain myself; I was simply accepted and appreciated. That kind of support changed everything.

Eventually, they put me to work — helping with outreach, tabling at events, facilitating workshops, even meeting with funders to share why places like Gen Q matter. Four years after my first visit, I landed my first job as a program assistant at QCH’s Queens Center for Gay Seniors, where I connected deeply with LGBTQ+ elders who paved the way for us.

Today, I’m the Program Manager of SAGETrans, serving transgender and non-binary elders across NYC. I’m incredibly grateful to that messy little room and the people in it. Generation Q gave me a queer found family — and helped me believe that growing up might actually be worthwhile."

— James Austin

James was also featured in our annual gala video a few years ago! Click here to watch "Finding Community at Generation Q".