To commemorate its 20th anniversary, the Ali Forney Center (AFC) is set to present the ‘We Are Family Dance-a-thon’ in New York City.
The celebratory aspect of a dance-a-thon will be intertwined with the best of the city’s nightlife scene to deliver an immersive fundraising event benefiting AFC’s homeless youth meals program, which serves more than 400,000 meals to its clients across 17 housing sites and a 24-hour drop-in centre located in Harlem.
“The event will also commemorate The Ali Forney Center’s namesake – a gender non-binary peer counselor of and advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth who was killed on the streets of New York City – while also supporting a new generation; just in time for the Holidays,” said a press release for the event.
One of the key aims of the event is to draw attention to LGBTQ+ youth facing homelessness and/or housing insecurities.
Attendees will be able to dance the day away to music from DJs such as Amber Valentine, Boyyyish, Drew Baker, Ty Sunderland, PAT, Jon Ali, The Muses and Josh Melzer.
Anything’s Possible star Eva Reign will host the day alongside drag artist Marti Gould Cummings, with performances from the likes of Junior Mintt, Nicky O and Dahlia Sin, among others.
As the event coincides with Trans Day of Remembrance, it will have a special focus on uplifting the trans community.
“Throughout our history, LGBTQ+ people have built chosen families because so many of us have been denied family and acceptance, and sadly the same is true for the homeless young people in our care,” said Alex Roque, President and Executive Director of the the AFC. “The WE ARE FAMILY DANCE-A-THON pays honor to our roots, our chosen family, and serves to build community for our youth reminding them that they are not alone, that they are worthy of being cared for, and that they are worthy of all that family represents – acceptance, care, and love” Alex Roque, President and Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center.”
The We Are Family Dance-a-thon will take place from 11am-6pm on Sunday, 20 November (Trans Day of Remembrance) at the Knockdown Center in New York City.
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