Helping LGBTQ+ Youth In The South Bronx

See the entire story by Taylor Johnson at Mott Haven Herald.

Noticing the lack of LGBTQ visibility and support as she walked the halls of Bronx Leadership Academy II, dance teacher Belle Torres decided to become an LGBTQ advisor because she felt the students of her school needed to see someone like them in her position. 

First, she worked to create an inclusive environment in her classroom, and now she is trying to make all students in the school feel comfortable with their identities.

Torres helps run an afterschool program called the LGBTQ+ Club, where students and allies feel safe coming together to host events, discuss their needs and learn some history about their identities.

As ‘Don’t Say Gay’ and book ban bills pile up in legislative offices across the country, Torres and others in the Bronx feel that supporting LGBTQ students and teachers must become a priority.

To read the entire article, visit Mott Haven Herald.