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[MUSIC]

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>> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

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I'M SHANTEL DESTRA. TUESDAY WAS PRIMARY DAY IN NEW

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YORK - WHERE VOTERS ACROSS THE STATE CAST THEIR BALLOT FOR WHO

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THEY WANT TO REPRESENT THEIR RESPECTIVE PARTIES IN THE

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UPCOMING GENERAL ELECTION.

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THERE WERE RACES FOR CONGRESSIONAL SEATS, THE STATE

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LEGISLATURE AND A SLEW OF DOWN-BALLOT RACES DEPENDING ON

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VOTER'S DISTRICTS. TODAY WE'LL BE FOCUSING LARGELY

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ON THE CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARIES.

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AS YOU MAY RECALL, BACK IN 2022,

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DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK LOST FOUR

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HOUSE SEATS - WHICH ULTIMATELY HELPED REPUBLICANS GAIN CONTROL

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OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SINCE THEN, BOTH PARTIES HAVE

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HAD THEIR SIGHTS SET ON TRYING TO GET CONTROL OF THE CHAMBER

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THIS YEAR - AND SEE NEW YORK AS

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THE PATH FORWARD. TO HELP US UNPACK THE

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COMPETITIVE RACES IN THIS YEAR'S

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CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARIES, WE'RE JOINED IN STUDIO BY AUSTIN

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JEFFERSON OF CITY AND STATE. [MUSIC]

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>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, AUSTIN.

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>> PLEASURE TO BE HERE. >> NATURALLY I WANTED TO START

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WITH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 16

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WITH INCUMBENT JAMAAL BOWMAN AND

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GEORGE LATIMER, WE KNOW THIS WAS A VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE RACE.

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ALL EYES WERE ON THIS RACE. THERE WAS SO MUCH MONEY SPENT ON

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THIS RACE. I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, CAN

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YOU GIVE US THE LAY OF THE LAND OF WHY THIS PARTICULAR PRIMARY

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WAS SO COMPETITIVE?

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>> COMPETITIVE FOR A FEW REASONS.

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I MEAN, YOU HAVE GEORGE LATIMER, WHO HAS INSANE NAME RECOGNITION

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AFTER BEING IN POLITICS IN WESTCHESTER FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS

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AND YOU HAVE JAMAAL BOWMAN, WHO IS A NATIONAL PROGRESSIVE

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FIGURE, WHO, FROM NEW YORK CITY

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TO SAN FRANCISCO, PEOPLE KNOW WHO THAT PERSON IS.

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BUT I THINK THE REASON THAT THE

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RACE PLAYED OUT THE WAY IT DID HAD A LOT TO DO WITH OCTOBER

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7TH. I THINK THAT GALVANIZED SO MANY

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VOTERS ON BOTH SIDES AND IT'S A

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NATIONAL CONVERSATION. WHAT'S REALLY A LOCAL SORT OF

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REFERENDUM ON WHAT KIND OF REPRESENTATION THEY WANT IN

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CONGRESS. AND WE SAW THAT PLAY OUT ON

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TUESDAY WITH A PRETTY DECISIVE

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VICTORY FOR LATIMER. >> ABSOLUTELY.

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IT'S SO INTERESTING HOW A NATIONAL ISSUE CAN IMPACT SUCH A

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LOCAL RACE, AND THIS IS A DISTRICT THAT WE KNOW IS VERY

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DIVERSE, SPANNING PARTS OF THE BRONX AND NEW YORK CITY AND

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WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

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IN TERMS OF THE DEBATE BETWEEN

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THE TWO CANDIDATES, HOW DID YOU SEE THAT IMPACTING THE WAY THAT

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IT TURNED OUT ULTIMATELY?

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>> I THINK WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WAS WE DID SEE LATIMER

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SAY SOME INTERESTING THINGS

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ABOUT RACE DURING MOST OF THOSE

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DEBATES, BUT THE ISSUE WAS WHAT

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BOWMAN HAD TO SAY IN RESPONSE,

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GENERALLY, WASN'T AS COMPELLING. HE COULDN'T GIVE A SALES PITCH

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IT SEEMED BEYOND "GEORGE LATIMER IS BAD," AND I THINK THAT CAME

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BACK TO BITE HIM BECAUSE VOTERS,

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ALL THEY HAD WAS SOUNDBITES OF HIM BEING UPSET WITH GEORGE

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LATIMER AND THE THINGS HE WAS DOING AND SAYING.

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>> AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE PRIMARY OR HOUSE

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PRIMARY IN HISTORY, ACCORDING TO AD IMPACT.

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IT WAS ABOUT $25 MILLION IN AD

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SPENDING. SO HOW DID YOU SEE THAT IMPACTING THE WAY THAT GEORGE

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LATIMER PERFORMED IN THE END?

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>> I THINK THAT IT DEFINITELY

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HAD AN EFFECT AS FAR AS VISIBILITY GOES.

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BUT I MEAN MOST RESIDENTS IN

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THAT DISTRICT ALREADY KNEW THE LAY OF THE LAND. I DON'T THINK ANYONE DECIDED

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THEY WERE VOTING IN JUNE.

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BUT THERE WERE STORIES OF PEOPLE

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GETTING LIKE 19 MAILERS FROM

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GEORGE LATIMER IN A WEEK, WHEN THEY CAN'T EVEN GET THEIR MAIL

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ANYMORE. AS FAR AS JUST THE LEVEL OF

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ATTENTION PAID TO EACH CANDIDATE IN THE RACE, IT DEFINITELY

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SHOWED UP IN TERMS OF WHO WAS ABLE TO MAKE THEIR MESSAGE THE

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LOUDEST AND MOST AVAILABLE. >> ABSOLUTELY.

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AND I WANTED TO DISCUSS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1.

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THIS IS A DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY REPRESENTATIVE NICK LALOTA

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AND THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WAS BETWEEN NANCY GOROFF AND JOHN

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AVLON. WE KNOW JOHN AVLON WAS ABLE TO

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BEST NANCY GOROFF, BUT I THINK THE BIG QUESTION WAS WHO WAS

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BETTER SUITED TO TAKE ON NICK LALOTA IN NOVEMBER.

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NOW THAT JOHN AVLON HAS SECURED

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THAT VICTORY AGAINST NANCY GOROFF, HOW DO YOU SEE HIM

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STACKING UP AGAINST NICK LALOTA

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COME NOVEMBER? >> I THINK LIKE MUCH OF LONG

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ISLAND IT WON'T BE EASY TO OUST

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A REPUBLICAN, BUT I THINK BEING A MODERATE CAN AND WILL SERVE

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THEM WELL COME NOVEMBER.

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I THINK THE ISSUE IS, WHICH IS FOR THE SAME ISSUE FOR ALL

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DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK, IS WHAT

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ISSUE WILL BE THE ONE THAT WILL SORT OF SPLIT THE SIDE OF VOTERS

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FROM REPUBLICAN LEANING IN

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DISTRICTS WHERE THEY HAPPEN TO VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS IN 2022 TO

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THE DEMOCRAT SIDE. I THINK AT LEAST SO FAR THE IDEA

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IS TO GO AFTER THE REPRODUCTIVE

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RIGHTS. BUT IT'S YET TO BE SEEN IF THAT

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WILL WORK AGAIN. >> RIGHT. AND YOU MENTIONED

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REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, WERE THERE ANY OTHER BIG ISSUES IN THIS

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RACE? >> I THINK LIKE A LOT OF RACES,

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JUST AFFORDABILITY, TO A MUCH

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LESSER EXTENT, NOT LESSER EXTENT, BUT THE MIGRANT CRISIS,

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JUST GENERAL PUBLIC SAFETY.

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>> LOOKING AT CONGRESSIONAL

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DISTRICT 24, WE KNOW THAT THIS

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REPRESENTED BY REPRESENTATIVE CLAUDIA TENNEY, AND SHE RAN

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AGAINST MARIO FRATTO. THIS IS A REMATCH BETWEEN THE

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TWO CANDIDATES, AND I THINK THE BIG QUESTION HERE WAS ABOUT

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POSITIONING. MARIO FRATTO SEEMED TO REALLY

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HAMMER IN THIS IDEA THAT TENNEY

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WASN'T CONSERVATIVE ENOUGH ALTHOUGH SHE WAS BACKED BY

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FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. HOW DO YOU THINK THAT

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POSITIONING ULTIMATELY HELPED OR

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HINDERED CLAUDIA TENNEY IN THIS

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RACE? >> I THINK IT'S REALLY

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INTERESTING IN NEW YORK YOU CAN HAVE A SORT OF INTRA-MAGA FIGHT

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AGAINST REPUBLICANS. I THINK ULTIMATELY HAVING TRUMP

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SUPPORT IF YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT AND THAT

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BEARS OUT IN THE RESULTS WHEN SHE BEAT FRATTO.

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BUT I THINK THE STRATEGY RUNNING

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TO THE RIGHT OF HER, I'M NOT SURE THAT WAS THE MOST

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WELL-THOUGHT OUT, ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK.

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BUT I THINK GOING FORWARD FOR

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CANDIDATES LIKE FRATTO AND TENNEY, I THINK SO LONG AS

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DONALD TRUMP IS THE SORT OF

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STANDARD-BEARER FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, IT'S REALLY

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JUST ABOUT THAT SUPPORT, IT'S THE SUPPORT OF PEOPLE WHO

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BELIEVE IN HIS IDEAS. >> WERE THERE ANY OTHER

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SURPRISES OR ANY OTHER RACES THAT YOU WERE LOOKING OUT FOR ON

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PRIMARY NIGHT? >> I THINK IT WAS INTERESTING

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WHAT HAPPENED IN CENTRAL NEW

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YORK BETWEEN JOHN MANNION AND SARAH KLEE HOOD BECAUSE THAT WAS

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A CASE WHERE EACH CANDIDATE --

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IT WAS HARD TO TELL THEM APART

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FROM POLICY FOR THE MOST PART.

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

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MANNION HAD ONE TOUGH ELECTION

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AND BEFORE IT WAS VERY FLIPPABLE

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AFTER DISTRICTING, THE INCUMBENT

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BRANDON WILLIAMS IS DEFINITELY UP FOR A TOUGH FIGHT.

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AND IN THE LEAD UP TO NOVEMBER'S GENERAL, AND I THINK HIM HAVING

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THE SUPPORT OF THE TEACHERS UNION IT REALLY DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

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>> YOU REPORTED A LOT ON THE

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PROXY FIGHTS IN TERMS OF THE

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PRIMARY RACES, SPECIFICALLY AROUND CONGRESSIONAL SEATS.

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

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FOR THE PRIMARY RACES? IS IT TOO EARLY TO DECLARE AN

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EARLY WINNER IN THOSE FIGHTS?

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>> I THINK IT'S STILL A LITTLE TOO EARLY BECAUSE I THINK IN

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SOME OF THESE CASES YOU WANT TO SEE THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS.

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BUT I THINK IN THE CASE OF

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HAKEEM JEFFRIES AND I GUESS

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BROOKLYN SOCIALISTS (CHUCKLING).

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I THINK THERE'S A REAL SENSE

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THAT HAKEEM IS AT LEAST IN A

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STABLER POSITION THAN HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN HAD CERTAIN RESULTS AT

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THE STATE LEVEL GONE DIFFERENT. AS FAR AS IN WESTCHESTER WHERE

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YOU HAD BERNIE SANDERS BACKING BOWMAN AND HILLARY CLINTON

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BACKING GEORGE LATIMER, THAT

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ONE, I THINK, BERNIE SANDERS,

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FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, LOST. I THINK ONE OF THE LARGEST

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VOICES IN PROGRESSIVE POLITICS,

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AT LEAST THE HOUSE, COULDN'T

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BEAT OFF HIS CHALLENGER, AND I

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THINK THE FACT THAT A DEMOCRATIC

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ESTABLISHMENT FIGURE SUCH AS

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HILLARY CLINTON, HAVING HER CANDIDATE WIN, I THINK THAT WAS

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A LARGE MESSAGE ABOUT THE SORT

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OF STRENGTH OF EACH OF THEIR MESSAGES. >> WHY DO YOU THINK IT WAS SO

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IMPORTANT FOR THESE POWERFUL

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FIGURES TO SORT OF PARTICIPATE

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IN THESE PRIMARIES? WHAT WAS AT STAKE FOR THEM?

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>> I THINK FOR THEM IT'S BOTH

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THE IDEA THAT ADDING YOUR VOICE

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TO A FIGHT LIKE THESE RACES CAN

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REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT I

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THINK PARTLY IT'S THEY'RE

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CONCERNED. THEY WANT TO AT LEAST GET

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INVOLVED IF THEY CAN IN SOME CASES TO SETTLE SCORES.

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BUT JUST FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'RE

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DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VERSION OF

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DEMOCRATIC POLITICS HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF GOING FORWARD.

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>> WE KNOW BACK IN 2022 NEW YORK

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WAS SORT OF INFLUENTIAL IN

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HANDING OVER CONTROL OF THE

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO REPUBLICANS LOSING ABOUT FOUR

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HOUSE SEATS. HOW DO DEMOCRATS LOOK IN TERMS

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OF THIS ELECTION CYCLE? HOW ARE THEY POSITIONED?

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ARE THEY IN A GOOD POSITION? HOW WOULD YOU KIND OF DESCRIBE

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WHERE THEY STAND CURRENTLY?

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>> I THINK THEY HAVE -- I THINK THEY'RE IN THE TOUGH POSITION OF

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HAVING TO UNDO MISTAKES OF 2022.

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I THINK LONG ISLAND, THAT ALONG

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WITH THE HUDSON VALLEY, IS GOING

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TO BE A BIG TEST OF DO THEY

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UNDERSTAND THAT SORT OF

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HYPERPROGRESSIVE POLICY FROM NEW YORK CITY, THEY DON'T

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NECESSARILY PLAY AS WELL WITH

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SUBURBAN VOTERS. IT'S NOT AS IF IN THE SUBURBS

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ARE NOT READY FOR CHANGE OR

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AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC POLICIES.

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BUT THEY HAVE CONCERNS AND A LOT

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OF THEM THEY LIVE IN THE NEW YORK MEDIA MARKET.

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THEY'RE SEEING THINGS HAPPENING IN NEW YORK CITY AND THEY'RE

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AWARE THAT'S COMING TO THEIR SMALLER COMMUNITIES.

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SO I THINK UNDERSTANDING THAT AND SORT OF APPROACHING THESE

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RACES AS, ALL RIGHT, HOW DO WE CRAFT THE MESSAGE FOR ORANGE

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COUNTY OR NASSAU COUNTY AS OPPOSED TO HOW DO WE CRAFT IT

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FOR DEMOCRATS IN NEW YORK, WHICH

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A LOT WITHIN THE PARTY IT DOESN'T EXTEND BEYOND NEW YORK

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CITY. >> IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT DEMOCRATS HAVEN'T LEARNED FROM

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THEIR MISTAKES OF THE PAST?

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>> I THINK THAT'S YET TO BE SEEN.

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I THINK MANY HOPE THEY HAVE, BUT

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UNTIL WE COUNT VOTES IN NOVEMBER, IT'S HARD TO SAY.

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>> CERTAINLY A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

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WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT TODAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY,

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AUSTIN. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> WE WERE SPEAKING WITH AUSTIN

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JEFFERSON OF CITY AND STATE NEW YORK.

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THE WINNERS OF THE PRIMARIES WILL GO ON TO FACE EACH OTHER IN

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THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION. IN ADDITION TO THE COMPETITIVE

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PRIMARY RACES FOR CONGRESSIONAL

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SEATS IN NEW YORK, WE'LL ALSO BE DIVING INTO THE RACES FOR THE

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STATE LEGISLATURE RIGHT HERE ON

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THE SHOW IN THE COMING WEEKS.

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NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER TOPIC

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JUNE IS ALSO PRIDE MONTH - SO WE

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WANTED TO EXAMINE THE RESOURCES,

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SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY AVAILABLE

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TO AGING NEW YORKERS WHO ARE PART OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.

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TO LEARN MORE, WE SAT DOWN WITH

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MJ OKMA, SENIOR MANAGER OF

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ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AT SAGE, TO UNDERSTAND

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THE CHALLENGES AND THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE AT THE STATE

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LEVEL. HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

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>> MY NAME IS MJ OKMA. I DO POLICY AND GOVERNMENT

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RELATIONS AT THE NEW YORK CITY AND STATE LEVEL FOR AN

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ORGANIZATION CALLED SAGE. WE PROVIDE SERVICES AND ADVOCACY

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FOR LGBTQ+ ELDERS AND OLDER NEW

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YORKERS LIVING WITH HIV. IN LGBTQ+ SPACES WE HEAR A LOT

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OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOUTH. A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT

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POLICY AND NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON

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THAT. ELDERS KIND OF FACE THIS DOUBLE INVISIBILITY WHERE THEY'RE NOT

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ALWAYS SPOKEN ABOUT IN AGING SPACES BUT THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS

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DIRECTLY ADDRESSED IN LGBTQ+

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SPACES. THAT CAN KIND OF RENDER THEM AND

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THEIR NEEDS INVISIBLE. THERE'S A MAJOR IMPORTANCE THAT

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WE HIGHLIGHT THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT AGING AS AN

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LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUAL COMES WITH.

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THERE'S MANY DISPARITIES THAT

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LGBTQ+ ELDERS FACE. YOU'RE WORKING WITH A COMMUNITY

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THAT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THEY'RE REALLY WAS NO OUTSPACES

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WHEN THEY WERE GROWING UP. SO THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO

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ACCESS SUPPORT SYSTEMS OR COMMUNITIES WITHOUT RELYING ON

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MUTUAL AID AND UNDERGROUND SYSTEMS OR HIDING PORTIONS OF

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WHO THEY ARE. SO WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH

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FOLKS WHO HAVE THIS LIFETIME OF COMPOUNDING DISCRIMINATION, IT

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LEADS TO A LOT OF DISPARITIES. IT LEADS TO SOCIAL ISOLATION,

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HEALTH DISPARITIES, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO LIVE BELOW THE FEDERAL

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POVERTY LINE AND BE FOOD INSECURE.

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THESE ARE ALL A RESULT OF THE

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DISCRIMINATION THEY FACED IN THEIR LIFETIME.

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IF YOU LOOK AT THE ROOTS OF THE LGBTQ+ RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHICH

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STARTED HERE IN NEW YORK, THE STONEWALL UPRISING WAS ALL ABOUT

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THE RIGHT TO GATHER IN COMMUNITY

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AND BE YOUR FULL SELF WITHOUT BEING HARASSED BY THE POLICE.

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THIS ALL HAPPENED IN THESE FOLKS' LIFETIME.

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SO THEY CARRY THAT TRAUMA AND DISCRIMINATION THAT THEY FACED

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INTO THEMSELVES LIKE AS THEY AGE AND AS THEY WORK TO ACCESS AGING

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SERVICES. SO THERE ARE REAL CASES OF

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DISCRIMINATION THAT STILL HAPPEN BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND

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GENDER IDENTITY. WE'RE SEEING THAT ACROSS THE

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COUNTRY. BUT THERE'S ALSO JUST THAT FEAR

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OF SHOWING UP AS YOUR FULL SELF

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BECAUSE IN THE BACK OF THEIR MINDS THERE'S THAT IDEA OF, LIKE, I'VE BEEN HARMED FOR THIS

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BEFORE, HOW DO I KNOW IT'S SAFE THIS TIME?

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THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ADVANCES IN NEW YORK TO GIVE PROTECTIONS

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ON FOLKS BASED ON DISCRIMINATION AND SOCIAL ORIENTATION AND

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GENDER IDENTITY, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO OLDER ADULTS, IT

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DOESN'T ERASE THE EXPERIENCES THEY'VE HAD LEADING UP TO THIS

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POINT IN THEIR LIVES. JOB DISCRIMINATION.

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DISCRIMINATION ACCESSING HOUSING. BEING CUT OFF FROM THEIR

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FAMILIES, ALL OF THIS IMPACTS

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SOMEONE'S SOCIAL ECONOMIC STATUS

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AND MAKES IT SO LGBTQ+ ELDERS

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ARE MORE RELIANT ON THESE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T

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BEEN ABLE TO BUILD THE SAME WEALTH AND STABILITY AS FOLKS

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WHO ARE NOT LGBT. THERE HAVE BEEN REALLY TWO MAJOR

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BILLS THAT HAVE PASSED IN NEW YORK CITY RECENTLY.

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THE FIRST PASSED IN 2022.

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AND THAT WAS TO DESIGNATE LGBTQ+

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ELDERS AND OLDER NEW YORKERS LIVING WITH HIV AS POPULATIONS

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OF GREATEST SOCIAL NEED UNDER NEW YORK'S STATE'S

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INTERPRETATION OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT.

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THAT SOUNDS REALLY WONKY AND BUREAUCRATIC BUT BASICALLY WHAT

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POPULATIONS OF GREATEST SOCIAL NEEDS ARE, ARE ANYTHING OTHER

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THAN SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS THAT

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IMPACTS ONE'S ABILITY TO THRIVE AND AGE IN PLACE IN THEIR

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COMMUNITY. SO SOMEONE LIVING IN A RURAL

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COMMUNITY THAT'S A POPULATION OF GREATEST SOCIAL NEED.

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BREAKING DOWN BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, THOSE ARE POPULATIONS

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OF GREATEST SOCIAL NEED. SO WHAT THIS BILL THAT PASSED

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AND GOT SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2022

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DOES, IT ADDS LGBTQ+ PEOPLE AND

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OLDER NEW YORKERS LIVING WITH HIV INTO THOSE CATEGORIES, WHICH

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MEANS THAT AGING SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE TO START

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COLLECTING DATA AND REPORTING ON

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HOW THEY'RE BEST SERVING THAT POPULATION AND IT ALSO JUST

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RAISES GENERAL AWARENESS ABOUT THE DISPARITIES THEY FACE.

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ONE THING WE SEE A LOT AMONG LGBTQ+ ELDERS THEY'RE LESS

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LIKELY TO HAVE CHILDREN AND THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO BE

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CONNECTED WITH THEIR BIOLOGICAL FAMILIES.

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SO THEY REALLY RELY ON THEMSELVES AND LIKE MUTUAL

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SUPPORT NETWORKS AS THEY AGE.

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BUT THAT CAN LEAD TO ITS OWN PROBLEMS.

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THEIR SUPPORT NETWORKS CAN PASS

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AWAY. THEY CAN LOSE TOUCH WITH THEM. IT BECOMES A VERY ISOLATING

16:28

EXPERIENCE, AND BECAUSE DISTRUST

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THAT THEY HAVE BASED ON EXPERIENCES OF DISCRIMINATION IT

16:33

CAN BE REALLY HARD FOR THEM TO FIND THOSE NEW SUPPORTS AS THEY

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AGE. I THINK IN AN IDEAL WORLD, ANY

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ELDER COULD WALK THROUGH ANY SOCIAL SERVICE DOOR AND

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UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN BE THEIR FULL SELVES IN THAT SPACE.

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THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE FACING

16:50

NOW IS THAT MANY HIDE ASPECTS OF THEMSELVES.

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AND PART OF THAT COULD BE BECAUSE THEY'RE UNSAFE, BUT PART

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OF IT IS JUST FEAR THAT IT'S GOING TO BE UNSAFE.

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IN AN IDEAL SITUATION, WE WOULD HAVE ANY LGBTQ+ ELDER OR ANY

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ELDER AT ALL ACROSS NEW YORK STATE WOULD KNOW THEY COULD WALK

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THROUGH THE DOORS TO ACCESS SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND BE ABLE TO

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BE THEIR FULL SELVES. THERE ARE CASES OF OVERT

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DISCRIMINATION. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DO DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF

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SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY OR THINK THAT SOMETHING

17:16

IS INHERENTLY WRONG WITH BEING LGBTQ, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF

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WELL-MEANING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE AGING SERVICE NETWORK WHO

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MIGHT NOT BE COMPETENT, LGBTQ+

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COMPETENT OR HIV COMPETENT TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THESE

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ELDERS. WHEN SOMEONE WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR ON HIGH ALERT FEARING

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DISCRIMINATION CARRYING WITH THEM ALL THIS TRAUMA THEY'VE HAD

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IN THE PAST, THEY'RE GOING TO

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PICK UP ON THOSE SLIGHT TURNS OF

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PHRASES THAT SEND THEM A MESSAGE

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THAT THEY'RE UNWELCOME EVEN IF THAT WASN'T INTENTIONAL.

17:45

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OLDER ADULT CENTERS,

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LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, ANYONE THAT SERVES ELDERS ACROSS

17:53

THE STATE OF NEW YORK TO BE

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LGBTQ+ COMPETENT AND BE

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AFFIRMING SPACES SO THAT IDEALLY

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ELDERS WILL KNOW THAT WHATEVER DOORS THEY WALK THROUGH, THEY

18:02

WILL FIND AN AFFIRMING SPACE AND A SPACE THAT THEY CAN BRING

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THEIR FULL SELVES AND NOT HAVE TO HIDE ASPECTS OF WHO THEY ARE

18:08

TO ACCESS SERVICES. ONE CHALLENGE THAT THAT SAGE HAS

18:10

ALWAYS FACED IN OUR WORK IN ADVOCACY FOR LGBTQ+ ELDERS IS

18:15

BECAUSE THEY'RE INVISIBLE, A LOT

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OF TIMES THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DATA AVAILABLE ON THEIR

18:20

NEEDS. IN 2022 WE PARTNERED WITH AARP

18:24

NEW YORK TO REALLY WORK TOGETHER TO COLLECT THAT DATA AND PUT

18:28

TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON DISPARITIES FACING THE LGBTQ+

18:32

ELDER COMMUNITY. THAT REPORT IS CALLED DISRUPTING

18:34

DISPARITIES. AND IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS IN ALL

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AREAS, FROM SOCIAL ISOLATION TO

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SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS TO HEALTH

18:44

ALL OF THE WAYS THAT THIS LIFETIME OF COMPOUNDING

18:46

DISCRIMINATION HAS TAKEN A TOLL

18:49

AND LEADS TO DISPARITIES, AND

18:51

THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT VERY RESILIENT

18:54

AND VERY STRONG. THEY HAVE ALL THESE FACTORS

18:57

OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL THAT HAVE LIMITED THEIR SUCCESS TO

19:00

SUCCESSFULLY AGE IN THE SAME WAY AS THEIR NON-LGBTQ+ PEERS, AND

19:04

THE DATA THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER WITH AARP NEW YORK

19:07

IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN DISPLAYING THAT, AND IT'S BEEN A

19:10

POWERFUL TOOL FOR ADVOCACY TO GET CHANGES IN ALBANY.

19:13

ONE OF THE BILLS THAT WE'VE RECENTLY BEEN ABLE TO PUSH

19:15

THROUGH AND GET PASSED IN THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR IS THE

19:18

LGBTQ+ AND HIV LONG-TERM CARE

19:21

FACILITIES BILL OF RIGHTS. WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS REALLY

19:25

TWOFOLD. ONE, IT WOULD REQUIRE MANDATORY

19:28

TRAINING FOR ALL STAFF THAT WORKS FACE TO FACE WITH

19:31

RESIDENTS TO GET LGBTQ+ AND HIV

19:33

COMPETENCY TRAINING, AND THE

19:35

SECOND IS IT REALLY TRANSLATES

19:37

NONDISCRIMINATION LAW THAT EXISTS IN NEW YORK STATE ALREADY

19:41

INTO THESE SETTINGS AND SETS CLEAR PARAMETERS WHAT IS AND

19:44

ISN'T ALLOWED WITH THESE PROVIDERS WHEN THEY'RE WORKING

19:46

WITH LGBTQ+ ELDERS AND OLDER NEW

19:49

YORKERS LIVING WITH HIV.

19:51

BECAUSE LGBTQ+ ELDERS ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE ADULT CHILDREN

19:55

THAN THEIR OWN, THEY'RE LESS LIKELY CONNECTED WITH THEIR

19:57

BIOLOGICAL FAMILY, STATISTICALLY

19:59

THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE TO RELY ON LONG-TERM CARE

20:02

FACILITIES AS THEY AGE.

20:04

BUT THEY ALSO, WE WERE GETTING REPORTS OF DISCRIMINATION FACING

20:08

THOSE SETTINGS. SO THIS BILL REALLY WAS STEPPING

20:12

UP TO THAT SAYING THIS IS A HIGH NEED.

20:15

WE HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF LGBTQ+ ELDERS ENTERING THESE

20:18

FACILITIES. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT

20:20

THEY'RE SAFE AND WELCOMING PLACES FOR THEM TO BE.

20:22

EVEN THOUGH NEW YORK STATE ALREADY HAD PROTECTIONS BASED ON

20:25

SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY, WHAT WE WERE SEEING

20:29

AMONG THE POPULATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH IS THAT THERE WAS A

20:31

LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT TRANSLATED INTO LONG-TERM

20:35

CARE SETTINGS. AND EVEN STAFF THAT MIGHT HAVE

20:37

BEEN WELL MEANING WERE

20:40

EFFECTIVELY REALLY HARMING FOLKS

20:42

AND SENDING THE MESSAGE THEY WEREN'T WELCOME THERE.

20:45

WE HAVE A CASE OF A PARTICIPANT WHO WORKED WITH, A LONG-TERM

20:48

SURVIVOR OF HIV, WAS LOOKING TO

20:50

BE PLACED IN A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY IN HIS HOMETOWN IN

20:53

ALBANY, SAT DOWN FOR THE INTAKE,

20:56

AS SOON AS HE DISCLOSED HIS HIV STATUS HE WAS MET WITH WOULDN'T

21:00

YOU BE BETTER SERVED IN NEW YORK CITY, ISN'T THAT A BETTER SPACE

21:02

FOR YOU AND THAT STAFF MEMBER

21:05

MIGHT HAVE BEEN WELL MEANING BUT THE MESSAGE THAT WAS SENT TO

21:08

THAT INDIVIDUAL IS THAT YOU ARE

21:10

NOT WELCOME HERE AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO SERVE YOU BECAUSE OF

21:13

YOUR HIV STATUS. AND THAT'S WHY SOMETHING LIKE

21:15

THIS BILL IS REALLY IMPORTANT. BUT ALL NEW YORKERS, AS THEY

21:18

AGE, THEY'RE FACED WITH AGEISM AND THEY'RE FACED WITH PEOPLE

21:21

IGNORING THEIR NEEDS OR FEELING

21:23

THAT THEIR AUTONOMY IS STRIPPED AWAY JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE.

21:26

IF YOU ADD ONTO THAT, DISCRIMINATION THAT YOU FACE FOR

21:30

BEING LGBTQ+, THAT JUST COMPOUNDS AND MAKES IT EVEN

21:34

HARDER TO ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF. UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT OF

21:37

AGING SERVICE PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF

21:41

LIKE HOW TO BEST SERVE LGBTQ+

21:43

ELDERS, SAGE DOES RUN A TRAINING

21:46

PROGRAM THAT WE CALL SAGE CARE. AND ANYONE WHO IS LOOKING TO

21:49

FIND SERVICES THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN KNOW THAT THE STAFF HAS

21:53

BEEN TRAINED ON THIS. THEY CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE,

21:55

SAGEUSA.ORG AND THEY CAN LOOK AT

21:57

WHICH PROVIDERS IN THEIR AREA HAVE BEEN SAGE CARE CERTIFIED.

22:01

[MUSIC] >> AND YOU CAN FIND MORE

22:03

INFORMATION ABOUT SAGE ON OUR WEBSITE.

22:06

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

22:09

NOW SAGE IS NOT ALONE IN

22:11

ADVOCATING FOR THIS COMMUNITY. IN THE CAPITOL REGION, AGING

22:15

WITH PRIDE WAS CREATED TO PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE FOR LGBTQ+

22:20

OLDER ADULTS LOOKING TO CONNECT

22:22

WITH ONE ANOTHER. A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE GROUP

22:25

HOSTED AN EVENT WHERE MEMBERS WERE INVITED TO LOOK THROUGH THE

22:28

ARCHIVES OF THE PRIDE CENTER OF

22:30

THE CAPITAL REGION - WHICH IS HOUSED AT SUNY'S UNIVERSITY AT

22:34

ALBANY. WE SENT A CREW TO CAPTURE THE

22:36

EVENT. [MUSIC]

22:40

>> I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BE

22:42

OPEN AND BE FREE TO SAY WHO I

22:47

AM. I RIGHT NOW AM IN A WONDERFUL

22:49

APARTMENT COMPLEX BUT I'M AFRAID

22:53

TO EVEN SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT

22:55

MYSELF. BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE

22:58

GOING TO RECEIVE ME. IT'S LIKE A NEW COMING OUT

23:01

SITUATION. [MUSIC]

23:08

>> SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR

23:12

JOINING US HERE TODAY. WE HAVE SCRAP PAPER IF ANYONE

23:14

WANTS TO TAKE NOTES. YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES WITH YOUR

23:16

PHONE. FEEL FREE. MAKE SURE WE'RE KEEPING

23:19

EVERYTHING IN THE BOXES SO THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING THE ARCHIVES

23:22

THAT THESE INCREDIBLE FOLKS ARE MAINTAINING FOR US.

23:25

[MUSIC] >> MY THERAPIST HAD ACTUALLY

23:28

RECOMMENDED THIS GROUP, JUST TO

23:31

FORM SOME NEW COMMUNITY, MEET SOME NEW PEOPLE, AND JUST TO GET

23:37

OUT AND SOCIALIZE. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

23:40

I WAS REALLY UNAWARE OF THE

23:44

GROUP PREVIOUSLY. I WAS JUST HERE TO KIND OF CHECK

23:47

THINGS OUT, REALLY. >> THIS GROUP IS FAIRLY NEW.

23:51

I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO IDENTIFY WITHIN THE

23:55

COMMUNITY. IT'S EASY TO BECOME

23:57

DISCONNECTED. IT'S EASY TO BECOME ISOLATED.

24:00

SO TO HAVE A GROUP LIKE THIS WHERE WE CAN COME TOGETHER IS

24:03

REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT

24:05

GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT HUMAN INTERACTION

24:08

ONE-ON-ONE WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO RELATE TO THINGS THAT ARE

24:11

IMPORTANT TO US. >> WE WENT TO SUNY CAMPUS TO THE

24:16

LIBRARY. WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE

24:19

ARCHIVES FROM THE GAY COMMUNITY

24:22

CENTER. BEING THERE AND LOOKING AT SOME

24:27

OF THE OLD NEWSPAPER ARTICLES,

24:30

IT WAS A REMINDER OF WHERE WE

24:34

WERE BACK THEN WHERE WE ARE NOW,

24:38

WHICH UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T SEEM

24:42

TO FEEL THAT WE'VE COME THAT

24:45

FAR. TO SOME DEGREE.

24:48

IT ALSO BROUGHT ME BACK TO MY

24:50

OWN COMING OUT DAYS, THINGS THAT

24:54

HAPPENED DURING THE '70S AND '80S, ESPECIALLY, AND JUST TO

25:00

SEE HOW MUCH WE'VE GROWN IN THE ALBANY AREA.

25:04

>> I NEED TO KNOW AND MEET OTHER

25:07

FOLKS THAT ARE IN MY AGE GROUP.

25:09

IT'S A LONELY FEELING. AND AT TIMES I FEEL DEPRESSED.

25:15

SO I WANT TO GET BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS MY FIRST

25:19

OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

25:21

[MUSIC] >> I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING HERE

25:24

TO WHATEVER THE PROGRAM IS IT'S

25:26

DIFFERENT EACH MONTH. THESE NEW FRIENDS THAT I'VE GOT

25:29

I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO CONNECTING SOME MORE.

25:31

[MUSIC] >> I THINK IT'S HARDER WHEN

25:33

YOU'RE OLDER ANYWAY. YOU WANT TO LIVE AMONGST PEOPLE

25:37

THAT IF THEY'RE NOT SIMILAR TO

25:39

WHO YOU ARE, AT LEAST THEY'RE ACCEPTING.

25:42

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

25:46

FOR AN ORGANIZATION LIKE AGING WITH PRIDE IS SO IMPORTANT

25:49

BECAUSE IT ALLOWS ME OR ANYONE

25:53

TO JUST BE WHO THEY ARE.

25:56

[MUSIC]

25:58

>> AND FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON AGING WITH PRIDE,

26:02

YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE. AGAIN THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

26:07

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

26:10

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

26:13

[MUSIC]

26:35

>> FUNDING FOR NEW YORK NOW IS PROVIDED BY WNET.