Mamdani and out gay Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten meet LGBTQ youth at The Center
The flurry of diplomatic activity in Manhattan during UN Week spilled into New York’s LGBT Community Center on Sept. 24, as Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted the out gay prime minister of the Netherlands, Rob Jetten, in a roundtable discussion with queer youth. Jetten, 39, who took office in February as his nation’s first out gay … Read More
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The flurry of diplomatic activity in Manhattan during UN Week spilled into New York’s LGBT Community Center on Sept. 24, as Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted the out gay prime minister of the Netherlands, Rob Jetten, in a roundtable discussion with queer youth.
Jetten, 39, who took office in February as his nation’s first out gay prime minister, stopped by The Center during a break from the United Nations General Assembly and initially greeted the mayor in a warm embrace outside of The Center. The pair then made their way upstairs to The Center’s National History Archive, where they listened to a handful of queer youth who shared their own stories of finding community at The Center.
One student spoke about visiting The Center every day after school — even "to just rest and relax" — as well as to make friends, engage with fellow LGBTQ community members, and complete career-building internships. Other students discussed their work with homeless communities or their experiences in workforce development programs.
"The prime minister and I were talking earlier about how important housing is — to build more housing," Mamdani said. "And one thing the prime minister said was that the importance is not just bricks and mortar, but also to build community. And it's a really beautiful thing to hear all of you speak about the importance of this place — having created community in this center.”
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Lou McCarthy, who is the director of archives at The Center, leads a roundtable discussion with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Prime Minister Rob Jetten of the Netherlands at The LGBT Center on Sept. 24.Matt Tracy[/caption]
At one point, Jetten acknowledged the importance of the community space and asked the young people at the roundtable what they would do if it didn't exist. In response, one young person said they rarely saw other queer people during their upbringing, but now can visit The Center and meet others who are the same age.
Lou McCarthy, who is the director of archives at The Center, presented several photographs completed by students, as well as older, decades-old books about the LGBTQ community in New York and Amsterdam. McCarthy said The Center sought to showcase work that emerged from a workshop they held in the archives on scene and photography-making.
[caption id="attachment_65108" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Prime Minister Rob Jetten of the Netherlands.Matt Tracy[/caption]
“When I was told that we were going to be hosting these visitors, I said, 'Hell, yeah, let's do it,'" McCarthy told Gay City News. "These young people who participated in that were able to come use the collections in the archives, which include photography, collections, as well as individuals, papers of activists, artists, doctors, just incredible people."
The Center's CEO, Dr. Carla Smith, told Gay City News after the event concluded that the mayor's office reached out to The Center and asked to hold the event there with the prime minister, who also stopped at the historic Stonewall Inn earlier in the week.
"It's incredible to have the mayor, who represents the city, and to welcome the prime minister, who is doing so much in his country for LGBT-identified individuals," The Center's CEO, Dr. Carla Smith, told Gay City News after the event concluded. " We know that certain members of our community are under attack, and there is a desire to erase us from history and erase our access to support services that keep us alive. And so having them here, talking to some of our community members, specifically youth, who are so impacted right now, is extremely important. It shows you that the youth that the city cares, and to have the mayor in space demonstrating that firsthand, and to bring someone who is also doing work in their country, is amazing."
Lou McCarthy, who is the director of archives at The Center, leads a roundtable discussion with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Prime Minister Rob Jetten of the Netherlands at The LGBT Center on Sept. 24.Matt Tracy[/caption]
At one point, Jetten acknowledged the importance of the community space and asked the young people at the roundtable what they would do if it didn't exist. In response, one young person said they rarely saw other queer people during their upbringing, but now can visit The Center and meet others who are the same age.
Lou McCarthy, who is the director of archives at The Center, presented several photographs completed by students, as well as older, decades-old books about the LGBTQ community in New York and Amsterdam. McCarthy said The Center sought to showcase work that emerged from a workshop they held in the archives on scene and photography-making.
[caption id="attachment_65108" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Prime Minister Rob Jetten of the Netherlands.Matt Tracy[/caption]
“When I was told that we were going to be hosting these visitors, I said, 'Hell, yeah, let's do it,'" McCarthy told Gay City News. "These young people who participated in that were able to come use the collections in the archives, which include photography, collections, as well as individuals, papers of activists, artists, doctors, just incredible people."
The Center's CEO, Dr. Carla Smith, told Gay City News after the event concluded that the mayor's office reached out to The Center and asked to hold the event there with the prime minister, who also stopped at the historic Stonewall Inn earlier in the week.
"It's incredible to have the mayor, who represents the city, and to welcome the prime minister, who is doing so much in his country for LGBT-identified individuals," The Center's CEO, Dr. Carla Smith, told Gay City News after the event concluded. " We know that certain members of our community are under attack, and there is a desire to erase us from history and erase our access to support services that keep us alive. And so having them here, talking to some of our community members, specifically youth, who are so impacted right now, is extremely important. It shows you that the youth that the city cares, and to have the mayor in space demonstrating that firsthand, and to bring someone who is also doing work in their country, is amazing." 
