Queers for Economic Justice in NYC

It's interesting to look at what activists are doing in other cities. Perhaps their activities can spark possibilities about what's possible here in SF.

I got some email recently alerting me to the website of the New York City-based group Queers for Economic Justice -- their website is at http://www.queersforeconomicjustice.org

Among the items listed on their events page are "How to Apply to College If You’re On Welfare", "Dealing with the Police" (including advice for if you are a homeless LGBT person targeted by the police), and "How to win your welfare 'fair hearing.'" They have a Homelessness/Housing Committee which meets at New York's Coalition for the Homeless.

They also recently sponsored a forum at New York's LGBT Community Center titled "Gay Gentrification: What role do LGBT people play in the gentrification of neighborhoods?" There has been discussion of having a similar forum in San Francisco.

They are also advertising an upcoming forum titled "Defunding our Lives:
the LGBT Community and the Privatization of Social Security and the Federal Tax Cuts."

I recall a talk that Sarah Schulman gave at the MCC on a visit to San Francisco a few years back, where she talked about housing as a queer issue, and suggested that it would be something to organize around.

On the "mission and history" page of their website, Queers for Economic Justice talks about discussion that went on about the impact of "welfare reform" on LGBT folks, and also mentions the other economic justice organizations they have worked with.