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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Nadia Swanson, Director of Technical Assistance and Advocacy at Ali Forney Center
1:15:46
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144 sec
Nadia Swanson, representing the Ali Forney Center, testified in support of various bills and resolutions aimed at supporting LGBTQ and transgender youth, particularly those experiencing homelessness. They emphasized the need for increased funding for trans-led organizations and specialized housing programs for transgender youth.
- Advocated for increasing the trans equity funding to at least $10 million, prioritizing trans-led organizations
- Highlighted the need for a transitional housing program for transgender youth aged 21-24
- Discussed challenges faced by asylum-seeking LGBTQ youth and criticized the mayor's plan for leaving out 16-24 year olds
Nadia Swanson (they/them)
1:15:46
Thank you Chair Lewis and Councilmember Herne for holding this hearing.
1:15:49
My name is Nadia Swanson.
1:15:50
I use they, them pronouns.
1:15:52
I'm the Director of Technical Assistance and Advocacy at the Ollie Forney Center, the world's largest and most comprehensive program for LGBTQ unhoused youth.
1:16:00
We support all of the testimony, the hearings and bills and resolutions that are in the agenda today.
1:16:07
I'm gonna focus on a few key areas.
1:16:09
One, seconding my colleague over there that we support the trans equity funding being increased to $10,000,000 at least.
1:16:17
That fund prioritizes trans led organizations being the organizations that are gonna benefit from that increase.
1:16:23
And to also fund technical assistance support for trans led organizations to be able to actually apply and keep up with the rigorous requirements that we have for funding.
1:16:34
I would secondly like to speak about trans runaway and homeless youth and transitional housing specifically ages 21 to 24.
1:16:41
We operate the only runaway and homeless youth transitional housing program for 16 to 20.
1:16:46
It's an 18 bed site.
1:16:47
This program has been incredibly successful in providing specialized services led by trans directors and staff to ensure youth are able to graduate to stability after a two year length stay.
1:16:57
We need a transitional program for 21 20 four year olds.
1:17:01
Twenty one to twenty four year old trans youth are our most vulnerable.
1:17:04
They are the ones who are at the most risk and the ones who are experiencing the most risky coping mechanisms and they're left out especially with our very, very, very long wait list.
1:17:13
They're often waiting six months to even get out of a drop in center.
1:17:18
And then I want to focus on OSA's bill, Introduct twelve oh three.
1:17:24
The mayor's plan for asylum seekers released in March 2023 left 16 and 24 year olds out completely and took away the critical access to DHS.
1:17:32
Because RHY programs are severely underfunded we rely heavily on referring youth to Marsha's house while they wait an average of six months to be placed in our housing program.
1:17:40
Trans youth leave the Herx because they don't feel safe and would rather stay in a 20 fourseven drop in center even though they don't have access to a bed due to the no sleep directive in 2023.
1:17:51
I'll just briefly just name that like I have spoken to the mayor directly, I've spoken to the commissioner of DHS, I've spoken to Owasso, I've done testimony all about this issue and it's been just past and past and past and I'm thankful for that for this that needs to Thank you.
1:18:10
Zephyr.