Changemaker Catalyst Award recipient Justin Sandoval spent this past summer interning with The New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders (NOAGE). Justin is a Senior at Tulane University, double majoring in Sociology and Gender & Sexuality Studies, with a Certificate in Human Resources.
A phenomenon in the LGBTQ+ community that I have come to notice is a real disconnect between different generations. Why is this the case? Perhaps it is a common trend in all communities regardless of identity. The fact is, most people are friends with, and spend their time with, people who close in age to them. It is probably out of convenience, since people of the same age are more likely to experience the same life events around the same time as each other; however, I believe that this generational disconnect is even more extreme in the LGBTQ+ community, due to the huge difference in life experience in terms of social acceptance for their identities.
LGBTQ+ individuals who are older in age today grew up in a time where there was no marriage equality and few people in the public sphere who openly and fearlessly identified as LGBTQ. These are rights and representations that are taken for granted by many queer and trans youth, especially in large urban centers of progressivism. In fact, many young activists are operating on the idea that these rights are assumed, and they continue to fight for even fairer forms of equality; however, before there was a Pride Parade, before Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, before the Stonewall Riots, and before the historic Supreme Court decision, people were socially ostracized and punished by the criminal justice system just for being who they were. This difference is what makes it difficult for generations to really communicate, understand, and work together.
This summer, I interned for The New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders (NOAGE). NOAGE honors and appreciates the collective wisdom of the LGBTQ+ elder community. The organization really recognizes the unique needs of this community. It hosts social and educational events for LGBTQ+ older adults, and works to increase the cultural competency of healthcare providers through trainings and workshops. NOAGE advocates for the dignity, respect, and welfare of the LGBTQ elder community. It also respects the efforts of other community organizations and approaches its work as a partner to existing organizations.
Over the course of my summer, I completed many tasks for NOAGE. I developed an extended list of eligible grants offered by local and national foundations, which I researched through trips to the Greater New Orleans Foundation; I applied to a grant, as well as an in-kind donation on behalf of NOAGE; I called local healthcare providers to offer LGBTQ+ Cultural Competency Training; I assisted with the facilitation (before, during, and after) of social events- such as Coffee Talks, Potlucks, and a table at the New Orleans LGBTQ Pride Festival; and I updated donor/sponsor letters for an upcoming fundraising event- the NOAGE Annual Gala. Through my internship with NOAGE, I developed my event facilitation skills, advocacy and interpersonal skills, research and organization skills, and grant writing skills. These are important accomplishments that will be relevant to any future professional experiences I pursue, as well as my future work as a changemaker.