| Much like the larger LGBTQ community, the politics of race and class shapes one’s experience of what being queer or transgender means. Many queer students from low-income or working-class backgrounds and students of color often “come out” at college, but find themselves with little resources or reflection of their queer experiences on the campus environment. This talk will explore the strategies for creating more healthy learning environments for low-income students and students of color.
Kenyon Farrow is the Executive Director of Queers for Economic Justice—a New York City-based organization dedicated to community organizing, research, leadership development, and advocacy on issues that impact low-income and working-class queer and transgender communities. Kenyon became the Executive Director after having served as the organization’s National Public Education Director. As the Communications Director with Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP), he organized the convening that led to the launch of Project UNSHACKLE, an alliance of HIV and criminal justice organizers, researchers, and advocates.
Kenyon was a Policy Institute Fellow at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, where he spent the year researching and writing on the impact of the HIV epidemic on ?Black gay men. He is working on a book based on this research. Kenyon is also the co-editor of three anthologies, “Letters from Young Activists: Today’s Rebels Speak Out” (Nation Books), “A New Queer Agenda” (a Queers for Economic Justice-produced e-book), and the forthcoming “Stand Up: The Politics of Racial Uplift“ (South End Press). |