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Tracy Morgan Meets with Homeless LGBT Teens at the Ali Forney Center

Tracy Morgan continues his mea culpa after unleashing a vitriolic, on-stage anti-gay rant. The 30 Rock star visted the Ali Forney Center in Brooklyn to hear the stories of homeless LGBT teens rejected by their families.

Nineteen-year-old Raciel Castillo said his own father rejected him for being gay when he came out at age 12, sending him to therapy to “fix him” and eventually putting him out on the street. Castillo told his story to Morgan, as did Jayden Love [above], 20 years old, also shut out by her family [and] forced to live in an amusement park in New Jersey where she worked.

Also on hand was Elke Kennedy, whose son Sean died in an anti-gay attack in South Carolina in 2007.

Morgan spent an hour with the group, eventually leaving in tears, said [Carl Siciliano, executive director of the Ali Forney Center]. Those on hand told the Journal that they believe the comedian sincerely wants to heal his rift with the gay community. He did not make any comments to the press.

Love said she wanted to help him realize the sheer enormity of the homeless problem for gay and lesbian youth, who are more likely than straight kids to end up on the streets or commit suicide. "I told him what a low place I had been in without parents to help me," Love said. "I think he was really shocked."

The comedian caused a huge uproar after ranting on-stage in Nashville that he would stab his son to death if he were gay. Morgan said his remarks were "really stupid s---" and promised to meet with LGBT youth.Morgan is scheduled to travel to Tennessee with GLAAD next week to meet with LGBT activists.

Bravo.

READ: Rally Today to Support Homeless LGBT Youth in NYC

On Monday, June 14th at 6:30PM a rally will be held to support LGBT homeless youth in New York City's Union Square. It's being coordinated by The Ali Forney Center, New York City's leading service and advocacy group for LGBT homeless youth.

As LGBT youth find the courage to come out of the closet at younger ages, thousands are being rejected by their families and forced out of their homes. Most homeless LGBT youth describe having suffered violence and harassment in their homes due to their sexual orientations and gender identities. As many as 40% of the homeless youth in the United States are LGBT. Homeless LGBT youth are subjected to violence and harassment on the streets and in mainstream youth shelters. They face treme ndous risk of HIV infection, drug addiction, and criminalization.

The past year has been brutal for LGBT youth. From the vicious murders of Jorge Steven López and Jason Mattison to the carjacking of three gay Morehouse students and the weekend knife attack in Brooklyn, LGBT youth, especially those of color, remain under attack. The situation is more critical  for homeless LGBT youth.

And over the weekend, the Ali Forney Center's newly opened shelter for homeless LGBT youth in Queens was defaced  with anti-gay graffiti. LGBT youth are not even safe in a shelter.

A number of progressive and LGBT organizations are participating in the rally. It's also being endorsed by a number a politicians, activists, entertainers and media types, including yours truly. Here is the Facebook page. Please come and help make a difference if you can.

NYC Homeless LGBT Youth Shelter Defaced w/ Anti-Gay Vandalism

In New York City, the Ali Forney Center's newly opened shelter for homeless LGBT youth in Queens was defaced  with anti-gay graffiti, the group reports via press release.

"At 6am [Thursday] morning, two of the residents of the shelter discovered the slurs which included; 'We don't want gay people here' written on the exterior of the shelter, and 'Gay Shelter' written on the site’s door (see attached JPG). 'I am infuriated that someone would target our kids in this cowardly way' says Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center, the nation’s largest organization serving homeless LGBT youth. 'The young people who come to us for help and shelter have already experienced terrible hardship, and I will not stand for them to be further abused.' The Ali Forney Center (AFC) is working with the New York City Anti-Violence Project, with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and with local Councilmember Peter Vallone on devising strategies to protect its residents from further attacks."

The Astoria, Queens shelter is housed in a church building rented at low cost to the AFC by the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident.

In related news: A previously scheduled rally to mobilize support for New York City's homeless LGBT youth will take place on Monday at 6:30pm in New York City's Union Square. Here is the Facebook page. Please come and help make a difference if you can.