June is Pride month and we are shining the Spotlight on some of our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors. This week, we celebrate the great people at Stonewall House.

In June 1969, police raided a Brooklyn gay bar, the Stonewall Inn. The resulting protests inspired a clarion call that would change the national discourse on rights and respect for all. Yet, as those activists age, they face different challenges.

One of the most significant challenges is affordable, safe housing. In response, Senior Action in a Gay Environment (SAGE) opened Stonewall House, an LGBT-friendly Senior Housing Development. Located in the Fort Green, Brooklyn neighborhood, it is one of the largest developments of its kind in the country

“Those folks who were young folks back then — many of them, people of color, transgender or gender non-conforming — today they are our elders, and they are our heroes,” said Michael Adams, Chief Executive Officer of SAGE. SAGE is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults. However, SAGE is more than just an organization. It’s a movement of loving, caring activists dedicated to providing advocacy, services, and support to older members of the LGBTQ+ community.

But Stonewall House isn’t just a place to live. It’s a community of respect and acceptance. Diedra Nottingham, a resident of Stonewall House, said, “I always wanted to be in a gay-friendly environment without discrimination and the glares and looks you can get from people. It’s a great community and area. I’m looking forward to meeting new people and joining new groups. I have been an advocate for the LGBTQ community even back when we were illegal.”

Fellow Stonewall House resident Keira McGuinness said, “We all have a common experience of age and being LGBT, so there’s a lot of commonality built-in as opposed to just moving into a building and being just one of many.”

Volunteers make it possible to offer many of the programs and services that are so important to enriching the lives of LGBT older people. If you are interested in volunteering at Stonewall House or with any of SAGE’s centers and programs, contact volunteer@sageusa.org. In addition to housing, donations also fund meals, wellness checks, a 24/7 national hotline, social programs, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ seniors. “That’s one of the reasons I was so happy to move here — because there are certain services I’ll be able to get, and I won’t feel so in trouble and have nobody to call,” said Pam Antrobus, who lives at Stonewall House.

Broadway Stages thanks those at Stonewall House and SAGE for all they do!