Susi Graf, LGBT homless youth and Willi Ninja
Every night in this country, over an estimated 400,000 LGBT youth between the ages of 13 and 21 spend the night out on the streets. Many are transgendered young people of color who have been kicked out of their homes or been forced to leave because of serious family problems.
The reality for many of them is that they face violence, isolation, abuse and rape, and often wind up in jail, addicted to drugs or living with HIV. But some resilient kids manage to summon their inner strength and find ways not just to survive, but to thrive.
For almost seven years filmmaker Susi Graf has been working on the documentary “Lost In The Crowd,” an extraordinary film about transgender youth and the celebrated Ballroom Scene in New York City which acts as a refuge and resource for queer youth. The film also features a never before seen interview with the legendary choreographer Willi Ninja filmed shortly before his death.
Madonna on Willi Ninja: He was a great cultural influence to me and hundreds of thousands of other people. Don't just stand there let's get to it, vogue.
Listen as Susi gives us a look into the challenging lives of homeless LGBT youth, their struggles living in large urban cities and what you can do to help make it better.
If you live in the Chicago area find out how you can help a homeless youth.
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3 Comments
Comments
That Stand For Something song.. WOW. Who is Justin Utley? This song really hit home for me.
If you love the song, buy it! That’s the best way to support his music (and us too since the link above gives us back 5%)
I cannot emphisize enough the importance of this movie for all of us to see!! It tells the story of the 1000s and 1000s of kids who are thrown out to the streets by their families for simply being who they are. It is especially important for parents to see. Kids do not ‘choose’ to be trans or gay. They do not wish to live in an extremely dangerous environment of drugs, prostitution, cold, suicide and death just for a ‘lifestyle’. They are who they are! If you love your kids you will accept them and not throw them away!! I recently previewed the longer version of the LITC movie, a very moving and important movie and message for society to see. I have actually seen the movie a few times now as it has been refined by Susi Graf and her crew. I became friends with Susi this spring after being introduced to the project by another movie maker and realized right away the vital importance of this film project to get the message out that 1000s of kids are on the street, thrown away by their families for simply being who they are, gay or trans. I have met some of the kids, sweet, good kids and it breaks my heart to see these kids so disparraged. Right now we have a lot of kids killing themselves because of bullying just because of who they are. Straight, gay or trans, please see and promote this film in any way that you all can as it is timely and one of the most important messages for our current time!! And love your kids, love them for who they are and accept them and hug them, they are the most important!!!!
I agree, children are our future!
Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show the all the beauty they posses inside.
Thanks for the interview and letting us know about the documentary. I cannot understand how parents can throw out their kids just because they are gay. It should be possible to punish those parents somehow. Hopefully it will also wake up the group of LGBT who are quite selfish and just care about their fabulous life, having cocktail parties and talk about their latest travel and encourage them to help.
Just wanted to share.
On a morning at half past four
We are here in a room
We look at each other
withal barely talking
the streets are crowded
many people pass by
spring 2007
We could be all the others
We are the others!
Die anderen das sind wir
Die anderen das sind wir
We don’t see anything ahead
We run directly into it
We don’t say „I“ again
Cause „I“ is not true at all
We only say „we“
Our limits are clear