At NYC’s LGBT Center, Mamdani and Dutch PM Rob Jetten spotlight queer history and youth services

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten visited Manhattan’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center on September 24, meeting young New Yorkers and learning about the institution’s LGBTQ+ archive.

Jetten, who is gay and the Netherlands’ first openly gay prime minister, was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. During his visit, LGBTQ+ cultural sites were part of his public itinerary; earlier in the week, he had also stopped at the Stonewall Inn.

Mamdani’s office arranged the meeting at the Center, where the two leaders were welcomed by staff and leadership before visiting the archive’s library. The collection includes historic LGBTQ+ materials, and the Center uses it to preserve and share the community’s history.

Young people participating in Center programs showed the mayor and prime minister artwork and zines they had created. Some of those works were added to the archive for long-term preservation. Participants described the Center as a place where they could find community as well as practical support.

Jaylynn Gaston, a 19-year-old Bronx resident, presented a collage made from photographs they had taken. Gaston said the visit was nerve-racking but exciting, and credited the Center with providing access to job-readiness support, health care guidance, and an LGBTQ+ summer camp.

For Gaston, the value of the Center extends beyond its physical space. Having a place where young LGBTQ+ people can connect with one another and find services, they said, has been deeply empowering and important to their well-being.

Jetten connected the Center’s archival work with efforts in the Netherlands to preserve LGBTQ+ history through museum exhibitions. He emphasized that such institutions can celebrate community diversity while also helping visitors understand that LGBTQ+ people continue to face struggles around the world.

Center CEO Dr. Carla Smith said the visit reflected the importance of recognizing the organization as both a community resource and a cultural institution. She described the Center as a destination for people from around the world seeking to learn about LGBTQ+ history.

Taylor Brown, director of the New York City Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, and Ana Maria Archila, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, also attended. Archivist Lou McCarthy said the event was meaningful while remaining connected to the everyday work of preserving the Center’s collections and advocating for their visibility.

The gathering placed youth services and historical memory side by side: young New Yorkers shared their creative work while city and international leaders learned how a longstanding Manhattan institution supports LGBTQ+ people today.

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