Day 144: Community United Methodist Church, Queens, New York
📌APIA Every Day (144) -The Community United Methodist Church in Jackson Heights, Queens, established in the early 20th century, has become a significant community hub, especially under the leadership of Reverend Austin Armitstead (1974-1995), who defended gay congregants against anti-gay protestors. The church offers multi-language ministries and meeting spaces for diverse community groups, reflecting the neighborhood's ethnic diversity and LGBT presence. In 1990, the church hosted a groundbreaking candidates' night on LGBT issues and HIV/AIDS, which led to the formation of Queens Gays and Lesbians United (Q-GLU) in 1991 by Ed Sedarbaum and Susan Caust. Q-GLU, formed in response to local events like the gay-bias murder of Julio Rivera, advocated for LGBT issues specific to Queens, organized regular meetings at the church, and collaborated with the Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project to improve police relations with the LGBT community.
The church also served as a venue for significant events such as the Interfaith AIDS Memorial Service on June 5, 1999. This event, co-sponsored by various organizations including the Asian/Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV & AIDS (APICHA), featured clergy from multiple faiths and displayed panels from the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. APICHA was founded in 1989 by a group of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans concerned about HIV/AIDS rates within their communities and is dedicated to combating discrimination, preventing HIV transmission, and providing care for those living with HIV/AIDS. APICHA offers a range of services including primary and specialty HIV care, bilingual case management, and HIV prevention education. Notably, APICHA convinced the CDC to separately list "Asians and Pacific Islanders" from "Alaskan Natives and American Indians."
The Community United Methodist Church has played a pivotal role in fostering community solidarity and advocating for LGBT rights in Jackson Heights, involving various ethnic and minority groups, including Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, through collaborations like those with APICHA.
LEARN MORE:
NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project: Community United Methodist Church
APICHA Community health Center: The History of APICHA
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