On Saturday night, July 27th, 2024, SCAN-Harbor, the largest youth services agency in East Harlem, Harlem, and the South Bronx hosted the New York City Film Premiere of “The Ball.”
The award-winning film is a feature-length documentary about the Kiki Ballroom scene, and its importance to the LGBTQ community, and its contribution to the entertainment industry. The Premiere happened at East Harlem‘s famed El Museo del Barrio Theatre,
The night also included an address from SCAN-Harbor Executive Director Lew Zuchman who said, as an Original Freedom Rider he felt that there were challenges of acceptance even in the Civil Rights Movement, and so he aimed to have SCAN-Harbor be a leader for inclusion, which is why he created a LGBTQ program at the organization over ten years ago.
Zuchman introduced Billy Greene, the 2023 New York State Teacher of the year, and the original program director of the SCAN-Harbor LGBTQ services program now called W. I. S. H. (We I She He). Greene explained the history of LGBTQ programming services at SCAN-Harbor and credited the organization with being the first agency to bring such services to East Harlem, Harlem, and the South Bronx. Current SCAN-Harbor Program Director, Francisco “ChiChi” Gonzalez, and MC for the night then introduced Malgorzata Saniewska, director of “The Ball” film, and Jack Mizrahi, cast member and Executive Producer of the film, who thanked SCAN-Harbor for hosting the Premiere.
After the film viewing, Mizrahi returned to the stage, and a DJ started playing dance music for an exhibition of a Ballroom ‘roll call.’ Mizrahi called to the stage many legendary members of the community, not just from New York City, but from around the world, many of whom had been part of the Ballroom scene for over 30 years.
This event was a very special celebration of Ballroom culture and also highlighted services available to the LGBTQ community in East Harlem, Harlem, and the South Bronx, including services and referrals provided by SCAN-Harbor’s W.I.S.H. Program.
SCAN-Harbor’s WISH program is the only community-based program in Upper Manhattan/South Bronx serving the full spectrum LGBTQ at-risk youth of color and is the only LGBTQ program in New York City based at NYCHA developments and NYC Department of Education buildings.
About SCAN-Harbor
Harbor will improve the health and well-being of individuals and families by providing the highest quality compassionate care possible. https://www.harbor.org/
Photo credit: SCAN Harbor (apologies for some of the quality of the images)
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