Eighties pop queen Cyndi Lauper — a longtime advocate for the LGBTQ community — is planning to open a shelter for disenfranchised gay teens in Harlem.
Lauper’s True Colors Residence will open its doors next winter, taking in gay, bisexual, and transgender young people between 18 and 24 who have been disowned by their families due to their sexuality. The center will contain 30 studio apartments, a library, a computer room and communal space. Residents will pay rent according to their income.
“Kids are coming out in greater numbers as they see themselves accepted and represented on TV and in movies, but they’re still being kicked out of their homes or running away and living on the streets. We need to make sure we’re taking care of them….”