ABC7 Unite: New York City's 1st LGBTQ+ housing complex was decades in making

WOODHAVEN, Queens (WABC) -- New York City's first LGBTQ+ owned and operated housing complex was decades in the making.

GLITS Founder Ceyenne Doroshow poured her heart and soul into this project.

As a teenager growing up in Bushwick, she was forced to leave home and live in a shelter.

"The neighborhood was more tolerant of my gender identity then my home," Doroshow said. "That's tough. It took 30 years to digest and forgive because I knew there was no blueprint for raising a black transgender child."

Doroshow hopes that for others, this complex in Woodhaven, will be the oasis she needed so much, so long ago.

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There are 11 apartments, the art and furniture all donated, with a team of volunteers getting the units ready.

"My mission has always been to base this on leadership, changes lives, helping kids go to school to become nurses, doctors, lawyers, judges , we need all of that," Doroshow said.

Nadiv is the first tenant, and has big plans for the future.

"I want to start a record label geared towards the LGBTQ community and our allies because if you can't tolerate us there's no space for you," Nadiv said.

An advisory board will screen applicants.

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For Doroshow, it's personal to make good on a promise she made to herself, to do better.

"New York City is waking up, they are not woke yet," she said.

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