NYC Pride 2020: Human Rights Conference Live
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Human Rights Conference took place Thursday from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm on NYC Pride's Facebook and YouTube channels.
The schedule included workout sessions, panels on equality and inclusion, and culminated with a fireside chat with Ashlee Marie Preston and Jonathan Van Ness.
There was a discussion on how COVID-19 has impacted the LGBTQ Community.
"When we look at the data especially due to quarantine, LGBTQ folks has been disproportionately impacted by COVID," said HRC Director J. Maurice McCants-Pearsall. "Hospitality industry service accounts for nearly 40% people that identify themselves as LGBTQ. People that work at restaurants, hotels, fast food restaurants, retail stores - they are out of jobs. We see in our data, those people tend to be Black or Brown. The social service system before COVID in many ways failed people of color - now those systems are experiences an extra burden - like filing for unemployment."
There was also conversation about equality and inclusion with the Black and LGBTQ Community.
"I am really grateful we get to reevaluate the connection -- there is no such thing as either the LGBTQ community and Black community," actress Peppermint said. "There is no LGBT community without the Black community and no Black community without LGBT community. They intersect and I am standing in the middle of it. I'm glad we are having the conversation."
You can watch the stream HERE.
After the Human Rights Conference, viewers were invited to enjoy "We Are the Pride Happy Hour brought to you by DJ BMAJR & SKYY Vodka" at https://www.nycpride.org/
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
