Having a safe place to call home is a privilege. For LGBTQ youth, especially people of color, homelessness is a painful reality. One group in particular has made it their mission to provide a safe space where young people can feel welcomed regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or skin color.
Founded in 2004, Casa Ruby is a drop-in service center in Washington D.C. that protects the most vulnerable members of the LGBTQ community—specifically Latina trans women and immigrants. At the helm of this non-profit is trans-activist and immigrant Ruby Corado, 45, who has dedicated more than 20 years of her life to fighting for LBGTQ equality.
Videos by VICE
VICE has actively aligned itself with the LGBTQ community with queer programming taking center stage in the VICELAND series Gaycation. Hosts Ellen Page and Ian Daniel take a deep dive into LGBTQ culture around the world.
In the upcoming VICELAND special, airing on Sunday, April 30th on VICELAND, Page and Daniel start off in Washington, D.C. at the inauguration of Donald Trump where they speak with protesters, community organizers and others about how the new administration has caused concern for gender and sexual minorities. In that episode, they witness the work of Casa Ruby first-hand, highlighting the gains and the challenges the center faces as a front-line organization
Earlier this year, Casa Ruby was the victim of a transphobic hate crime when a man vandalized their building and attacked a staffer. Sadly, this violence against the trans community is nothing new and this isn’t the first case of violence against the community center. The HRC reported 22 fatally violent deaths of transgender people in 2016, and in 2017 eight new deaths have already been reported.
Impact stands with the members of the LGBTQ community and has partnered with Casa Ruby to help their mission of providing young trans people of color with resources for health, legal counsel, housing, and safety.
