NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AWARDS $960,000 TO EXPAND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING FOR TRANSGENDER, GENDER NON-CONFORMING, AND NON-BINARY NEW YORKERS

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) today announced $960,000 in workforce development grants to support programming designed to help transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary (TGNCNB) individuals enter the workforce. This funding is part of Governor Hochul's $12.25 million investment for the Lorena Borjas Transgender and Non-Binary Wellness and Equity Fund, which supports organizations committed to promoting health and employment equity for the TGNCNB community.

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “This funding will help break barriers to employment often experienced by our TGNCNB neighbors. These programs will continue to open doors to exciting and inclusive career opportunities so that all New Yorkers can continue to pursue their dreams.”

The following organizations received funding awards:

• Translatinx Network Inc – $250,000. Translatinx Network Inc is a non-profit organization primarily serving TGNCNB people in New York City, with a focus on Black, Indigenous, and people of color, particularly Latinx populations, as well as people living with HIV/AIDS. Translatinx Network plans to use this new funding to expand their workforce development program Trans Empowerment Space, which educates participants on job-readiness, leadership, and peer-outreach skills.
• Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, Inc. – $250,000. Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, Inc. is a non-profit organization which provides free legal assistance to those in need in 17 counties across Central New York, the North Country, and the Southern Tier. Funding will be used to empower and support TGNCNB individuals in accessing workforce development and employment opportunities in professional careers, specifically within the legal sector as lawyers or paraprofessionals.
• Trillium Health, Inc. – $210,000. Trillium Health, Inc. is a healthcare center with over 30 years of experience serving the TGNCNB community. Grant funding will support a program called Trailblazers, which focuses on job readiness and improved economic stability for TGNCNB New Yorkers in the Finger Lakes region.
• Hetrick-Martin Institute – $250,000. The Hetrick-Martin Institute is a non-profit organization that has been serving LGBTQ+ youth for nearly 50 years in the New York City area, with a focus on assisting homeless queer and trans youth. The funding will support culturally competent training, gaining workforce-related skills and paid internships, particularly in health-based careers, by partnering with the Mount Sinai Health System. Participants will receive extensive support services, including connecting TGNCNB youth to housing, mental health counseling, legal aid, and access to gender-affirming resources.

All award recipients are led or staffed by members of the TGNCNB community, with programming developed with community input, to ensure the funded trainings meet the unique needs of these New Yorkers.

This funding directly addresses critical workforce issues uncovered in NYSDOL’s 2023 TGNCNB Employment Report, which found that TGNCNB New Yorkers experience lower incomes and higher unemployment due to several factors, most notably, discrimination.