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https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/vacant-boston-school-was-transformed-thriving-housing-lgbtq-seniors-rcna213233>
"BOSTON — An old school building in Boston’s Hyde Park neighborhood, once
vacant and “creepy,” is now buzzing with life while teaching new lessons in
community and inclusion.
Exactly one year after opening its doors, The Pryde has transformed the
historic 1902 structure into New England’s first LGBTQ+ welcoming affordable
senior housing community.
Karmen Cheung, Pennrose New England Regional VP, recalled the building’s
previous state.
“I remember walking in and doing a tour of the building when it was vacant for
the first time,” Cheung said. “It was actually kind of creepy, cold, dark.”
The vision, however, was clear: to turn an historic building into an
independent living space where LGBTQ+ seniors could feel a strong sense of
belonging. The result is a vibrant community that residents like Brian
Salvaggio deeply appreciate.
“It’s bright, it’s open, it’s lively,” Salvaggio said. “It’s really the first
group of people that’s lived here, so you feel part of something.”
For many residents, The Pryde offers a much-needed haven.
“As we get older and we want more community around us and we want more support
around us, that’s really what brought us here,” resident Pat Xavier said.
The 100% accessible building addresses a critical need for a generation of
LGBTQ+ elders who grew up without the legal protections and societal acceptance
now afforded to younger generations, according to Gretchen Van Ness, executive
director of LGBTQ Senior Housing.
“This generation of LGBTQ elders has faced such losses that they come into
their elder years with a much smaller safety net than a lot of other folks are
lucky to have,” Van Ness said."
Via Esther Schindler.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
