Destination Tomorrow, the Bronx’s only LGBTQ+ center, is sending a message of strength despite repeated threats under the Trump administration — most recently the Feb. 9 removal of the rainbow flag at the Stonewall National Monument in lower Manhattan.
In life under what the organization’s CEO and Founder Sean Ebony Coleman called a “homophobic administration,” Destination Tomorrow is holding strong.
“Removing our flag will not erase our history, it will not erase our movement. Our city’s diverse and thriving LGBTQ+ community will make our collective voice heard,” Coleman said in a statement sent to the Bronx Times.
Because Destination Tomorrow is one of the “youngest” LGBTQ+ centers in the city, the Bronx and uptown perspective can be overlooked, Chief Strategy Officer Sage Rivera told the Bronx Times.
But on the other hand, as the only center founded and managed by transgender people of color, Destination Tomorrow has built-in layers of resilience and ability to adapt to ever-changing circumstances, Rivera said.
“We’re not new to this, we’re true to this,” they said. “Our people have seen many things, and one thing we know how to do is pivot.”
Far from staying silent, Destination Tomorrow is ramping up programming, which includes counseling, case management, HIV testing, youth afterschool programs, syringe exchange, cultural sensitivity workshops, GED assistance, food pantries and more. The organization also partners with 140 Bronx businesses to provide free condoms throughout the borough.
Trump’s order to remove the Stonewall flag was “an erasure” of the LGBTQ community, Rivera said. However, “Whoever thinks they can do this to us, they have the wrong one,” they added.
Re-raising the flag
The rainbow flag had hung since 2022 at Stonewall National Monument, a federal park commemorating the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
Last year, the Trump administration said only the standard rainbow flag — not the flag with additional black and brown markings to represent transgender people — would be allowed, as previously reported by Gay City News.
But this year, in Trump’s efforts to remove “woke” elements from federal properties, he declared the rainbow flag was also no longer allowed.
The decision prompted swift criticism from Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Governor Kathy Hochul and many others — as well as legal action. Lambda Legal and Washington Litigation group, representing a coalition of advocates, sued the Trump administration in federal court, asking it to “declare that the defendants’ removal of the Pride Flag from the Stonewall National Monument was arbitrary and capricious, and contrary to law.”
When the news first came down, Rivera said Destination Tomorrow immediately sprang into action, signaling its opposition on social media and coordinating action with local partners.
“How it hit the Bronx was like, ‘Wow, they can do that?’” Rivera said.
Staffers and clients made their way downtown, answering the “call to unify, they said. “Our investment at Destination Tomorrow was to make sure that the Bronx isn’t left behind, that uptown New York City has a voice in this.”
A huge crowd of elected officials and advocates re-raised a rainbow flag that afternoon, which Rivera said was “a dynamic event.”
“It just speaks to the passion of so many people in our community who have gone through trauma and don’t want to take it anymore,” they said.
The Bronx contingency was especially pleased to see openly gay Council Member Justin Sanchez among those addressing the crowd. Sanchez was elected in November to represent the district where Destination Tomorrow is located and is co-chair of the LGBTQIA+ caucus.
Rivera said Destination Tomorrow is “happy happy happy” to have Sanchez and other allies in the council. “It was wonderful to see sort of, like, the eyes of a leader who would understand our cause,” they said.
For Destination Tomorrow, as the work of building community during difficult times continues, Rivera said they try to address barriers that may prevent people from taking part in important moments, such as the flag re-raising. For instance, the organization provided train fare for people who wanted to join the crowd downtown.
“For a lot of the community we serve, there are a lot of things that need addressing before advocacy,” Rivera said.
But Destination Tomorrow and its leaders have seen many challenges and still stand strong, they said. “Whatever they throw at us, we are a tried and true people, and we will do what we need to do to maneuver a way where we come out on top, no matter what.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
