The Ali Forney Centre is a well respected LGBTQ+ charity based in New York, committed to helping the queer-homeless youth find their way in life and get back on their feet. Named after Ali Forney, a transgender youth who was murdered in 1997, AFC now helps around 1,000 youths every year. Their most recent initiative to empower, raise awareness, and build funds is The Queer Brick. The Queer Brick is representative of (and celebrating) the first brick thrown at The Stonewall Riots, acknowledging the valiant role BIPOC transgender women played within gay liberation. This five-pound piece was hand-painted by what the auction proudly describes as ‘Black queer hands’ and is it to be a reminder ‘to use your power to help the powerless’. The rainbow-coloured brick states ‘Pride was a riot’ with the iconic Marsha P. Johnson quote ‘No Pride for some of us without liberation for all of us’ on the other side.
