From New York’s Mondaire Jones to Ritchie Torres, representation for the LGBTQ+ community has improved greatly when it comes to holding political office. According to a Brooklyn LGBTQ+ political club, this is just the beginning.

To Deshawn Childress and Nicholas Tamborra, politics isn’t about power- it’s about people. The two friends are fellow members of the Lambda Independent Democrats (LID), one of the biggest political organizations for the LGBTQ+ community in Brooklyn.

Since the 1970s, the group has advocated for queer candidates running for office and civil rights issues in New York City.

Around the country, LGBTQ+ advocates have been sounding the alarm about legislation like Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” laws that they say threaten the lives of queer people.

LID says that’s why it’s important to participate in politics and fight for justice. They also support other groups like the New York Taxi Workers Alliance and the Black Lives Matter movement.

By showing support and courage, LID hopes to inspire the next generation of queer young people to see the impact they can make on the world around them.