With Ladyfag as the Emcee and performances by Sandra Bernhard (comedienne, singer and actress), Lea DeLaria (singer, actress: “Orange Is The New Black”), and Betty Who (singer-songwriter), this event is sure to be another amazing Kiehl’s production. In its continued effort to give back to the communities in which it does business, Kiehl’s will donate $10,000 to The Ali Forney Center at the event which begins with a ribbon-cutting and check presentation to the center at 7:30 pm (the first 50 guests receiving a Mystery Gift Card from Kiehl’s, which could be worth $10, $25, $50, $100, $500, or $1,000) and continues on until 9 pm with karaoke open to all, and surprise celebrity performances. During the event the best-dressed and most festive holiday ensemble will win a year’s supply of Kiehl’s (retail value $1,000) while enjoying refreshments from Magnolia Bakery and Vita Coco. The event takes place at the new Kiehl’s Since 1851 Hells Kitchen location at 678 Ninth Ave at 47th St.
About The Ali Forney Center (AFC)
Founded in 2002, AFC is the largest agency dedicated to serving homeless and runaway LGBT youth in New York City and in the nation. Our mission is to help homeless LGBT youth ages 16-24 to be safe, thrive, and become independent as they move from adolescence to adulthood by providing housing and a continuum of supportive and clinical services, in an effort to prepare them for successful independent living. On a typical day, AFC’s programming reaches nearly 300 homeless LGBT youth and over 1,000 unduplicated clients each year.
The Ali Forney Center was founded in honor of Ali Forney, a transgender teen, who was very familiar with the plight of homeless LGBT youth. Rejected by his parents, Ali ended up on the streets and turned to prostitution at age 13. Carl Siciliano first met Ali when he was 17 years old, when despite his troubles he was dedicated to advocating for the safety of other homeless LGBT youth. Ali was a committed HIV prevention worker, and aggressively advocated that the NYPD investigate a series of murders of the homeless transgender teens he had befriended. Ali was an inspiration to those who knew him. Tragically, in December of 1997, Ali was murdered on the streets. Committed to preventing further tragedies like Ali’s, Carl Siciliano and others founded the Ali Forney Center.
