Additional September daytime volunteer sessions will be announced as they are confirmed.
The LGBT Network’s Coming Out Campaign is a far-reaching effort to build visibility throughout our communities. Since 2002, the campaign has reached millions of people thanks to the dedication of Campaign Leaders across the region.
Register for one of our upcoming Information Sessions to learn more about becoming a Campaign Leader—even if you’ve participated before.
Time: 12:00 PM
Presenter: Robert Vitelli, Chief Executive Officer
Registration: https://lgbtnetwork-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tYyTXkavS1eXh6_3hnyVZA
Time: 12:00 PM
Presenter: Ernesto Hernandez, Director of Outreach & Impact
Registration: https://lgbtnetwork-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/SgCeB0_UTlmLdwN5zUl8Pg
Time: 12:00 PM
Presenter: Brian Rosen, Chief Development Officer
Registration: https://lgbtnetwork-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/c4k–sJ-SWGw33oGTTAIsw
Time: 7:00 PM
Presenter: Micah Schneider, LMSW, Director of Programs
Registration: https://lgbtnetwork-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/ZMZIleQATwm0nd_d5fNWNQ
Time: 7:00 PM
Presenter: JR Cehonski, MSW, Regional Director, Queens
Registration: https://lgbtnetwork-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/MB41O4hwSHSEtlfzO2vHEw
Time: 12:00 PM
Presenter: Kerrie O’Neill, LMSW, Chief Program Officer
Registration: https://lgbtnetwork-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/WqdefTGvQBGIYTV5tMSUhg
Queens Queer Youth Group: Affirmation Arboretum (Ages 13–18)
Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Help us grow a living garden of affirmation and community support in honor of National Coming Out Day. Youth will work together to create and decorate a tree sculpture by adding branches, garland, ornaments, and other creative touches in preparation for our Community Coming Out Event on Thursday, October 8.
This tree will become the first piece in our yearlong Affirmation Arboretum. During the community event on October 8, people of all ages will add messages of pride, encouragement, and support for the LGBTQ community—especially for those who are not out or are still exploring their identity.
Come create, connect, and help plant the first seeds of affirmation for the year ahead.
LI SAGE Mingle: Roberta’s Discussion Hour (Ages 50+)
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Join us for a discussion on “Coming Out Day: What LGBTQ Visibility Means to You.” No RSVP is necessary.
Chamber Panel
Join the Long Island LGBT Chamber of Commerce for an evening of networking and conversation with four successful Chamber members as they discuss the challenges businesses face in today’s changing marketplace and the strategies they use to overcome them.
Featured Panelists:
Gain practical insights, connect with fellow professionals, and leave with ideas you can apply to your own business.
Time: 6:00 PM
Sip & Sing (Ages 21+)
Sing, connect, and celebrate with our community. Enjoy a fun night of karaoke, a fabulous drag queen host, and RGNY wine available throughout the evening. Entry is $20, and space is limited, so register today!
Coming Out Day Community Affirmation Arboretum (All Ages)
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Help us grow a living garden of pride, affirmation, and community support in honor of National Coming Out Day. Our Youth Group has created a one-of-a-kind affirmation tree, and now we invite community members of all ages to help bring it to life.
Write a message of encouragement, share why LGBTQ visibility matters, or reflect on how community has made a difference in your life. We will hang each note from the tree’s branches as we begin this year’s Affirmation Arboretum.
Throughout the year, our garden will continue to grow as we add new messages and creations during community celebrations, holidays, and days of remembrance. Visit the display in our community center vestibule throughout the year to watch our garden of support, pride, and positivity take root.
The Story of Me: Coming Out Day Zine-Making (All Ages)
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Wherever you are on your journey, you have a story worth telling.
In recognition of National Coming Out Day, people of all ages and stages are invited to create their own mini zine—a small folded booklet that captures their experiences, identity, hopes, or dreams of living authentically.
We’ll provide all the supplies, prompts, and support you need to create a zine that is uniquely yours. Those who wish to share portions of their story will have opportunities to do so, while those who prefer to create privately will be equally supported.
Everyone will leave with a one-of-a-kind keepsake celebrating their journey, strengths, and authentic self.
RSVP: To ensure we have enough supplies, please RSVP to Melissa at mcarretto@lgbtnetwork.org.
Friday Night Out – Inviting In: An LGBTQ Youth Art Project (Ages 13–18)
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Inviting In: A Story Worth Sharing is a National Coming Out Day art program for LGBTQ youth inspired by the bold, colorful style of Keith Haring.
Together, participants will explore the idea of Inviting In—recognizing that sharing your identity is not about asking for permission to be yourself, but about choosing who you welcome into your life and your story.
Through vibrant artwork featuring symbols, colors, words, and imagery that reflect their identities, passions, communities, and hopes for the future, youth will create pieces celebrating authenticity, self-expression, and the power to define their own journey.
Whether someone is out, questioning, or simply exploring who they are, this program celebrates every path and reminds participants that they are worthy of living openly, safely, and joyfully—on their own terms.
Salir del Clóset… Un Acto de Confianza
En el marco de nuestra campaña del Día Nacional de Salir del Clóset, te invitamos a una conversación abierta y respetuosa sobre nuestras experiencias compartiendo nuestra identidad LGBTQ+ como personas de habla hispana.
A través de historias personales y reflexión grupal, exploraremos cómo cada persona vive este proceso de manera diferente y cómo, para muchas personas LGBTQ+ de habla hispana, salir del clóset no es un solo momento, sino un proceso que puede repetirse a lo largo de la vida.
También reflexionaremos sobre una idea fundamental: salir del clóset no es una confesión; es un acto de confianza. Compartir quiénes somos no es una obligación, sino una decisión personal que tomamos cuando elegimos abrir esa parte de nuestra vida con personas que consideramos seguras y merecedoras de conocer nuestra historia.
Este será un espacio para escuchar, compartir, aprender unos de otros y reconocer la fortaleza, la resiliencia y el orgullo que existen en cada una de nuestras historias.
Importante: Latineando busca ofrecer espacios seguros para la comunidad LGBTQ+ latina. Por ello, la hora y ubicación del evento se compartirán directamente con las personas interesadas. Para más información, escribe a ehernandez@lgbtnetwork.org o llama al 631-647-0860.
As part of our National Coming Out Day campaign, we invite you to join us for an open and respectful conversation about our experiences of sharing our LGBTQ+ identities as members of the Spanish-speaking community.
Through personal stories and group reflection, we’ll explore how each person’s journey is unique and how, for many Spanish-speaking LGBTQ+ people, coming out is not a single event but an ongoing process that may happen throughout our lives.
Together, we’ll reflect on an important idea: Coming out is not a confession—it is an act of trust. Sharing who we are is not an obligation, but a personal decision we make when we choose to open that part of our lives to people we believe are safe and worthy of knowing our story.
This will be a space to listen, share, learn from one another, and recognize the strength, resilience, and pride found in each of our stories.
Important: Latineando is committed to providing safe and affirming spaces for the LGBTQ+ Latine community. For this reason, the time and location of this event will be shared directly with individuals who are interested in attending. For more information, email ehernandez@lgbtnetwork.org or call 631-647-0860.
31st Avenue between 33rd & 35th Streets, Astoria
Coming Out Street Festival (All Ages)
Time: 12:30 PM – 5:00 PM
We’re returning to 31st Avenue Open Street for our 3rd Annual Coming Out Street Festival!
Join us on Saturday, October 17, from 12:30 PM–5:00 PM to celebrate LGBTQ pride, visibility, and community while learning about LGBTQ-owned businesses, LGBTQ-serving organizations, affirming providers, supportive community partners, and more.
Enjoy an afternoon of entertainment featuring activities for kids, games for all ages, and performances by some of your favorite local drag queens, kings, and things. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
Trans & Gender Diversity Peer Support Circle: National Coming Out Day! (18+) (IN-PERSON)
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Join our new social mixer for trans and non-binary folks! This monthly meet-up is an opportunity to make friends and meet new people within the transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary community in a relaxed environment. Each month, we will have different games and activities to help you have fun and socialize while creating community.
This month, in honor of National Coming Out Day, let’s discuss how coming out (or not coming out) impacts our daily lives. We will share our own coming out narratives, the pros and cons of coming out in different spaces, and the unique emotions this can raise. For more info email qcenter@lgbtnetwork.org
125 Kennedy Drive, Suite 100
Hauppauge, NY 11788
34 Park Ave.
Bay Shore, NY 11706
44 Union Street
Sag Harbor, NY 11963
35-11 35th Avenue
Astoria, NY 11106
2463 Main Street
Bridgehampton, NY 11932
