LGBTQ+ Youth Center welcomes dutch Prime Minister and NYC Mayor in symbolic visit to queer history archive

Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten, the country’s youngest and first openly gay head of government, met New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday at Manhattan’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, home to one of the city’s most significant LGBTQ+ archives.

The visit took place while Jetten is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where his public schedule has prominently included LGBTQ+ cultural landmarks, Advocate reports. Earlier in the week, he visited the Stonewall Inn, widely regarded as the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement.

A meeting centered on history and youth voices

Mamdani’s office requested the visit to the Center, which staff describe as a global destination for LGBTQ+ history and community life. The leaders first greeted each other outside the building and then moved into the Center’s library, where they were briefed on the archive’s holdings and met young people who participate in its programmes.

Jetten drew a direct connection between the New York archive and efforts in the Netherlands to safeguard queer history in museums and cultural institutions.

“It is about celebrating diversity within the community and explaining to visitors that significant work remains worldwide,” he said.

Youth participants presented artwork and zines created through the Center’s programmes, pieces that are preserved in the archive as part of a growing record of contemporary queer life. The young people described how access to the Center’s resources and community has shaped their confidence, wellbeing and future plans.

Mamdani addressed the group, emphasising the importance of the Center in the lives of LGBTQ+ youth.

“It is a really beautiful thing to hear all of you speak about the importance of this place, having created a community in this Center,” he said.

A global destination for LGBTQ+ culture

Carla Smith, CEO of the Center, expressed appreciation that the mayor’s administration chose the organisation as a cultural landmark to highlight for the visiting prime minister.

“This is a place that many people from around the world come to when they want to explore LGBT history,” she said. Smith added that giving the Center’s work a platform feels “more important now than ever, with what’s going on in the world.”

The delegation also included Taylor Brown, director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, and Ana Maria Archila, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, further signalling the city’s institutional backing for LGBTQ+ initiatives.

‘Life-saving’ community and resources for young people

For 19-year-old Bronx resident Jaylynn Gaston, one of the youth participants, the visit carried personal significance. Gaston shared a collage of photographs they created, which is now part of the archive.

“It was a little nerve-wracking, but I’m so glad they came and looked at it,” Gaston said after the event. “It was just really exciting.”

Gaston described how the Center’s programmes — from job readiness support to healthcare guidance and an annual summer camp for LGBTQ+ youth — have shaped their life.

“It’s really empowering to be with my community and also have resources. Since I’m here, I’m also getting resources to help me in my life,” they said. “Sharing that with the mayor and the prime minister of the Netherlands is really imperative, because it’s life-saving to have a space like this.”

Archivist Lou McCarthy said the visit reflects the Center’s broader mission to ensure queer history is seen, studied and valued.

“It felt special. At the same time, it felt a little bit like what I do every day, which is to advocate for all of the beautiful collections that we have here at the archive,” McCarthy said. “It truly is a community effort.”

Why this matters for the workplace

For employers and business leaders, this visit highlights several important themes:

• Visibility drives inclusion: When senior political leaders publicly engage with LGBTQ+ institutions, it sends a clear signal that queer lives and histories belong at the centre of civic and cultural life. Companies that mirror this visibility in leadership, communications and policies build trust with LGBTQ+ employees and customers.
• Safe spaces change outcomes: The Center’s youth programmes provide practical support in employment, skills and health. Workplaces that invest in structured support for LGBTQ+ staff — such as mentoring, employee resource groups and inclusive benefits — see stronger engagement, higher retention and better performance.
• History informs strategy: Understanding LGBTQ+ history offers valuable context for inclusive leadership and risk management. From policy design to marketing decisions, awareness of how exclusion has operated in the past helps organisations avoid repeating harmful patterns and build more resilient, future-ready cultures.

Organisations that take these lessons seriously are better positioned to attract and retain diverse talent, innovate in fairer ways and meet rising expectations from both employees and clients.

For professionals and employers seeking practical tools, networks and resources to advance LGBTQ+ inclusion in their own organisations, platforms like myGwork provide a dedicated global business community focused on equality at work.

Interested in becoming a corporate member? Click here for more info.