Angel Brown and Angela Brown are two D.C. residents that have spent more than 20 years helping LGBTQ+ youth who are experiencing homelessness.
“When I was a young woman who was coming out at 17, I had queer folks invest in me,” Angel said.
Much of Angel's life has been a labor of love. She lives in Northeast D.C. and has spent a quarter century working on social justice, determined to give back the support once offered to her.
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As the co-associate director of assistance at True Colors United, Angel helps LGBTQ+ young people experiencing homelessness.
“This work is very rewarding because I know I am contributing to changing those negative life circumstances for people,” Angel said.
It’s a mission shared by Angela, who works at Casa Ruby, an organization that has served vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth since 2012.
“It saddens me every time I see a person who has been basically shunned by their family because of who they love,” Angela said.
Angela works as Casa Ruby's director of prevention and pharmacy programs. She helps people get healthcare and medication.
Both women said the month of June is a reminder that their work continues.
“Pride means to me, the struggle that so many have gone through. It’s a declaration of how far they’ve come. But it’s also a sign of how far that they have to go,” Angela said.
For Angel, the month is “not just an opportunity for us to celebrate, but it’s also an opportunity for us to wrap our hands around each other in the community.”
