Jack Pellicano

The Project

Building on the expertise of Brooklyn Legal Services LGBTQ+ & HIV Advocacy Project, Jack (they/he) will provide tailored civil legal services to support the economic stability and mobility of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Non-Binary (TGNCNB) young people living in New York City.

State legislators across the country are expressing intense hostility toward TGNCNB young people, dramatically increasing administrative violence against them. Although New York City has long been a beacon for LGBTQ+ people, there remains a wide gap between the content of New York City and State anti-discrimination laws and the lived experience of TGNCNB young people. The TGNCNB community continues to face rampant discrimination in public accommodations, the workplace, school, and housing—which contributes to cycles of poverty, criminalization, and homelessness faced by many. This project is designed to address these barriers, with the goal of maximizing the opportunities for TGNCNB young people to live a life filled with joy—beyond mere survival.

Fellowship Plans

During their Fellowship, Jack will provide TGNCNB young people with direct civil legal services, including legal name and identity document changes, support in benefits access, and counseling on gender-based discrimination. Harnessing Brooklyn Legal Services LGBTQ & HIV Advocacy Project’s already successful pro-bono name change clinic will enable Jack to expand the projects reach. Jack will concentrate outreach through community partners that offer social services to TGNCNB young people by providing the community with sustained Know Your Rights trainings and educational materials on gender-based discrimination, name changes, and benefits eligibility.

Jack is driven and inspired by the generations of trans people who have created dream-worthy lives for themselves in New York City.