QT Connections
Queer and Trans Connection Network
The Queer Trans Connection Network is intentional, substance-free spaces in Columbia and Greene Counties designed to uplift, support, and empower our Queer and Trans community.
The Queer and Trans Connection Network is supported by private funding and individual donations made to Columbia-Greene Addiction Coalition: a non-profit supporting SUD Prevention and harm reduction through equitable data driven solutions across Columbia and Greene Counties.
Interested in joining or working together to start a network? Contact: toby@c-gac.org to get involved!
What?
According to a 2025 brief by The Trevor Project, 43% of LGBTQ+ youth in rural areas have seriously considered suicide, compared to 38% of their peers in non‑rural areas
According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, LGBTQ+ youth are significantly more likely than their peers to experience substance use, violence, and mental health challenges. Nearly 1 in 5 misuse prescription opioids, and over 40% have seriously considered suicide—a rate more than three times higher than heterosexual students. These disparities are even more pronounced in rural communities, underscoring the urgent need for affirming, substance-free spaces and community-driven support.
Why?
Recurring Events
WHEN: Every Thursday from 5 PM - 7 PM
WHERE: Columbia County Pathways to Recovery, #1 Taconic Place, Chatham
WHAT: Join us in planning events, sharing resources, guest speakers and building connection. This is a space to celebrate wins, voice frustrations, and support each other!
Come for the free snacks, stay for the Queer Community. This space accommodates children
For more info or to join virtually, email toby@c-gac.org
WHEN: 2nd Tuesday of the month, from 6 PM - 8 PM
WHERE: Artlife717, 717 Columbia Street, Hudson
WHAT: Join us in planning events, crafting, sharing resources, and building connection. This is a space to celebrate wins, voice frustrations, and support each other!
Come for the free snacks, stay for the Queer Community. This space accommodates children
For more info or to join virtually, email toby@c-gac.org
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Resources
Gallery
Four people stand behind a table covered with an alliance banner, displaying various items like water bottles and pamphlets. One woman is engaging with two women and a man, under a wooden pavilion with string lights and green trees in the background.
Three people standing behind a table with red and blue water bottles, in an outdoor gazebo decorated for Pride, promoting health insurance access for the LGBTQ+ community.
A woman with a walker smiling and pointing at the camera, standing outdoors under a blue canopy, with another woman nearby, and people in the background at what appears to be a community event.
People attending an outdoor community event with tents, tables, and a small crowd, on a cloudy day.
A woman standing behind a table with informational materials at an outdoor event, with a colorful rainbow pride flag and groups of people in the background.
Group of people standing outdoors on a street corner, some on stilts, holding rainbow flags and wearing matching blue shirts, participating in a pride event.
Two people standing outdoors in front of a tree, one holding a dog. They are smiling and appear to be at a park or community event.
Two smiling men standing outdoors in front of a tree, with a brick building and parked cars in the background. One man wears a tank top that reads 'TRANS lives matter,' and the other wears a black T-shirt with a colorful graphic that says 'It was the 80s, tube man.'
A man speaking into a pink megaphone at an outdoor gathering under a decorated pavilion, with rainbow flags and surrounded by greenery.
A table with a floral tablecloth set up outdoors with various snacks including grapes, bananas, chips, cheese, and vegetables. There are bottles of drinks, paper plates, and papers on the table, with plants and a street in the background.
People gathered under a gazebo decorated with silver and colorful banners, with a table of food and drinks on the side. Some are reading papers, and there are string lights hanging below the roof.
Three people standing on grass at a park, smiling, with a purple canopy tent overhead. The person in the middle has purple hair, wearing a red hoodie, and holding a paper. The other two are in casual attire, one in a black T-shirt and beige shorts, the other in a striped T-shirt and orange shorts.
Three people standing outdoors on grass, engaged in conversation; one with purple hair, one in a red hoodie with purple hair, and one with glasses and a black t-shirt.
Group of people standing near a tent at an outdoor community event, with dogs and a grassy area in the background.
Group of people gathered outdoors at a community event, standing near a blue tent with colorful ribbons, with a woman in a rainbow flag necklace talking to them. In the background, there are kids in blue shirts and a small building, on a cloudy day.
People gathered outdoors under tents, engaging in conversation, with colorful tents and lush green surroundings.
Group of people at an outdoor event under a blue canopy, with a table covered in a yellow tablecloth displaying various items, and a boy in a sleeveless shirt standing at the table.
A young person standing on a brick patio speaking into a pink megaphone, surrounded by others in a yard with green grass and plants, with houses and trees in the background.
Three elderly women sitting on a park bench near a sidewalk with parked cars in the background. One woman has a walker and is holding papers; another wears a hat, and the third wears a beanie and a quilted jacket.
A person wearing a black rain jacket, a white shirt with a pride flag graphic, khaki shorts, and black shoes standing on a porch with a small, curly-haired dog looking up at them. A trans pride flag is hanging behind them.
A man wearing a white hat, glasses, a black jacket, beige shorts, and black shoes, holding a pink and red megaphone, standing on a brick walkway in an outdoor garden area with green plants.
A woman in a pink dress holding papers stands outside near green plants, with a decorated outdoor area and other people in the background.
Person standing on a paved walkway with a megaphone, wearing glasses, a blue t-shirt, gray pants, and sneakers at an outdoor Pride event. Behind them is a booth decorated with rainbow flags, a table with items, and a rainbow flag banner.
Three women and one man standing around a table with promotional materials, with rainbow flags in the background, under a gazebo with a wooden roof, in a park or community space.
Two women standing behind an information table for MHACG, the Columbia-Greene Mental Health Association, outdoors on a porch with a blue tablecloth, informational materials, and water bottles.
Woman in pink dress reading paper on porch with tables, trees, and building in background.
Two women standing on a porch, engaged in conversation. One woman is wearing a purple lace dress and black sandals, while the other is wearing a beige cardigan, camouflage pants, and pink Crocs. There are colorful banners and a table with a floral tablecloth nearby.
Group of people attending an outdoor event or gathering under two tents, one green and one purple, on a cloudy day.
Two people standing at a table under a blue canopy, with a woman smiling on the left and a man with glasses on the right, engaged in a creative activity with colorful paper and markers outdoors in a park with a grassy area and houses in the background.
Group of people standing on grass near a purple canopy, engaging in conversation during an outdoor event, with some holding rainbow flags, trees, and residential houses in the background.
Two smiling people taking a selfie on a porch with a porch railing, string lights, and a blue, pink, and white background decor, outdoors with green trees visible.
Two women are standing on a sidewalk in front of a street with parked cars and a brick building. One woman is wearing an orange top and blue jeans, and the other is in a black and white striped shirt with red shorts. They are smiling and posing for the photo.
People at a backyard gathering near a decorated shelter, woman smiling and holding a pink megaphone, colorful decorations, plants, and string lights in the background.
People gather at an outdoor Pride event with tents, rainbow flags, and a gazebo, in a park outline with trees, sidewalks, and surrounding buildings, under a cloudy sky.
People gathered at an outdoor event with tents, including a green tent from the Healthy Neighborhoods Program and a blue tent, set up on a grassy area near a white gazebo and a street with vehicles. A dog sits on the grass, and some attendees are sitting at tables, engaging in conversations.
