The Story

LGBTQ Elders is a news package reported for Harlem View examining the unique challenges facing older members of the LGBTQ+ community and the Harlem organization working to meet them where they are. Sage Center Harlem, a nonprofit located on West 143rd Street, provides food, education, socialization, and mental health services to LGBTQ+ adults 60 and over, with age restrictions waived for those living with HIV.

The Challenge

With 2.5 million LGBTQ+ Americans over 60 today — a figure projected to reach 7 million by 2030 — the need for culturally competent elder care is growing rapidly. Many of these individuals came of age when being LGBTQ+ carried serious social and professional consequences, and most live alone. In Harlem, where the population is predominantly Black and brown, that isolation is compounded by community conservatism that can make it harder to seek help openly. The story required earning the trust of participants willing to speak candidly about vulnerability, identity, and belonging on camera.

The Reporting

Filmed on location at Sage Center Harlem, the package combined verité footage of the center's daily programming with intimate on-camera interviews with participants Calvin Cleveland and Gay-Le Pratt, alongside staff perspective on the community they serve. As the sole journalist on the ground, I handled all aspects of field production — reporting, shooting, sound mixing, and editing — to produce a tightly crafted two-minute package that balanced data-driven context with deeply human storytelling.