BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Western New York group is working to spread some holiday cheer this weekend.
The MOCHA Center Buffalo is hosting a holiday gift giveaway for LGBTQ children and people in need. The "Holislay" event is scheduled to take place Saturday, December 19 outside of Khari’s Café in Buffalo from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The MOCHA Center helps connect LGBTQ men and people of color to health services, and hosts events for the community. Most of their services and programs have gone virtual this year.
“This pandemic has forced us to really come up with innovative and creative strategies,” said the event’s organizer, Alexandre Burgos-Gonzalez.
“This gives them a moment to just celebrate, and forget about the things happening, and just rejoice," he said. "COVID has obviously cancelled many of the things we are normally used to, and the ways that we’re used to celebrating. This is kind of a way of bridging that gap and addressing community needs at the same time."
Burgos-Gonzalez added that the center has hosted other events this year like “Pride at Home,” a Virtual Vogue Night, and various online activities to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. He hopes this weekend’s giveaway will be a fun way for the center’s younger people to get into the holiday spirit.
“When things change in society, they are the ones impacted the most, especially LGBTQ youth of color, we see that the disparities they face are widened when pandemics or political uprisings occur," he said.
Burgos-Gonzalez added, "So this really is reaching out to them and giving them a moment when they can just be kids again.”
There is also a virtual after party on Saturday, which will feature prizes and a live-streamed drag show on the event’s Facebook page.
You can also make a donation to support the MOCHA Center Buffalo year round on its website.