Everyone you’re looking at is also you: Artists for the Ali Forney Center

The Ali Forney Center was founded in 2002 in memory of Ali Forney, a gender-nonconforming youth who experienced homelessness from a young age and was tragically murdered at the age of 22. Known for their resilience, advocacy, and compassion, Forney worked to educate others about HIV prevention and to call attention to the struggles of unhoused queer youth. Their legacy inspired the creation of a safe haven for LGBTQ+ young people in New York City, offering dignity, safety, and support in the face of systemic neglect.

What began with six beds in the basement of a church has since grown into a nationally recognized model of care. Today, the Ali Forney Center operates multiple housing sites across the city, alongside a 24-hour drop-in center that provides meals, showers, clothing, and a wide array of medical and mental health services. The center also offers educational and job readiness programs, life-skills training, and resources tailored specifically to transgender and gender-nonconforming youth.

Over the past two decades, AFC has expanded its reach to become an indispensable part of New York’s social fabric. Each year, the organization provides tens of thousands of meals and healthcare visits, alongside counseling, substance use support, and mentorship. By addressing not only immediate needs but also long-term goals, AFC empowers young people to build safe, independent futures.

The center’s work has been strengthened by major partnerships and philanthropic support. The Bea Arthur Residence, for example, offers transitional housing and was made possible by the late actress’s legacy gift. Initiatives like these underscore the ways in which AFC has harnessed the support of allies to create permanent, lifesaving change for LGBTQ+ youth.

This exhibition marks the fourth annual fundraiser for the Ali Forney Center. In 2023, the artist Doron Langberg organized a selling exhibition at Sotheby’s, inviting a number of friends and fellow artists to contribute works. In 2024, Langberg entrusted the organization of the sale to Stephen Truax, who brought the presentation to David Zwirner in 2025.

This year’s exhibition is the second consecutive fundraiser to be held at our 19th Street gallery. Last year, Toward the Light: Artists for the Ali Forney Center raised nearly $1 million, which allowed the Ali Forney Center to onboard forty-five new, permanent beds for homeless LGBTQ+ young people in New York City. This direct support has a profound impact on the organization, which has lost significant federal funding.

The exhibition title is taken from a quote by James Baldwin in the Terence Dixon–directed documentary Meeting the Man: James Baldwin in Paris (1970):

Walk down the street of any city, any afternoon, and look around you. What you’ve got to remember is what you’re looking at is also you. Everyone you’re looking at is also you. You could be that person.