At John Jay College, we actively aim to create an environment that promotes inclusivity, celebrates differences, and fosters fairness and equality for all. In honor of Pride Month, we’re applauding the strength, talent, and unity of John Jay’s LGBTQ+ community by featuring some of its proudest members.

Alumnus Jahvar Duffus ’17, a Bronx, New York native, has worked hard to accept himself as he advocates for those more vulnerable during his long journey to happiness and fulfillment. “My parents are immigrants from Jamaica, and being of Jamaican descent and gay, it can be difficult to explore and affirm your identity,” says Duffus. “I didn’t really come from a very supportive household, so I learned to kind of hold that information about my identity to myself. The first person I came out to was my friend Brittany when I was 21. If you’re LGBT, along the process of finding out who you are, you’re constantly redefining your identity because you have to develop it completely on your own. In most heterosexual relationships, you have a model, you have the ability to imprint from your parents and shape your foundations of human interactions and love. You don’t really get that when you’re LGBT, at least not in that same way.” Duffus believes that the more we shift to a more accepting society, the better life becomes for the LGBTQ+ community. In his lifetime he’s come across bigots and judgmental people, but he now believes that they’re entitled to their opinions, so long as they don’t impose those views on him. “For me, Pride is the ability to express who I am without fear or the care of judgment.”

When Duffus did come out to his mother, at the age of 26, he said it was hard for her to understand because of her cultural upbringings. “What I remember from that experience is that I broke down and cried. Who I was broke her norms. It hurt me to know that it mattered so much to her, but what I learned is that the world goes on, no matter what,” says Duffus. “You have to live and you have to live your life for yourself. Find comfort in the way you choose to live your life.” After coming out, Duffus realized that he had someone supportive in his corner—his sister. “She was actually hurt that she wasn’t the first person that I told. Now, with my mom—who’s super religious—things are a little better. I’ve gotten into a space where I don’t hold back and she doesn’t hold back.” We sat down with Duffus—who happily recounts being an Urban Male Initiative peer mentor, Student Council member, and Pinkerton Fellow when he was at John Jay—to learn more about his perspective on the LGBTQ+ community and the support that they need.

What are your biggest hopes and concerns for the LGBTQ+ community?
When I was at John Jay, I experienced homelessness. I had to work three jobs. I never had to do sex work to survive, but because many of us are thrown out of our homes and we’ve lost all of our protections, many people in our community are reduced to do sex work. What I would like to see is more assistance from the government for kids who have been thrown out of their homes because of homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, and all types of bigotry. I want to see more help for trans women around the sanctity of their lives. I want to see more done in terms of how police departments interact with members of our community. I want to see the government give trans women self-defense classes because their lives have been threatened so often. There’s so much that needs to be done, the list goes on and on. But the bottom line is: I want people to protect our community’s lives.

What “less talked about” issues need to be addressed for the LGBTQ+ community?
The mental health of our community. It’s taken me a long time to say that my value comes from me; it doesn’t come from someone outside of me. My value is my own. As a member of the LGBT community, we tend to measure our self-worth, especially in our youth, on being socially accepted and the thoughts of others. That’s truly difficult and mentally draining when you’re living in a culture of homophobia. It’s ingrained in our society. Because we’ve been discarded by so many people, one of our greatest fears is being alone. We need resources and spaces where these thoughts and feelings can be addressed.

What do you want true allies to do to support the LGBTQ+ community?
I’m asking for you to educate yourself. I’m asking that you reject the cultural foundations of homophobia. I’m asking you to see us and embrace us in the same way that you embrace yourself. And, if you’re in a position of privilege, open your pocket and donate to support us.

What do you want to say to the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month?
Explore yourself. Embrace yourself. Accept yourself. The most important person to accept you is you.