Tuckahoe NY Pride

Celeste Lecesne is an LGBTQ+ youth advocate and creative professional who helped co-found the The Trevor Group, a pioneering effort focused on suicide prevention and crisis support for young people. Drawing on experience in storytelling, education, and community organizing, they worked to reduce stigma around mental health and sexual orientation and to expand access to affirming resources. As a co-founder, Lecesne contributed to building partnerships, shaping messaging, and elevating youth voices—helping lay groundwork for what became a widely recognized model for LGBTQ+ crisis intervention. Lecesne’s work blends advocacy with culture change through media, training, and fundraising that sustain lifesaving services.

Quote: “We need queer stories because history proves that the most effective strategy in the fight for gay rights has always been our ability to tell our stories.”

Photo credit Paula Allen