At a meeting on the South Side April 30, black GLBT youths talked about the issues they have concerning North Halsted Street’s GLBT entertainment district.

There were also representatives from the North Halsted business community and from various organizations and agencies at the meeting. It was supposed to be a discussion without media—an open airing of grievances and issues.

The discussion, by all accounts, did not go well. People ended up shouting at each other. The final hour, one participant said, “descended into total chaos.”

By the end of the night, another person said, “The black people were on one side of the room and the white people were on the other.”

This is not good for our community. Having our country’s racial issues play out on our community’s most famously gay street is something no GLBT Chicagoan should want to see.

The relationship between Halsted Street businesses, GLBT community agencies and GLBT youth of color is one that has been simmering for several years. The kids come here because everything about Halsted screams, “Be out here! Be gay here!” They can’t do that in their own neighborhoods so, of course, they flock to Halsted, even if they’re not 21-years-old.

No one who knows as much as gay people do about the power of human nature should be surprised by that.

The problem, as almost everyone knows, is that our community has not always welcomed these youths with open arms. Yes, they are brash at times. Yes, they can be loud at times. But, face it—these GLBT kids aren’t hurting people. They are a presence on Halsted, not a threat.

It would help if we as a community did more for them. Late-night drop-in programs, with activities the youths want, somewhere on Halsted Street, would be a good place to start. A simple juice bar would be helpful.

But asking the youths what they want is crucial, and that needs to be done in a welcoming, honest and respectful way. They are GLBT youths who are out—way out—at a far earlier age than most of us were. Give them the credit and respect they deserve as members of our GLBT community.

Some people are seeing these kids—incredibly—as dollar signs, and little else. No one should be in this argument thinking that this is an opportunity to enhance their economic interests. What matters—the only thing that should matter to all of us—is how to resolve these tensions in a way that makes everyone happy. Everyone needs to put the needs of these youths—and our community—ahead of their personal interests right now.

This also isn’t a time for fanning the flames on any side of this discussion. These are kids, not tools in someone’s battle for turf.

We have a great community. We can resolve these issues. We need to do that soon. Leaders on North Halsted need to step up and work sincerely—and as directly as possible—with these kids to create solutions that enhance our community and burnish its reputation for coming together and living together.

If we can’t do that, then what’s the point of calling ourselves a community?