Creating space and awareness for the island’s queer community

In an effort to create an atmosphere of inclusivity and to provide awareness of the island’s LGBTQIA+ community, resident Austin Morin has founded an organization, “Queer Block Island,” to do just that.
The Block Island Times spoke with Morin to learn more on how Queer Block Island came together, and what he hopes to accomplish.
The interview, edited for clarity and length, was conducted by Rosemary Connelli.
Q: Can you describe to me how the Queer Block Island platform came together?
Austin Morin: I started the organization this year after moving back to North America from Osaka, Japan. I found myself needing to regroup after such a big move, and found myself gravitating to Block Island. I had worked on the island at Aldo’s and at the Surf Hotel, and I wanted to reconnect with some of my old friends. I came up for a week to visit this summer with the idea that if there was a stable job with housing, I would stay.
I ended up getting a cute little room in a house on the west side, and was offered a job at Persephone’s Kitchen. After a few weeks working on the island, I started

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