NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Celebrates Pride Month with NYC Council Member Carl Wilson and Hospital Leaders
Vibing with Pride panel discussion highlighted LGBTQ+ health equity, representation, belonging, and partnership
Bellevue Hospital’s Pride Health Center cares for nearly 400 LGBTQ+ patients a year
Jun 16, 2026
New York, NY – NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue hosted its annual Pride Month celebration, bringing together elected officials, patients, staff, and community partners for Vibing with Pride, a discussion focused on LGBTQ+ health, representation, belonging, coalition building, public service, and the future of health equity in New York City.
The event highlighted Bellevue Hospital’s longstanding commitment to providing affirming, culturally responsive care for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers and featured a conversation exploring the challenges and opportunities facing LGBTQ+ communities today. Participants discussed the importance of trust in healthcare, representation in leadership, community partnership, and strategies to ensure all New Yorkers have access to high quality care delivered with dignity and respect.
“Bellevue Hospital has always stood with New Yorkers who need us most,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Chief Executive Officer Eric Wei, MD, MBA. “As we celebrate Pride Month, we reaffirm our commitment to creating a healthcare environment where every patient feels welcomed, respected, and valued. Through the Pride Health Center and the dedication of our staff throughout the hospital, we continue to advance health equity and ensure LGBTQ+ New Yorkers receive the compassionate, comprehensive care they deserve.”
“Bellevue Hospital has long been a lifeline for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, providing not just healthcare, but dignity, affirmation, and a sense of belonging,” said New York City Council Member Carl Wilson. “At a moment when LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender and gender-nonconforming people, are facing unprecedented attacks across the country, Bellevue’s Pride Health Center stands as a powerful reminder of what public institutions can and should be: welcoming, compassionate, and committed to equity. I am proud to celebrate Pride Month with the staff, patients, and advocates who make this work possible every day, and I look forward to continuing our partnership to ensure every New Yorker can access the affirming care they deserve.”
Founded in 2018 by Dr. Robert Pitts and Dr. Richard Greene, Bellevue Hospital’s Pride Health Center was created to address the unique healthcare needs and disparities affecting LGBTQ+ communities. The award-winning center provides comprehensive primary care, gender affirming care, behavioral health services, HIV prevention, and pharmacy services in a welcoming environment designed specifically for LGBTQ+ patients.
Today, the Pride Health Center cares for nearly 400 LGBTQ+ patients. Twenty percent are uninsured, 20 percent speak a primary language other than English, and 80 percent identify as Black or Latino. The center’s innovative HIV prevention programs, including participation in a clinical trial for long acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis, have helped ensure that no participating patients have become HIV positive during more than five years of care.
“Everyone at Bellevue Hospital, from the administrative staff to the doctors, has always listened to my healthcare concerns and found ways to assist me,” said Brandi Concepcion, a transgender woman who has been a Bellevue Hospital patient since the Pride Health Center opened in 2018. “The excellent care I have received extends beyond the Pride Clinic and throughout the entire hospital, whether in cardiology, OB-GYN, radiology, or mental health services. In today’s environment, when the LGBTQIA+ community often feels as though we are under constant attack, Bellevue Hospital has continued to provide excellent care and support.”
The Pride event also included an electrifying lip sync performance by Cholula Lemon, who identifies as “a proud trans Latine drag queen who brings bold flavor, big heart, and beautiful stories to every space she enters.” She performed songs by Thalia and Selena, honoring her heritage while spreading messages of acceptance, self-expression, and pride.
Bellevue Hospital has consistently been designated an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index. The Pride Health Center has received national recognition for advancing LGBTQ+ health education and training for healthcare professionals.
NYC Health + Hospitals has long been a national leader in LGBTQ+ inclusive care. In 2011, the health system became the first public healthcare system in the United States to require cultural competence training focused on LGBTQ+ patients.
The Pride Month celebration reflects Bellevue Hospital’s broader commitment to advancing equity, strengthening community partnerships, and ensuring that every New Yorker can access high quality care in an environment of dignity, inclusion, and belonging.
For more information about the Pride Health Center at Bellevue Hospital, visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/bellevue/services/pride-health-center/
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MEDIA CONTACT: 212-562-4516; BellevuePublicRelations@nychhc.org
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America’s oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the 851-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. The hospital is a Level I Trauma Center and annually it sees about 110,000 emergency room visits, and more than 520,000 outpatient visits. Clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Bariatric Surgery; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Children’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/bellevue and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.