Allen Young

Born in 1941, Allen Young is an American journalist, author, editor, and publisher with a long history of social, political, and environmental activism. After earning degrees in journalism and Latin American studies, he spent time in South America before returning to the U.S. to become involved in anti-war activism and the underground press through the Liberation News Service. He was also involved in the Students for a Democratic Society and participated in the 1968 Columbia University protests. Young was instrumental in organizing the Venceremos Brigade in Cuba but later became critical of the Castro regime due to its policies on civil liberties and LGBTQ+ rights. He then became a significant figure in the Gay Liberation movement, contributing to various gay publications and co-editing influential anthologies. His activism has also extended to environmental causes, including protests against nuclear power plants and land conservation efforts. Young has continued to write and publish, contributing to local newspapers and authoring books on various topics.

Allen Young was born in Liberty, New York, on June 30, 1941. His parents, who were secular Jews, relocated to Glen Wild in the Catskills, where they operated a poultry farm and hosted summer tourists. Young pursued higher education, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees from Columbia University and Stanford University, with a focus on journalism and Hispanic American studies. Following his academic career, he received a Fulbright Award, which allowed him to spend three years in Latin America. During this period, he contributed numerous articles to prominent publications such as The New York Times and The Christian Science Monitor, establishing an early career in journalism.

Upon returning to the U.S. in 1967, Young briefly worked for The Washington Post before dedicating himself to full-time activism. He joined the anti-Vietnam War movement and became a staff member of the Liberation News Service, contributing to the production of news packets for underground newspapers. As a member of Students for a Democratic Society, he participated in the 1968 Columbia University protests, resulting in his arrest. Young also played a key role in organizing the Venceremos Brigade in Cuba in 1969. However, he later expressed disillusionment with the Cuban government due to its restrictions on civil liberties and anti-gay policies, a stance he articulated in his book 'Gays Under the Cuban Revolution'.

Following the Stonewall riots, Allen Young became actively involved in the Gay Liberation Front. He resided in a collective in the early 1970s, contributing to the production of 'Gay flames.' Young was a prolific writer for the gay press, contributing to publications like The Advocate, Come Out!, Fag Rag, and Gay Community News. His 1972 interview with Allen Ginsberg, published in 'Gay Sunshine,' gained significant recognition and has been widely reprinted. Alongside Karla Jay, he co-edited several anthologies, including the influential 'Out of the Closets: Voices of Gay Liberation'.

In 1973, Young moved to rural Massachusetts and became involved in an intentional community. He participated in the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. His career also included roles as a reporter and assistant editor for the Athol Daily News and Director of Community Relations for Athol Memorial Hospital. Young was an active participant in protests against the Montague Nuclear Power Plant. He has served on the board of the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust and was recognized in 2004 with the Writing and Society Award from the University of Massachusetts Amherst for his career commitment to writing. Since 2009, he has written a weekly column for the Athol Daily News.