Richard Heyl de Ortiz is the current executive director of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center. He lives in Kingston with his husband.

Kingston Wire: How did you or your family come to Kingston?

Richard Heyl de Ortiz: That goes back a couple of generations. My grandfather came to teach at SUNY New Paltz. And so I was born in New Paltz, raised in New Paltz for several years and then came back to the area 25 years ago and have been here ever since.

KW: What do you like about Kingston?

RHdO: I think I certainly like the sense of history and the sense of place that exists here. And I think Kingston has changed so much in the last 10 years, a lot of it for the good. But I also think we need to remember that there was a community here before. I do love that balance of the old and the new.

KW: What would you like to change about Kingston?

RHdO: I wish we weren't having the housing situation that we are right now. And that's been accelerated by the pandemic. And like so many communities around this country, I don't think Kingston is unique but it's maybe more extreme here, [we need to] really [make] sure that everyone who lives here has a place to live that they can afford. I think so much positive has occurred in the last decade or so.

KW: How do you think the city will be different in 10 years?

RHdO: I think Kingston is just going to continue to get better. I've loved the fact that this is the area that I grew up in and I can live openly as a gay man. I really feel supported by the community and I only see that getting better over time, either because of, or despite what happens on the national level in our country.