Empowering Queer & Trans Youth

A Youth Program participant taking in the art gallery at Strut as part of our Queer Spring Break program

Queer and trans liberation movements have often been led by young people - and LGBTQ+ youth are some of the most marginalized in our communities. At the same time, much of the established queer and trans nonprofit infrastructure continues to rely on the influx of volunteers that arrived during the 80's and 90's in the early days of the AIDS crisis, and as these folks begin to age out of service, our nonprofits are struggling to replace them.

We need pathways for a new generation of diverse queer and trans young people to get involved in frontline work, build community with each other, and feel empowered to advocate for themselves and their peers.

TurnOut’s Youth Program was created to address that need. The program provides queer and trans youth and allies with opportunities to get involved with LGBTQ+ activism, education, and volunteering. The content is designed collaboratively, centering on the issues our youth participants are passionate about, featuring multiple learning modalities from guest speakers to direct action trainings.

Parks Dunlap, one of the program's co-facilitators, explains that it's designed in large part by participants. "The way we describe it is: the youth decide what they want to do, and it’s our job to make it happen. One of our participants asked for resources to help them organize a rollerskating party. Another wants to advocate for trans inclusive legislation, so we’re bringing someone to come in and speak about that."

TurnOut recently invited Sister Mary Media of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (a San Francisco order of queer and trans nuns) to speak with our youth program participants about intergenerational struggle, service, and gender expansiveness in the queer community.

Sister Mary Media with one of TurnOut’s Youth Program participants

Parks adds that the program's responsiveness is essential to ensuring youth can find the community they need. "Many young people joined the Youth Program because they weren't finding safe spaces specifically for BIPOC queer folks, and were looking for a way to build community. This came up at our very first info session as something participants wanted." Angel Jae, the program's other co-facilitator, hosts a bimonthly meeting for BIPOC youth.

Supporting TurnOut's Youth Program means investing resources in the next generation of queer and trans youth. "It's so important to follow the guidance of the youth we're working with, and put funding towards what they're asking for: binders, help paying for name changes, support with finding internships," says Parks. "And of course, building community and finding a family of choice."