Leaving the Light On: A Youth Pride, Inc. Summer Soiree

1 Finance Way,Providence RI 02903

24 August, 2022

Description

Join us for an evening celebrating the strength and resiliency of the LGBTQ+ community in the face of mounting challenges. Our summer soirée is an opportunity to re-engage with Youth Pride, Inc., celebrate good work, and raise resources for the fights ahead. The YPI Summer Soiree will consist of program highlights and achievements, awards and recognitions, with special musical guests and drag performances by local celebrities. As in previous years, the funds we raise will support Youth Pride, Inc.'s vital programs and services for LGBTQ+ youth, including counseling and case management, housing supports, advocacy work, increasing LGBTQ+ safe and affirming space, leadership development, peer-support groups, and our basic needs pantry. Despite our community's hard work, there is no question that serious challenges remain for LGBTQ+ youth. For many, YPI is the safe haven in a sea of unwelcoming experiences. We are particularly worried about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our most vulnerable youth, as we know it will only compound the issues we already recognize, such as: ● Nationally, many LGBTQ youth reported avoiding school functions (78%) and extracurricular activities (72%) because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable and nearly a fifth of LGBTQ students (17.1%) reported having ever changed schools due to feeling unsafe or uncomfortable at school (GLSEN, 2019). ● Nearly 1 in 2 (45%) of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year (The Trevor Project, 2022). ● LGBTQ youth report experiencing homelessness at a rate that is 120 percent higher than youth who identify as heterosexual and cisgender (National Network for Youth). ● Over 300 pieces of legislation affecting LGBTQ rights have been proposed across the country, including in Rhode Island. (Human Rights Campaign, 2022).