QTPOC Youth Program
Out Boulder County (OBC) strives to offer support and programming to all sectors of our local lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) community, especially those at greatest need. As a community that spans across all other demographics, we are working to become an inclusive organization that recognizes and celebrates our unity as well as our diversity. We know that LGBTQQ youth have significantly higher poor health indicators than their heterosexual and cisgender peers, including mental health and substance use. OBC wanted a closer look, so we acquired Healthy Kids Colorado Survey data broken down into sexual orientation and gender identity by race. Rather than being treated as separate categories, we now have data that reveals some of the challenges facing LGBTQQ youth of color. The need is evident, and we are responding.
With a grant from the Community Trust, Out Boulder County is pleased to announce that we are in the beginning phases of building an LGBTQQ and allied youth of color program. We have hired Lau Malaver (they/them/theirs) to lead this effort. Lau is a Ph.D. student at the University of Colorado Boulder working on a master’s in education, and formerly worked at BVWHC doing outreach to youth. Lau is in the starting phases of framing what this ongoing program will look like. In the meantime, they will be hosting LGBTQQ and allied youth of color group over a 2-month period in the Longmont area to determine what the youth want this program to look like. Our intention is to provide a space for youth of color to explore their identities in a safe environment. Given the population of communities of color in Boulder County, we have identified an urgent need for Latinx youth.
The first meeting will be Monday, March 5th at the Longmont Youth Center. Share this with any families or youth who you think may have interest. We will be conducting a survey to get an idea of who is available and interested in supporting this initiative. Please contact: Lau Malaver, lmalaver@outboulder.org, for more information.
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