The Inside Scoop
March 2021
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Thank you for reading Youth Pride, Inc.'s March edition of The Inside Scoop! Within you will read about our first quarterly GSA meeting, 401Gives Day, an opportunity with The Groden Network, how to set up a drive for our Basic Needs Pantry, the Queer Rage print project benefiting YPI, and news on the Equality Act.
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If you are a Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) advisor or student member, we want you to join us for quarterly GSA meetings!
Out first quarterly meeting is Saturday, March 20 from 1:00-2:30pm via Zoom. If you have not yet registered, you can do so by clicking the link below and filling out our registration form.
The purpose of these quarterly meetings are:
1. Provide further, more in-depth, education and support to GSAs
2. Allow GSAs to stay informed on what is happening or trending around the state schools in relation to the LGBTQ+ community
3. Provide space and opportunity for youth to virtually socialize during times of social distancing
The first half of the first meeting will be welcomes, introductions, ice breakers, and fun social activities. The second half will be a series informational activities covering topics such as Virtual GSA Tips & Tricks and Setting Up a Discord.
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Want to Donate to our Basic Needs Pantry? |
YPI is home to a Basic Needs Pantry that provides food, clothes, toiletries, and school supplies to youth as needed.
Our pantry is stocked due to the generosity of donors like you. If you are interested in donating a few items, or even hosting a drive at your school/work/etc., we would love to coordinate with you!
Top 5 Requested Food/Toiletries Items:
-Jars of pasta sauce
-Shelf stable/powdered milk and milk alternatives
-Jarred/canned fruits
-Peanut Butter & Jelly
-Black hair care products (particularly shampoo and conditioner with natural oils)
Top 5 Requested Clothing Items:
- Coats
- Hoodies/Sweaters/Sweatshirts
- New/Unopened Underwear
- Plus Size Pants/Bottoms
- Warm Socks
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401Gives - Thursday, April 1, |
Powered by United Way of Rhode Island, April 1, 2021 is 401Gives, Rhode Island’s statewide giving day.
Has Youth Pride served you, or a youth you know, well? Does our mission inspire you? Then consider donating to YPI on 401GivesDay! Starting at 6am on 4/1/21, the first $50,000 of all donations will be matched by the Rhode Island Foundation. Maximum match per donor, per nonprofit is $500.00 for online donations only.
You can easily donate to us on 4/1/21 through the link below. We will promote it several more times on our social media pages as well.
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The Groden Center Seeks Foster Parents |
The Groden Center and Youth Pride, Inc. both strive to treat youth as individuals so they can reach their full potential. The Groden Center opened in response to the absence of maximally effective services for youth with autism and other developmental challenges. The program has since expanded its services to children, teens, and adults with a range of learning and behavioral disabilities throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
We hope to share The Groden Center's services with our readers as they are currently looking for foster parents and maybe someone reading could be the perfect fit! Below is a blurb from The Groden Center:
"Rhode Island is currently in dire needs for individuals or families to become licensed foster parents. Groden Center Treatment Foster Care Program (GCTFC) provides treatment level foster care for a diverse population of children and youth with special needs (0-22 years old) and matches them with licensed treatment foster homes across Rhode Island. If you, or someone you know, is interested in learning more about treatment foster care, please contact Brendan Carty at (401) 274-6310 X1229 or [email protected]. You can change the life of a child. We are hosting a Zoom virtual information session on March 25th from 6pm-7pm where you can learn more, meet one of our foster parents, and ask any questions you may have. We invite everyone to join us! Please RSVP at [email protected] to receive login information."
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Racial Equality Resources
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YPI stands with youth of color and are committed to deepening racial equality within our organization and our work. We will provide resources in our newsletter to continually educate, mobilize, and engage our readers in racial justice matters.
The first link, Black Mental Health Matters, contains resources to therapists, hotlines, and more for Black folks struggling with mental health.
The second link, How to Be an Ally in 2021, was published on Her Campus, an online magazine dedicated to, written by, and focused on empowering college women. The write up covers many aspects of allyship.
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Are you really missing drop-in hours? Need someone to talk to? Are you experiencing crisis? Have concerns, fears or mental health needs that you need to express to someone? Here are a couple of resources for you that were compiled by YPI staff. |
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Essential Resources During COVID-19
Other Resources from YPI
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Monthly Spotlight
Seabass Immonen & JaLeel Marques Porcha; Queer Rage
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All of us have something to be angry about; whether it’s anti-trans bills, the process it takes to find a queer friendly doctor, or just the stares one gets when living out loud. Seabass Immonen and JaLeel Marques Porcha, two students at RISD, have collaborated with eight queer models to show off their rage with advocacy/activist fashion pieces that tell their stories of what makes them angry.
Starting March 26th, prints of their work will be sold for $18 each on queerrage.net (to be published soon), with all the proceeds going to Youth Pride, Inc! Made entirely out of up-cycled fabric, the designs were made to send a message of defiance that each model chose. You will find the project available for purchase at queerrage.net or debuting on Seabass's YouTube. You can also stay up to date on when the website launches and the project itself by following Seabass's instagram which is linked below.
Pictured above is Davi Sapiro-Gheiler in their Hummingbird Nazca line ballroom corset, Peruvian palette gown, and contemporary Jewish tichel. Photography by JaLeel Porcha.
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Thank you Seabass and JaLeel for putting
together such an amazing project!
We cannot wait to see all the pieces
and learn about their stories.
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Equality Act Reintroduced by Cicilline (RI-D) and Merkley (OR-D) |
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On February 18th, U.S. Congressman David Cicilline (RI-01) and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (OR) reintroduced the Equality Act to the House of Representatives. The Equity Act is civil rights legislation that provides consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service. Current federal US law does not explicitly provide non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity. As Cicilline states in his press release, "in 27 states, a person can be denied housing because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQ people can also be denied access to education in 31 states, and the right to serve on a jury in 41 states."
The Equality Act was originally introduced in March of 2019 and passed in the House of Representatives in May 2019 with a 236 to 173. The act was then passed along to the Senate where it has remain untouched until now.
The Equality Act now goes to the Senate. To track the bill's progress check out the lH.R.5 link below!
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Mission:
Youth Pride, Inc. is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of youth and young adults impacted by sexual orientation and gender identity/expression while working to end the homophobic and transphobic environments in which they live, work and play.
Values:
LEADERSHIP: YPI is committed to creating the leaders of today. Youth voices drive our process, and we seek to develop the leadership skills necessary both within the organization and outside of it.
AFFIRMATION: YPI believes all youth must be affirmed for who they are and how they express themselves. We are committed to making that a reality in all of the environments in which young people live.
COMMUNITY: YPI believes building strong connections is essential to youth success and empowerment. We strive to create a caring, respectful and diverse community of young people and adults.
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Your tax-deductible donation helps YPI continue to do the important work we do in accordance to our mission. Your gift would be directly investing in our state's LGBTQ youth so that they may have a chance to share their gifts and light with the world. |
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Our Programs and Services |
Youth Pride, Inc. serves over 700 Rhode Island LGBTQ youth and their straight allies a year through a variety of programs and services.
Our Center, located on Westminster Street in Providence, primarily serve as a drop-in and programming space, and is currently open to youth ages 13 to 23 on Tuesday and Wednesday from 3-8pm and Thursday from 3 to 5. Youth ages 9 to thirteen are welcome at our exclusive 13 and under drop-in time on Thursdays from 5-8 pm. All YPI Center services and activities are free to youth. YPI youth get to attend events, workshops, cultural, educational, social, and wellness activities at YPI and around the state.
Our center is home to a Basic Needs Pantry, open to youth in need of food, clothing, toiletries, and school supplies. We offer one on one counseling with in-house clinicians. Our clinicians facilitate and supervise three peer-support groups.
YPI also offers support to those who work with youth through policy and advocacy, and by providing professional development workshops and technical assistance to service providers and educators.
For more information on getting involved with YPI as a volunteer or if you or someone you know is in need of our services, contact [email protected]
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If you have a story you feel should be included in an upcoming newsletter, email [email protected] |
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