The Inside Scoop
February 2023
Made possible by YOU!
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Thank you for reading Youth Pride, Inc.'s February edition of The Inside Scoop; the place for YPI updates in addition to local and national LGBTQ+ news! Within you will read about our upcoming silent auction, YPI's benefit night at Flatbread Company, new job postings, and more!
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YPI Benefit Night at Flatbread! |
Treat yourself a little extra this Valentine's Day by indulging in a flatbread (or two!) at Flatbread Company. On Tuesday, February 14 Flatbread Company in Providence is hosting a benefit night for YPI. A portion of the proceeds from each flatbread sold will be donated back to us. This applies to dine-in, carry-out, and delivery!
In addition to hosting a benefit night for us, Flatbread also donates several large flatbreads to our drop-in center every other week for our youth to enjoy. They're awesome supporters!
Flatbread Company is located at 161 Cushing St. Providence, RI 02906 and will be open from 11:30am - 9pm the day on the benefit.
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YPI has expanded our in-person programing in 2023! The Way Out and Gender Spectrum meet in-person every other week. Our 13 and Under group meets in-person the last Thursday of each month and now Little Unicorns meets in-person the third Monday of each month. Pictured right are some artworks created by our Little Unicorns during our first in-person session!
To learn more and/or sign up for groups, email programs@youthprideri.org. You can also read more about our programs on our website, social media pages, and in the info graphic below!
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PBS RI Trans Showing & Panel |
Rhode Island PBS alongside Rhode Island College's Women's Studies Program is presenting Our Best Lives: A Conversation on Issues Affecting the Transgender Community. This content showing and panel will take place Monday, February 27 from 6:00-8:00pm at RIC's Alger Hall, room 110.
The event will show clips from the PBS specials My Best Life and My Take that examines the mental health challenges facing many transgender people as well as highlighting the disparities in mental health care. Afterwards, a panel composed of Trans Health Education and Policy Specialists, parents, students, and faculty will lead discussions and take questions. The panel will be moderated by Andy Taubman, YPI's Director of Youth Services.
This event is open to the community and allies. Registration is required and linked below.
We would also like to acknowledge the generous support of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island that make this event possible!
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YPI is looking to hire a part-time case manager; 20-25 hours a week at $25/hr. The case manager will provide general daily case-by-case services, assist with resources acquisition and advocacy as well as conducting informal counseling services to YPI youth and participants. The case manager will also be the point person to document, provide intakes, assess, and develop intervention plans for youth.
A bachelor’s degrees in social work or related mental health services field, or at least 4 years of direct case management/service experience, is required. Learn more and apply at the link below!
We're also looking to hire a part time Peer Navigator for 20hrs/week at $20/hr. The ideal peer navigator is someone familiar and with first hand experience with government funded housing support programs. The Peer Navigator will help connect youth who lack, or are at risk of losing, permanent, stable housing to the appropriate resources, including access to diversion and rapid rehousing funds. Learn more and apply at the link below!
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Silent Auction at Jordan's Jungle! |
Support YPI at our upcoming silent auction hosted at Jordan's Jungle, a local plant shop specializing in tropical, rare and exotic houseplants. The auction will feature biddable items from various local RI businesses; especially those appealing to readers, foodies, museumgoers, and/or artists.
YPI Silent Auction:
Saturday, February 25 2023
Doors at 7:30pm, auction at 7:45pm
Jordan's Jungle - 545 Pawtucket Ave. Pawtucket RI 02860
*Card, cash, or check. accepted.
We would also like to extend a huge thank you to our interns who are currently coordinating this event!
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Pride in Ageing Zoom Café |
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Pride In Aging RI, formerly SAGE RI, hosts free weekly Virtual Cafés on Zoom every Thursday for LGBTQ+ individuals over 60 and their friends. This Thursday, February 9th, from 12-1pm they will be hosing a screening and discussion around 'Marsha P. Johnson and the Stonewall Rebellion: A Crash Course in Black American History'. The zoom link is to the right for easy bookmarking!
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The RI child welfare system is currently in an absolute crisis. The amount of children entering the system daily has substantially outpaced the amount of current registered foster families. Family Services of Rhode Island reached out to YPI recently asking if we would spread the word to our community on how to become a foster parent. They are in need of foster parents from the LGBTQIA+ community, as they have so many LGBTQIA+ youth in state care that need supportive, understanding, and loving homes.
If you are interested in providing care for a foster youth, or are interested in growing your family through adoption, please feel free to contact Jhane Pereira at Family Services RI. She can be reached via phone at 401-999-2962 or email at pereirajh@familyserviceri.org.
There will be upcoming virtual information sessions titled, Learn How to Become a FSRI Foster Parent' on Wednesday, March 8 and again on Tuesday, April 11 from 6-7pm Microsoft Teams. Email Jhane for the Microsoft Teams links and password.
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This is an update from a story posted in our November 2022 edition of the newsletter. Back in November we covered the topic of blood donations and LGBTQ+ bans. Since the AIDS crisis of the 1980's the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has implemented various barriers for queer men to donate blood. From 1985-2015, there was a lifetime ban on giving blood if you identified as a man who had sex with men. From 2015-2020 the ban dropped to a 12 month ban; men who had sex with men could donate 12 months after having sex with a new partner. Currently there is a 3 month deferment policy for any man who has sex with other men. Considering straight people are just as likely to contract HIV as queer people, the ban only serves as a means to discriminate and create barriers during our nation's worst blood shortage in over a decade.
Last month, the FDA announced plans to easing blood donation guidelines for gay and bisexual men. The new policy draft removed all gendered language; it is now written that any donor who has participated in anal intercourse with a new partner within the past three months has to wait three months to donate. Another important change involves HIV medication. Under previous guidelines, individuals taking HIV medication such as PrEP were not allowed to donate blood. The new guidelines state that individuals taking oral PrEP (or other forms) are now only subject to a 3 month deferral period.
The new draft is now in a public comment period until 3/31/23. After that, the FDA will make final changes. To ensure that the queer blood ban is gone for good, do your part by commenting on the draft. The link below will take you to the form.
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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. All YPI Center services and activities are free to youth and include a leadership development program, several support groups, a Spanish speaking group, and various social groups such as virtual Dungeons & Dragons.
Our center is home to a Basic Needs Pantry, open to youth in need of food, clothing, toiletries, and school supplies. To pick up a premade bag of items, click the Pantry button below.
In addition to free one on one counseling with licensed clinicians. we also provide case management services for youth facing challenging times. For more information on either of these services, email Andy@youthprideri.org
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. Below is a button to our training request form.
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If you have a story you feel should be included in an upcoming newsletter, email Info@youthprideri.org |
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