The Inside Scoop
March 2022
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Thank you for reading Youth Pride, Inc.'s March edition of The Inside Scoop! Within you will read about our upcoming LGBTQ+ 101 training for the public, our Basic Needs Pantry makeover, the new safer sex program, The Prom at PPAC, and more!
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Public LGBTQ+ 101 Training |
What is nonbinary? Why are pronouns important? What do all the letters stand for? Learn the answers to these common questions and more at Youth Pride, Inc’s (YPI) public LGBTQ+ 101 training in March!
YPI is the only nonprofit in the state of Rhode Island solely dedicated to meeting the needs of LGBTQ+ youth. As part of our work, we provide professional development trainings to businesses, organizations, schools, and individuals. The two foundation trainings we offer are LGBTQ+ 101 and Trans 101 and they are facilitated by Andy Taubman, LCSW, Director of Youth Services at YPI.
On Wednesday, March 9th from 5:30-6:30pm YPI is facilitating LGBTQ+ 101 for the public on Zoom! We invite community members to join us for this training where we will take a deeper look into the whole LGBTQQIA2s acronym, get an introduction to terminology, concepts, pronouns, and gender and sexuality affirming practices as well as having a Q&A session at the end.
Participation in this training allows you access to future, more advanced professional development trainings at YPI, such as LGBTQ+ 102. Attending this training may also fulfill a equity, diversity and/or inclusion professional development requirement for your workplace, school, or program.
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Opening the Door to Safer Sex |
Open Door Health and YPI are partnering up to offer a six week safer sex program for 18-23 year olds! Opening the Door to Safer Sex aims to help youth connect and familiarize themselves with their identity while practicing the skills needed to keep themselves safe in intimate, vulnerable settings. Topics will include queer safer sex materials, consent, recognizing STD's and more.
Youth can sign up by emailing Lukas@youthprideri.org
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OUTspoken - YPI's Paid Leadership Program |
OUTspoken is YPI's leadership program designed to be a first step for youth on a pathway to becoming a community leader. Youth will learn about advocacy, community involvement, and cultural awareness and as a group take a deep-dive into the topics of leadership styles, identity & intersectionality, power structures, classism & capitalism, and the four "Is" of oppression.
OUTspoken runs from 4-6pm on Mondays, beginning 3/7 and concluding 5/2. Youth who attend all nine sessions will be awarded a $200 stipend. To sign up, use the registration form below!
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Thanks to the Diversity and Inclusion Council at the Somerset Home Depot in Eastern MA, YPI's Basic Needs Pantry received a makeover! It took the team of five employees, five hours to empty and strip our old pantry, install hanging shelves on all the walls, assemble two free standing shelving units, and build a shoe wall that can hold 64 pairs of shoes!
We are so thankful for Home Depot's hard work. The individuals who contributed on this project include Nicole Dias, Adam Manchester, James Poole, John Rose, and Jeff Silvia. Thank you all, the pantry looks amazing!
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Youth interested in accessing our Basic Needs Pantry for food, clothes, toiletries, and/or school supplies can come through or pantry to make their own bag. Email info@youthprideri.org to set up a time. |
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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
Zoe Armstrong
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Youth Pride, Inc. is happy to welcome Zoe Armstrong to our team! Zoe is YPI's Gender-Sexuality Coordinator and will be working closely with the GSAs around the state to build and sustain those groups. Zoe will will also be part of the YPI team the facilitates LGBTQ+ trainings. |
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Zoe Armstrong, she/her
Gender-Sexuality Alliance Coordinator
Zoe first came to Providence in 2015 as an undergraduate student at Brown University. While she and her partner continue to live in Providence, Zoe now commutes between Providence, Boston, and Worcester for work and school. She is currently enrolled at UMass Boston as a graduate student in the McCormack School’s Gender, Leadership, and Public Policy program. Outside of the classroom, Zoe also works as a community organizer for MassEquality, a grassroots LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization based in Worcester.
Zoe is passionate about intersectional social justice and seeks to address issues facing BIPOC LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities in the belief that improving the experiences of our most marginalized community members results in better outcomes for everyone. Much of her work and research is focused on advocating for inclusive, comprehensive sexuality and relationships education. She is also a strong proponent of prison abolition and sex work decriminlization. Zoe came to work at YPI to be involved in building the supportive queer community space that she herself craved as a queer youth.
Zoe’s hobbies include playing the piano, singing (and forcing her friends to do karaoke), pole dancing, and binge watching any TV show with a sapphic story line.
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The Prom, the Tony-nominated Broadway hit, is heading to the Providence Performing Art Center (PPAC) on its first national tour! The show runs from 3/8/22 - /3/13/22.
PPAC is offering the YPI community a special discount on tickets for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday evening shows. Use the link below and enter the code "YPRI" in the promo code box to receive your discount! You may also order tickets by phone using the code, at 401-421-2787, or in person at the PPAC Box Office. There are no charge fees for in person, window orders.
Prom Synopsis:
In a small town in Indiana, prom has been canceled! And it's not down to bad behavior or financial issues - it's because the high school has forbidden, a female student, Emma from bringing her girlfriend! When a group of quirky Broadway actors hear her story, filled with outrage they swiftly travel to the community in an attempt to correct the injustice. However, their attempts at social activism don't go un-noticed and instead make the situation far worse then they could have ever imagined. The community erupts into chaos as cultures clash. Emma's future and the actors careers all hang in the balance.
YPI would like to extend a special thank you to Paul Hiatt for spearheading the connecting with YPI and offering us complimentary tickets in addition to this discount opportunity for our community.
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In response to recent book banning efforts in RI, a coalition of authors, librarians, and community groups created We Are ALL Readers Book Festival, a concept and an event that celebrates diversity in children's literature. The festival will run from April 4-8, with a big in-person event on April 9 at North Kingstown High School. The in-person event will offer story-times and talks by a diverse lineup of award-winning children’s book authors and illustrators. There will also be hands-on art, writing, and book activities for kids, a pop-up bookstore by Wakefield Books, and information tables hosted by local community health and education groups. More information and a schedule of events can be found on the We are ALL Readers website linked 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. 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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