The Inside Scoop
September 20222
Made possible by YOU!
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Thank you for reading Youth Pride, Inc.'s September edition of The Inside Scoop; the place for YPI updates in addition to local and national LGBTQ+ news! Within you will read about our newest team member, the Summer Soiree, our summer partnership with DownCityDesign, and more!
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YPI is excited to welcome Celestino to the YPI team! Celestino is the new Center Facilitator and can be reached at Celestino@youthpideri.org
Celestino (He/They) moved to Providence in 2020, following their chosen family after graduating from Cornell University. He has worked in healthcare and housing and has a passion for teaching people how to navigate and advocate for themselves when dealing with these oppressive systems of power.
Celestino believes that building and maintaining strong community connections is one of the chief ways youth can empower themselves to live a joyful and healthy life. He came to work at YPI to invest his time and talents in creating the spaces he wished he had as a youth.
They love creating and maintaining queer spaces, and DJ for queer dance parties in their free time. They live with their cat, Lily, who has the best taste in music.
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The start of school is just around the corner and we're prepping our Basic Needs Pantry for the incoming requests for school supplies. To provide for as many students as possible, YPI is hosting a School Supplies Drive starting the last week of August and ending the last week in September.
We are most in need of the following items; backpacks, lined paper, composition notebooks, rulers/protractors, crayons, pencil sharpeners, white out, highlighters, and calculators.
Should you decide to donation to the drive, email us at info@youthprideri.org to coordinate a time to drop-off the donations. If you're interested in shopping online, our Back to School Drive Amazon Wishlist is linked below.
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We are immensely grateful to all who gathered to celebrate 30 years of Youth Pride, Inc. last week during our Summer Soiree. It’s because of you- our cherished YPI community, we can marvel at the last 30 years and also look to the future with hope, clarity, and determination to create a world where all LGBTQ+ youth are protected.
Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and guests, the event raised over $25k for our organization. These funds help us continue to provide the programs and services needed to support the LGBTQ+ youth in RI.
We would like to give a shout out to all our sponsors! Thank you Champion Advocate Sponsors, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI; Schnitzer Steel; UNIF. Thank you to our Grassroots Gold+ Sponsors, Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC; Neighborhood Health Plan of RI; Papitto Opportunity Connection. Thank you to our Gold Sponsors, Amgen; Bank Newport; Duffy & Sweeny; Gallery Nomad; Hasbro; IGT; Lifespan; Washington Trust. Lastly, thank you to our Local Hero Sponsors, The Beacon Mutual Insurance Co.; Cox; Craftland; GLAD; Harbor One; Residential Properties; RI Grief Counseling; The Hire; Thundermist Health Centers; United Healthcare.
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Every-Bodies-Fitness, Inc. (EBF) is a RI nonprofit that provides free fitness, sport programs, and mentoring programs to diverse youth, GSAs (Gender Sexuality Alliances), and college students between between the ages of 15-25. Starting in September, YPI will be forming a partnership with EBF to offer our youth free boxing courses!
The program takes place at On the Ropes Boxing & Fitness Gym in Warwick, but transportation will be provided from YPI to the gym. Starting 9/17, the program will run every Saturday from 1-2pm. Youth will learn boxing basics and techniques from registered USA boxers and trainers.
Interested youth can email Paola@youthprideri.org
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Monthly Spotlight
DownCityDesign Interns
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DownCity Design (DCD) is a Providence based non-profit community design studio that empowers students, educators, and community members to use design skills to improve their communities.
Over the summer, DownCity provides internship opportunities to youth. This summer, their 5-week Summer Design Studio engaged 46 RI youth in grades 9-12 in intensive design learning. The interns are split into two groups, Design/Build Studio and Creative Change Studio. In both programs, participants work with real-world clients, such as non-profit organizations or municipal agencies, who present the interns with challenges that can be addressed through design. The Design/Build Studio focuses of creating and designing structures that will help the community. Some examples include building Free Little Libraries, outdoor seating for classrooms, raised planter boxes, etc. The Creative Change Studio focused on problems that can be addressed using graphic solutions, such as creating visual campaigns that strengthen community impact; PSAs about changes within business operations; brochures explaining programs/services, etc.
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This summer, YPI was selected as the organization to partner with The Creative Change Studio interns at DCD. We submitted a proposal for the creation of new YPI brochures and marketing materials and the students really delivered! Thanks to interns, YPI now has three new sleek brochures, a 5ft. banner, various stickers, and several flyers. Check out the folder of images linked below.
The YPI staff is so impressed with the work created by the DCD team. Thank you to all the youth who made this possible, we're sure you'll be going far with your design aspirations!
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Providence’s Queer/Trans Zinefest (QTZ) |
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The third annual Queer/Trans Zinefest is back on Sunday, September 4th at The Steel Yard (27 Sims Ave, Providence 02903) from 11am-5pm. The event will showcasing the work of 40 queer and trans artists from Providence Greater New England area.
On Saturday, September 3rd, the evening before the event, featured exhibitors will read from their work at Binch Press/Queer.Archive.Work. (400 Harris Ave, Unit F, Providence, RI) at 7pm.
Vendors will have a variety of books, comics, prints, clothing and affordable artwork for sale.
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PRIDE Club for Teens at Westerly Library |
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The Westerly Library & Wilcox Park will be hosting a Pride Club every Wednesday evening from 5-6pm throughout September-November. The club will meet in the teen space of the library, is free to join, and open to youth in grades 7-12. Participants will be able socialize with others, play games, and of course have snacks! LGBTQ+ movies, books, and current events will be discussed on a rotating basis. Registration not required.
The Westerly Library & Wilcox Park is located at 44 Broad St, Westerly, RI 02891. Questions can be directed to Colleen King, Teen Librarian, at 401.596.2877 x.301 or cking@westerlylibrary.org
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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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