As we enter Pride month it is important for us at Youth MOVE National to highlight three things:
1. We are a queer and trans led organization with many of our Board, staff, and leadership team being in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We will be sharing personal interviews, blogs, and other content to directly highlight and celebrate our queer and trans staff all month long.
Meet Our Team and Board Members Here >>
2. The queer and trans community is under literal attack at unprecedented rates, especially among our 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. The ACLU is tracking anti-LGBTQ bills and is up to 491 at the time of this being published. As corporations and organizations bring out their wave of rainbow capitalism and other forms of performative justice (that we are already seeing being backtracked from at the slightest pushback) it is important to remember allyship and activism are actions, not products, they are things you must do boldly and stand by, and those actions are needed every month. We’ll be sharing resources throughout the month on how you can act boldly.
3. Being 2SLGBTQIA+ is AWESOME! There is so much joy and beauty in affirmation and getting to be celebrated for your full holistic self. Yes, we must talk about the very real harm and violence queer and trans folks face every single day, but we can’t forget about the ultimate goal – happiness and healthiness, joy and celebration, queer and trans people THRIVING! Throughout the month we will be sharing stories and other media on queer and trans joy!
As a youth centered social justice nonprofit, we strive to uplift the above three points every day. Some days we do great. Some days we fail. However, we are also dedicated to always trying, which means learning, growing, and improving as an anti-oppression organization and doing the actions that requires. We honor and acknowledge the history of oppression towards historically, and still presently excluded, marginalized identities and communities such as the BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, and disabled communities. We strive to be an anti-racist, anti-homophobic and transphobic, anti-ablest, anti-oppression organization and to center youth from these communities so that all can thrive and have joy.
It’s a journey with no finish line – but we hope you’ll join us on it!
Interested in helping marginalized youth right now? Please donate here >>
