Orange County Gay & Lesbian Center Training LGBT Leaders of Tomorrow

Youth Empowered to Act (YETA), a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth leaders between the ages of 14 and 24 at the Orange County Gay & Lesbian Center, started a letter writing campaign, “Where Do You See Yourself in 10 Years,” to ensure safe schools for all youth across Orange County.

Santa Ana, CA, June 06, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Youth Empowered to Act (YETA), a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth leaders between the ages of 14 and 24 at the Orange County Gay & Lesbian Center, have taken Orange County by storm.

YETA’s mission is to promote social change through community organizing and activism. The Orange County Gay & Lesbian Center sees cultural competency training as an important element in creating social change as it used to bring awareness to others and increase understanding about the issues facing LGBTQ youth. In addition, as our youth continue to engage in organizing, they will build bridges with other groups by fostering a greater understanding about LGBTQ cultural factors. With new leadership, at the Orange County Gay & Lesbian Center is making a stronger and much more visible commitment to social activism and see our youth leaders as playing a central role as we move ahead.

YETA mobilized after an OC youth was blatantly discriminated against in a local High School. The youth started organizing a letter writing campaign, “Where Do You See Yourself in 10 Years,” to ensure safe schools for all youth across Orange County. YETA youth recently spoke about their campaign at the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, where they had letters signed by many celebrities and well-known LGBT activists and leaders, including Molly Shannon, Perez Hilton, Kat Graham, Tabatha Coffey, Gilles Marini and Jennifer Tyrell. This past weekend, YETA members are taking their message to the GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco.

YETA recently filmed the “I Know School Laws” PSA in conjunction with Cal State Fullerton and the ACLU. The PSA reminds school administrators that AB9 – known as Seth’s Law − takes effect July 1. The PSA is an effort to educate school administrators about the laws that protect LGBTQ and gender-creative students and to inform students and their families about their rights under new California state laws. The PSA features Betty DeGeneres, Ellen’s mom, and will be shown on Ellen’s show before school starts next fall.

On May 22, 2012, YETA youth attended and spoke at the Orange County Board of Supervisor’s meeting at City Hall, in collaboration with other grassroots groups and activists to petition the Board of Supervisors to officially proclaim May 22 as Harvey Milk Day in Orange County.
Contact
Gay & Lesbian Community Services Center of Orange County
Kevin O'Grady
562-618-0853
thecenteroc.org
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