Utah Pride Center
355 N 300 W, First FL Salt Lake City, UT 84103
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jude McNeil (
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or 801.539.8800 x 14)
Salt Lake City, UT: With four of its largest and most-anticipated youth events of the year all scheduled in April, the Utah Pride Center (UPC) has dubbed April "Queer Youth Month".
During April, the Utah Pride Center will host Night of Noise, The Big, Big Event, its first annual Youth Empowerment Summit (YES), and the eighth annual Queer Prom.
"In addition to having abundant and important programming, Queer Youth Month aims to bring visibility and voice to youth who are too often silenced," said Jude McNeil, Youth Program Director. "Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth have a multitude of needs that we at the Center work to address year-round, but April is when we host our biggest and most visible events."
The Utah Pride Center's programs cultivate acceptance for LGBTQ youth in their homes, in schools, and throughout statewide systems of care. Without agencies working on their behalf, LGBTQ youth are at risk and often fail to thrive when compared to their straights peers.
Research conducted in 2009 by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, shows that nearly 9 out of 10 LGBTQ students experience harassment in school, which greatly hinders academic success and sense of safety. Additionally, a study by Dr. Caitlin Ryan's Family Acceptance Project found that youth in highly rejecting homes are more than 8 times as likely to have attempted suicide, more than 3 times as likely to use illegal drugs, and more than 6 times as likely to report high levels of depression.
"Our goal is to be a catalyst for dialogues in our state that address the particular needs of LGBTQ youth and how we as guardians, siblings, educators, programmers, counselors, etc. can meet them," McNeil continued.
April's Queer Youth Month activities are listed below.
• April 15 4-7P | Day of Silence, Night of Noise | Day of Silence is a national event sponsored by GLSEN, whose website describes the event as "a day of action in which students across the country take some form of a vow of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. Through their activities students can speak out against harassment and organize for change for their schools and communities." That evening, local LGBTQ and ally youth will gather at the UPC for a Night of Noise where they will begin with a ritual to break the silence and follow with personal stories from youth about their experiences with bullying, coming out, and determination to take a stand against harassment.
• April 15 5:30P| The Big, Big Event | Hosted during Night of Noise, the Big, Big Event is a huge talent show when the youth choose their monarchs for the year's Queer Prom the following day. Unlike typical high school dance royalty, the monarchs of Queer Prom are not restricted to any gender or sex stereotypes, which allows the youth to showcase their true selves.
• April 16 8:30A-5:30P | Youth Empowerment Summit: Infinite Potential | The Utah Pride Center's QSA Network proudly introduces its first annual Youth Empowerment Summit (YES). The mission of YES is to provide students in GSA clubs or similar diversity clubs with the resources and skills they need to organize and advocate in their own communities, schools, and at a statewide level. This Summit is being held at Westminster College Gore School of Business (1840 S 1300 E - parking available in the North Parking Garage).
• April 16 8P-midnight | Queer Prom | Hundreds of youth gather from all across the state for Queer Prom, the most-anticipated youth event of the year. LGBTQ youth ages 14-20 can enjoy a safe, affirming prom with the date of their choice. This important rite of passage is taken from many LGBTQ students at their schools across the nation, but Utah ensures that all youth who want to attend a prom can do so. Music, lights, dancing, photos, and acceptance!
Some of the year-round youth programming includes a drop-in youth activity center, social groups, leadership and advocacy groups, support groups, mentorship, food and hygiene kits, and a free cyber space with computers for safe web surfing and homework. For more information on the Utah Pride Center's youth programming, please visit utahpridecenter.org.
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