5th Annual Hispanic Black Gay Coalition Youth Empowerment Conference!!!

Hey Y'all!

As you might already know, school is starting back up pretty soon. 

Ugh, I know. 

But, not to fret, because at the same time school will be back in session, 

the 5th annual Hispanic Black Gay Coalition Youth Empowerment Conference will be taking place!

You may be asking, "Kyle, now, what is the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition Youth Empowerment Conference?"

Good question Friend! 

Just in case you aren't familiar with the organization, 

let me first tell you about the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition, 

An excerpt from their website:

"Hispanic Black Gay Coalition (HBGC) is one of few non-profit organizations in Boston dedicated to the unique and complex needs of the Black, Hispanic and Latin@ LGBTQ community. Founded in 2009, we work to inspire and empower Latin@, Hispanic and Black LGBTQ individuals to improve their livelihood through activism, education, community outreach, and counseling.

Hispanic Black Gay Coalition (HBGC) es una Organización en Boston dedicada a servir y unir a la comunidad LGBTQ Afro Americana y Latina. Trabajamos para inspirar y fortalecer individuos de la comunidad, LGBTQ Afro Americana y Latinos, para mejorar sus vidas a través del activismo, educación, y consejeria."

Copacetic, right?!

Okay, now to tell you about the youth empowerment conference, 

"HBGC's Annual Youth Empowerment Conference is a FREE space for LGBTQ Youth of Color to connect with one another, share resources, and gain useful skills for navigating life and creating social change. It is currently the largest conference gathering of LGBTQ youth of color and their allies in New England! 

This year is our 5th year of holding the conference and we are excited that it continues to grow in size and in diversity of topics and attendees. 

At The Conference Expect To:

• Be inspired by our keynote speakers
• Select from over 30 workshops exploring LGBTQ issues and their intersections with race, gender, class, ability and religion 
• Gain useful tips and skills for advocating for LGBTQ equality and social justice while connecting with existing campaigns
• Enjoy live entertainment from QTPOC performers & artists
• Learn about LGBTQ and youth resources, including internship and employment opportunities, at our resource fair
• Network with over 200 LGBTQ people of color from across the country"
  
  
  Are you interested? Good!
  Go to the official HBGC Youth Empowerment Conference 2015 website now, and register!
  
  
  *Conference website: http://www.hbgc-ourtimenow.org/
  *Conference facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HBGCYouth2015
  *Conference facebook event : https://www.facebook.com/events/111980179140363/
  
  
  
  
  

Featured This Week: Stevie!!! :D

Hello Everyone :)

I know I haven't made a post in a while but I guess I just haven't been motivated, 

emotionally I've been sort of all over the place. 

But, I want to continue this blog, 

It makes me happy to write, even if not many people read it. 

Its kinda therapeutic. 

Anyways, 

Its time for an overdue Friend of the Week.

I've known this friend since Summer 2014, 

(I don't know why I capitalized Summer but it felt right)

We have stayed in touch all throughout the school year, even if we didn't get to hang out much. 

She is one of my closest friends, 

A hard worker, good listener, a dope spoken word artist

(For real, you have to hear her, she's amazing). 

Here's Stevie!!!

(All this info she gave me word for word)

Name: Stevelyn Desire

(But call me Stevie)

Pronouns: she, her, hers

School: John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science

Likes: compassion, empathy, openness, communication, poetry, music, food, movies, clothes, confidence, Netflix, competition, healthy relationships, my friends are my world, love

Dislikes: People who don't respect other's boundaries, homophobia, rain, hypocrites, discrimination, violence.

About me: Hey gorgeous people, I'm Stevie! My orientation is a little complicated but I guess it can be described as being a lesbian/multisexual and bi-romantic, I hope that makes sense!  a little background to this is that it took me FOREVER to actually come to terms with who I am. There was a time when I would cry everyday because I didn't understand myself and my feelings. I would ask God why I couldn't just be normal. Coming from a christian family I believed that this was wrong. But in my struggle to figure myself out I found True Colors out Youth Theater, which not only helped me feel confident in who I am but taught me that its okay to be me and there is no such thing as being normal. And an added bonus is that I found my family, they are seriously the most amazing people I have ever met! If anything i would pass along the same message True Colors has taught me, To accept and love yourself and others. By the way,  I'm 17 years old (18 in September!!!) Poetry is a huge part of my life, and so are my friends, they inspire me and I really don't know what I would do without them. I believe that confidence is key in getting anywhere in life, if you love yourself others will follow suit. I'm a really boring person so I don't know what to write. Um, my favorite color is purple. Shoes and clothes are life, oh natural beauty is hot, I'm a math geek and super competitive, feminist, activist, food and music lover!!!. I've been told I'm sarcastic (whatever that means...) I think I'm a nice person. I try to be the light in anyone's darkness. We need to be kind to one another in such a messed up world. I try to have an open mind at all times and I wish the same for society. That's me in a snapshot so, stay beautiful guys!!

True Colors Out Youth Theater: Community Performances!!!

Y'all!

So you know how since I started this blog I always seem to sneak a little something in about 

my acting troupe True Colors?

Well now is your chance to see what the heck I'm talking about!

In case you don't know,
True Colors is a theater program/troupe for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning+ youth & their allies, ages 14-22.

We write, produce, and perform our own show that incorporate our personal stories and educate people through our experiences as LGBTQ+ youth.
This troupe our musical, "Louder than Words", is focused on the theme of dreams.
 Several things we cover in this show are: racism, body image, police brutality, and more!

Is this sounding good to you?

You might be asking,
"Kyle, how can I see the righteous musical 'Louder than Words?'"

What a fabulous pregunta friend!

I'm here to tell you that there are two free community performances you can attend:

Show 1: Friday May 29 @ 7pm   Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley Street, Roxbury  Show 2: Saturday May 30 @ 7pm   Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley Street, Roxbury Please RSVP to   Magda@TheTheaterOffensive.org

I hope to see y'all there!

And remember, Dreams are Possible! :)

Youth Pride 2015!!! Photos

Hello Everyone!

I had my homies send me pictures of them at Youth Pride!

Here they are!

All my True Colors homies! In front (Left to Right): Stephanie R., Dede,and  Jessy

Behind (Left to Right): Kaamila, Asher, Elyas, Stephanie S., Kiana, Ny, Kim, Erick, Me, Alex, and Stevie

Marching in the Parade!

Left to Right: Dede and Kim

Left to Right: Ollie and Me

In the front: (left to right) Dede and Me

In the back: (Also left to right) Stephanie and Asher

Left to Right: Taqari, Milo, Kemy, and Stevie

Left to Right: Stevie, Kriss, and Erick

Left to Right: Stevie, Dede, Me, and Kim

Left to Right: Cam (The Bey) and Arnold

Left to Right: Amanda, Helen, Elliot, Ayden, Hannah, Cassie

Left to Right: Hannah, Ayden, Cassie

Left to right: Kiana and Ny

Here are everyone's Pronouns (words to use to refer to someone when you aren't using their name)

Remember to ask, and not assume people's pronouns:

Dede- She/Her/Hers

Kim- She/Her/Hers, They/Them/Theirs

Ollie- They/Them/Theirs

Stephanie S. - She/Her/Hers, They/Them/Theirs

Asher- He/Him/His, They/Them/Theirs

Taqari- He/Him/His

Milo- He/Him/His

Kemy- He/Him/His

Stevie-She/Her/Hers

Kriss-They/Them/Theirs

Erick- He/Him/His

Cameron- They/Them/Theirs

Arnold- He/Him/His

Stephanie R.- She/Her/Hers

Kaamila- She/Her/Hers, They/Them/Theirs

Elyas-  He/Him/His

Kiana- She/Her/Hers

Ny- She/Her/Hers

Alex- He/Him/His

Jessy- She/Her/Hers

Amanda- They/Them/Theirs

 Helen- They/Them/Theirs

Elliot- He/Him/His

Ayden- He/Him/His

Hannah- They/Them/Theirs

Cassie- They/Them/Theirs

Happy Youth Pride Everyone!!! :D

Youth Pride 2015!!! An Interview

Hey Y'all, 

Yesterday was youth pride!

First we marched through Downtown, a bunch of people were watching and recording us on their phones. 

Then we got back to the festival with the community resources and performances.

 It was a little boring because the music wasn't that great but it got better at the end by the prom, we were all dancing and having a good time. 

Overall, it was a good day. 

I could really feel the pride and happiness in everyone, 

In themselves, in each other, in their identities. 

It was a beautiful experience. 

So I asked my partner Cam, 

1.What is youth pride?

2.What makes you proud to be a part of this community?

3. What can we do to improve the community?

4. What are you looking forward to for the future of the community?

And they said:

1. "Its like Pride, its a chance to stand with the LGBTQ community, specifically the youth. 

Youth Pride comes in three segments: Its the march around the Boston Common, its the um, festival and concert, and then it's the bomb ass party at the end of the night".

2. "They are accepting to a part of me that isn't accepted in most places. Being in a space with so many queer youth is very different form say a typical situation in which I am one of the only queer youth in the room. I have more room to be myself, to express the part of my identity that can't come out in other situations like school or work".

3. "Recognize that even though people are part of the LGBTQ community, they can still be ignorant. We need to educate people about the intersectionalities of the people around them. We need to support the LGBTQ youth of color, I'm tired of all these events being over run by white kids from the suburbs. We need to find out what the LGBTQ youth of color need and help them get it".

4. "More education. Less annoying ignorant people. A focus more on Trans rights. To be less of a spectacle and more of a celebration. Oh yeah, I'm also looking forward to actually having a good DJ next year. No wait, don't put that in".

Thanks Bey for letting me interview you :)

Love you!

Youth Pride is May 16th, 2015!!!

Hey Everyone!

Good news: Its the start of the Pride Festival and Parade Season!

Some of you may be asking, "Kyle, what's Pride?"

Good question Amigxs!

Pride is a celebration of every individual in the LGBTQ+ community!

It started long ago...

Picture it, June 28, 1969, a hot summer day in New York.

Being LGBTQ+ is a criminal act at this time. 

No holding hands with your partner in the street, not being able to express your gender in the way you feel, being arrested for even being suspected of being gay. 

A crowd of people in the community are gathered at their favorite underground bar, the Stonewall Inn.

As usual, the police are making their daily rounds to see who they can arrest for "homosexual activity". 

They get rough with the patrons. 

The community are fed up with the way they are treated. 

Marsha P.Johnson (Activist extraordinaire + Black Trans Woman)

and other Trans women of color lead the group, finally fighting back against injustice. 

This led to protesting and more. 

These events were known as the Stonewall Riots, and what was the catalyst for the LGBTQ+ rights movement. 

Since then, the goal of Pride is for people in the community to party! For people to express themselves, 

and embrace everyone in it. 

We have a lot of work to do within our community, but Pride is a time for us to come together and just have fun.

Everyone of every age comes to Boston Pride (on June 13th this year)

But Youth Pride , as the name implies, is just for youth. (When I say youth I mean people ages 14-22)

I bring this up because Massachusetts Youth Pride is in a week!!!

Its next Saturday, May 16th, 2015!

Here's how its gonna go:

9:30am to 10:30am - Peeps from ALL OVER Massachusetts (and I mean seriously, people from all over)

come and gather next to City Hall, you can check in and register to march at this time

12:00am- Next, we start marching around the Boston Commons chanting and cheering

11:00am to 4:00pm- Later, we get back to City Hall & enjoy the festival:

Its gonna be emceed by my homies, Stephanie and Taqari!!!

Performances by a variety of people including my friend Ny :D

A community and resource fair, with different booths for neat organizations like the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition, BAGLY**, GLASS**, Fenway Health and more!

And a DJ playing some righteous tunes you can dance to!

7pm to 11:00pm- And last but not least, BAGLY prom!

You do not need to dress up, its super casual 

Its free IF you get tested for HIV any time in May before and the day of Pride at BAGLY headquarters, otherwise its $15

Dope music plays all night 

Chilling with your homies

Photo booth

Gender Neutral bathrooms

And free condoms... everywhere

And that's the rundown of Youth Pride, 

I hope I see you there! :D

**BAGLY stands for Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth

GLASS stands for LGBTQ+ Adolescent Social Services 

Ps. BAGLY is located at 14 Beacon Street on the 3rd floor, its across from the State House (building with the golden dome on top)

Break the Chains: Come see BlackOUT!!!

You probably know by now, because I've said it a billion times, if you don't, I'll let you know, 

I'm in a theater troupe called True Colors, 

A theater program for LGBTQ+ youth, ages 14-22. 

Our program has extended, adding another group called BlackOUT!

"BlackOUT, a project of The Theater Offensive’s True Colors: OUT Youth Theater program, is a performance group of young, queer Black artists who use artistic expression to amplify the Black experience. This group was formed in response to violence against Black bodies and in solidarity with the movement to end that violence. BlackOUT performs original pieces to lift up their stories and break down barriers of homophobia and racism."

-Info from The Theater Offensive website

Anywho, a lot of my friends are in BlackOUT and they are performing 

This Saturday, May 9th 2015, 

at Break The Chains, which is a 

"A semi monthly all ages, all gender, all genres dance liberation party headlined by nationally touring Queer and Trans performers", from 5pm to 10pm. 

Its happening at the Makeshift community space at 549 Columbus Ave, 

Boston, MA 02118. 

I hope to see you there!