LGBTQIA+ Equality United States Project #31064

LGBTQ Youth and Families across Connecticut

by True Colors, Inc. Sexual Minority Youth and Family Services of CT

LGBTQ Youth and Families across Connecticut

Project Report | Aug 12, 2019
Quarterly Update from True Colors - thank you!

By Robin McHaelen | Executive Director

Summer Program Youth leaders

True Colors has been offering a free, six week summer program for about 8 years. Based on youth feedback, we decided this year to make the program accessible to more youth by creating a drop-in center approach.

The 20 hour a week program we have run in the past seemed to demand too much time and commitment for youth and we rarely had more than 4-5 participants. A great program but not enough return on investment so to speak.

This year we created a three day a week drop in center, with a variety of activities and workshops. About 20 youth participate each week and the feedback has been outstanding.

We have done crafts, watched movies, hosted discussions on topics of interest, and workshops on such things as creating a budget, updating your resume, job interviews and a panel about the extent to which people can be out at work. It is amazing to watch and listen as these young people find a safe space in which to be themselves. They had fun, learned some stuff and found a place to belong.

Cal, Tre and Chae live in a group home setting - it isn’t terrible, but it’s really not a home. Over the course of the summer, we have watched these three young ones blossom. They found a family here.

Alex began as a kid who was pretty comfortable in his own skin but wanted some additional leadership skills. He developed to the point where we are going to hire him as one of our youth staff in the fall.
Anissa and Kai were student interns – they came in shy and tentative and by week two were running things under the supervision of two more experienced youth staff. That youth led, youth development component of our work is so very important.

Your donations make this summer program possible. We literally couldn’t do it without folks like you! We are very, very grateful! Please don’t hesitate to call me at (860) 232-0050, x 302 or by email should you have questions or want further information about the difference your donation made.

Robin

One of the many workshops this summer

Activity example

more activities

Links:

standing up for transgender athletes

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May 13, 2019
The power of ONE

By Robin McHaelen | Executive Director

a mentoring activity

DJ was 11 when he was first referred to us. He had just come out as gay, maybe trans (mostly he liked wearing beautiful clothes). His dad rejected him totally (even said if he was 'queer' he would kill him.) DJ was angry, agressive with his mom and younger siblings, flunking most subjects in school. His mom insisted he not tell his younger siblings he was 'like that'.

Eight years later? DJ graduated from high school, has a job and is thinking about taking some college course. He is a resource and a role model for his younger siblings and his mom now provides respite for cousins and other kin who are LGBTQ+ and not accepted by their families.

What happened? Was it a miracle? No. It was the power of ONE. An individual just like YOU. Actually two. A lesbian couple became DJ's mentors when he was 11. He is 18 now and they are still his mentors, only now they mentor the whole family. They don't have extra special powers. They didn't have any background in mentoring or therapy or anything like that. They just cared. They walked a road alongside him and his family - not as saviors but as humans who simply cared. And they were as transformed by the experience as their mentee. Their journey together changes ALL of their lives for the better.

That is the power of ONE. True Colors has kids all over Connecticut who need the power of ONE. one person (or a couple) who will meet a kid where they are with care, humor, patience and consistancy.

We need mentors in Litchfield, Shelton, Norwich, New Haven, Middletown - and probably YOUR town.

Money matters, don't get me wrong. Donations allow us to do what we do every day. But you matter too. Might you have a little room in your schedule for a kid who needs you?

All mentors start with a once a month commitment to pick up a kid and attend an event that we organize. Its about 3-4 hours a month. Some folks go on to -one-on-one mentoring like the couple described above; Others remain as group mentors. Both groups make a profound difference for themselves and for the kid they connect with.

The power of ONE. Will it be you?

another mentoring activity

and yet another mentoring activity

Links:

got room in your heart AND your home? consider fostering

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Feb 13, 2019
Your support impacted over 12,000 lives last year!

By Robin McHaelen | Executive Director

Because of the generosity of people like you, in 2018, True Colors served 12,214 people across CT.

1,204 participated in our youth leadership programming;
3,624 in our annual conference;
1,053 sought information and referrals;
643 people were served in our mentoring program and
We provided cultural competency training to 5,690 participants.

In addition, we participated in 10 health and school fairs, represented the interests of LGBTQ+ youth and families in numerous radio, newspaper and television interviews and participated in the protection of LGBTQ+ youth from the harmful effects of conversion therapy in helping to pass protective legislation.

Some of our work is supported by fees, some by contracts. But much of the programming that directly impacts LGBTQ+ youth is supported through the donations of individuals just like you, who want their dollars to make a difference for the next generation.

Here just one of the stories that you made possible.

Our Youth Activities Coordinator visits 30 - 40 school Gender/Sexuality Alliance (GSA) meetings each school year. They go to the meetings to help GSA's get started, to help them grow, and to facilitate conversations about making their schools safe for students of all orientations and gender. At a recent Gender/Sexuality Alliance (GSA) meeting, a discussion arose about all the emerging identities. Our coordinator said, "about 4 % of youth in recent survey identitifed as asexual - that is either not having sexual or romantic feelings toward other people, or only having those feelings emerge after a deep emotional connection." After the meeting, young person came up and said, "Were you saying that asexuality is normal?" Mel (our coordinator said),"Yeah, of course. There are lots of different ways that people feel or identify and they are all normal." The youth was visibly relieved and said, "I thought I was the only one. I have been feeling like I was too weird to even to fit in with the GSA. Mel said, "All humans are weird. That is what makes us so fun." And the youth said, "yeah."

Yeah. That about sums it up. A kid who didn't, now feels like he fits in and belongs. Your donations helped create over 12,000 stories like that last year. You will never know how grateful we are for you.

Links:

True Colors and the Imperial Sovereign Court of All CT

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