Women’s Leadership Project Hosts 2022 Black LGBTQIA+ Youth Retreat
On Saturday, Dec. 3 2023, Black and BIPOC youth from L.A County participated in a youth-facilitated retreat. The focus of the retreat was mental health, social justice leadership, safe space
On Saturday, Dec. 3 2023, Black and BIPOC youth from L.A County participated in a youth-facilitated retreat. The focus of the retreat was mental health, social justice leadership, safe space creation, yoga, music, literature and art-making.
Elementary to college-aged youth from South L.A participated in a Black-led LGBTQ+ retreat at L.A. County’s Stoneview Nature Center.
This was a rare opportunity for Black and BIPOC queer youth to collaborate with each other and connect in a safe environment with adult mentors.
The retreat is a pilot for a Black queer youth camp in 2023.
Read More: https://voiceofblackla.com/standing-4-black-girls-rally-to-end-sexual-violence-leimert-park/
The session was facilitated by WLP youth leaders Ashantee Polk and Brianna Parnell, and drew from the grassroots organizing work that students are doing at their schools, to create safe spaces for queer students.
Youth received Black and BIPOC queer and feminist literature, including the book “All Boys aren’t Blue” by George Johnson, which is one of the most banned texts in the U.S.
“I think that if it weren’t for WLP, I would have probably just kept to myself [during my high school years] and missed out on conferences, field trips, learning to speak in public and lots more. Joining WLP made me more confident to be out there and seek help. We also did a lot of work to fight things like sexual harassment. I know some people may say, “oh, just ignore it,” but it’s not ok to ignore sexual harassment, because, by staying quiet, you begin to normalize it. If there was no WLP, there would be a huge void in support, love, care and respect for the reality of Black girls, women of color, and the LGBTQI+ community.”
WLP alumni in their own words: Imani Moses, 2011 (CSULB, 2016)
The event was made possible thanks to the Women’s Leadership partners: Black LGBTQI+ Parent and Caregiver Group, GSA Network, Project Q, REACH L.A., the Amaad Institute and Black Skeptics L.A.
Photos: WLP Project Photographer
Video: Zorrie Petrus
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[…] Earlier this month, Black and BIPOC queer students from South L.A. participated in a Black LGBTQ+ retreat that focused on youth leadership, artmaking, yoga, music, and Black queer social history. The […]
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