The Inside Scoop
July 2020
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Thank you for reading Youth Pride, Inc.'s July edition of
The Inside Scoop!
In this edition, you will read about the virtual 5k benefiting YPI and other nonprofits in the state, how our Basic Needs Pantry is operating for youth, The Steel Yard's free 2 week welding and jewelry course for LGBTQ youth, RI's latest information on gender neutral gender markers on driver's licenses and more!
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Run a virtual 5k to benefit YPI!
Go the Distance
this August and support YPI and other nonprofits that create safe and enriching places for youth. Tackle the whole thing at once, or break it down into smaller portions, no matter how you do it you're still
Going the Distance
for a great cause!
"As we gear up for a new school year, it is important for our community to go the distance, not just with online learning but with our commitment to prioritizing spaces that enable our youth to be their full selves in environments that support them academically as well as socio-emotionally. This is why we are Going The Distance this August--to help raise awareness and raise funds for local non-profits that are invested in creating safe and rich spaces for our youth EVERY DAY so that they can continue to learn, grow, and thrive in their communities, regardless of their race, sex, gender, religious affiliations, or physical abilities."
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Rhode Races & Events Inc
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YPI is home to a small Basic Needs Pantry that supplies youth with clothes, food, toiletries, and school supplies on an as needed basis.
Despite the limitations currently in place due to the pandemic, we are still providing access to our Basic Needs Pantry. We have premade bags of food and toiletries ready to be picked up by youth Monday-Friday (times vary).
Each premade bag will include at least one type of grain (pasta, rice, etc.), two canned vegetables, one can of beans, two canned soups, and a few miscellaneous nonperishable food items.
Toiletries and extra items can be selected when filling out your pantry pick-up application (link below).
If you are interested in donating to our Basic Needs Pantry, we are accepting donations of food, toiletries and school supplies. To set up a time to drop off the items, please email Info@youthprideri.org
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Be Part of our Newsletter!
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The Inside Scoop is always looking for youth submissions to highlight in our newsletter! Have you painted something awesome recently? Maybe you wrote a sentimental poem or article? Did you take a breathtaking photo that just needs to be shared with the world? Whatever the medium, we're excited to share your work!
Email your submissions to Tiffani@youthprideri.org to get featured!
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Check out our Instagram! Give us a follow to keep up to date on YPI and community happenings.
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The Safe Space Alliance is an international LGBTQ led non-profit that helps people identify, navigate, and create safe spaces for the LGBTQI+ community worldwide. They also partner with LGBTQ organizations
around the
globe to provide up-to-date information and training relating to the idea of safe space. They define a Safe Space as
a space where the LGBTQI+ community can freely express themselves without fear and does not tolerate violence, bullying, or hate speech towards the LGBTQI+ community.
YPI is a proud safe space, both online and in person. Our Community Norms reflect this and outline our expectations of EVERYONE who enters YPI space.
Youth Pride, Inc. is part of the Safe Space Alliance and CenterLink, the member-based coalition of LGBTQ Centers around the country.
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Racial Equality Resources
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YPI stands with youth of color and are committed to deepening racial equality within our organization and our work. We will provide resources in our newsletter to continually educate, mobilize, and engage our readers in racial justice matters.
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Are you really missing drop-in hours? Need someone to talk to? Are you experiencing crisis? Have concerns, fears or mental health needs that you need to express to someone? Here are a couple of resources for you that were compiled by YPI staff.
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Essential Resources During COVID-19
Other Resources from YPI
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Monthly Spotlight
The Steel Yard
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The Steel Yard is a Providence based non-profit industrial art center and non-traditional craft school offering classes in welding, jewelry making, ceramics, foundry, and blacksmithing. You may have attended their annual Iron Pour, one of their biggest events, where
their custom-built iron tilt-furnace pours hundreds of pounds of molten iron down their hill to activate a variety of sculptures and create an awe inspiring specticle.
Camp Sparkle is The Steel Yard's newest youth summer camp taking place from August 3rd-14th. This camp is a free 2 week-long Queer Youth Summer Camp focusing on welding & jewelry. Application are due by July 15th!
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We got to chat with Adam Chuong, a course coordinator at The Steel Yard, to ask about the program.
Q. Tell me a bit about The Steel Yard.
A.The Steel Yard is an industrial arts education non-profit located in the Valley District of Providence. We’re an arts maker space and non-traditional craft school offering courses & educational programs in blacksmithing, welding, jewelry, foundry, and ceramics
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Q. Who's idea was it to launch the camp?
A. The camp was spearheaded by Adam Chuong, the Course Coordinator at the Steel Yard and Charlie Corley, one of our welding instructors. We recognized that we are fortunate to have a great concentration of queer artists and instructors at The Steel Yard and explicitly wanted to make a space to foster free expression of gender and sexuality in an environment of self-discovery and creativity. The camp provide a welcoming, safe environment where youth can explore and express their identities within the space of making.
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In addition to acquiring skills in jewelry & welding, the curriculum includes a strong focus on the development of personal resiliency and agency through understanding and affirmation of personal identities and acquisition of skills in small and large scale metals fabrication.
Q. Are the instructors involved/apart of the LGBTQ community?
Camp Instructors, TAs, and our Course Coordinator all identify as LGBTQ+.
Q. Is there anything else you would like to tell me about the program.
A.The program is fully funded, including food, transportation, and materials. Unfortunately in order to have the program fully funded, we have a limited number of spots available (8 total), and an application process is required. The application is available online, but print outs are available in our offices at The Steel Yard as well.
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RI Integrates Gender Neutral Designations on Driver's Licenses
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Governor Gina Raimondo announced on June 30, 2020 that Rhode Island will be integrating
gender-neutral designations to driver’s licenses. In addition to F and M, for female and male respectively, X will be the representing character for gender-neutral individuals.
RI is the last of the New England states to implement this change.
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First City to Recognize Polyamorous Domestic Partnerships
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Somerville, MA could possibly be the first city in the nation to legally recognize polyamorous domestic partnerships. Polyamory is the practice of having multiple open, honest relationships simultaneously. A domestic partnerships is a legally-recognized relationship between two people that live together and share a common domestic life, but are not married to each other or anyone else. Individuals in domestic partnerships gain a lot of the same benefits and privileges of married couples such as right of survivorship, hospital visitation, and sharing of health benefits.
Somerville never had a domestic partnership ordinance in place, possibly because Massachusetts has legally recognized same-sex marriage since 2004 and assumably didn't think an ordinance could add anything the ruling didn't already. So why create one now? COVID-19 was the catalyst for creating the ordinance. Citizens worried about unmarried individuals not being able to visit sick partners in the hospital; a privilege typically only granted to spouses by health care administers.
After drafting up the original draft, Councilor J.T. Scott and Councilor Lance Davis reviewed the ordinance and decided to change the language just hours before presenting it to the Somerville City Council. They wondered,
why should this relationship be defined as being between only two people? Who are we to define family? A
fter failing to find a solid reason, the two tweaked the language to make it inclusive; changing the ordinance definition of a domestic partnership from
an entity formed by two person
s, to
an entity formed by people
. They also replaced
he and she
with
they
, and replaced
both
with
all.
On June 25, 2020 the ordinance was presented to the full council, and was unanimously voted in. Mayor joe Curtatone signed the ordinance into municipal law on June 29.
Councilor Davis reminds individuals that although city employees in polyamorous relationships will be allowed to share health benefits with their partners under this ordinance, it is unclear whether private employers would extend the benefit.
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Mission:
Youth Pride, Inc. is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of youth and young adults impacted by sexual orientation and gender identity/expression while working to end the homophobic and transphobic environments in which they live, work and play.
Values:
LEADERSHIP:
YPI is committed to creating the leaders of today. Youth voices drive our process, and we seek to develop the leadership skills necessary both within the organization and outside of it.
AFFIRMATION:
YPI believes all youth must be affirmed for who they are and how they express themselves. We are committed to making that a reality in all of the environments in which young people live.
COMMUNITY:
YPI believes building strong connections is essential to youth success and empowerment. We strive to create a caring, respectful and diverse community of young people and adults.
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Your tax-deductible donation helps YPI continue to do the important work we do in accordance to our mission. Your gift would be directly investing in our state's LGBTQ youth so that they may have a chance to share their gifts and light with the world.
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Our Programs and Services
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Youth Pride, Inc. serves over 700 Rhode Island LGBTQ youth and their straight allies a year through a variety of programs and services.
Our Center, located on Westminster Street in Providence, primarily serve as a drop-in and programming space, and is currently open to youth ages 13 to 23 on Tuesday and Wednesday from 3-8pm and Thursday from 3 to 5. Youth ages 9 to thirteen are welcome at our exclusive 13 and under drop-in time on Thursdays from 5-8 pm. All YPI Center services and activities are free to youth. YPI youth get to attend events, workshops, cultural, educational, social, and wellness activities at YPI and around the state.
Our center is home to a Basic Needs Pantry, open to youth in need of food, clothing, toiletries, and school supplies. We offer one on one counseling with in-house clinicians. Our clinicians facilitate and supervise three peer-support groups.
YPI also offers support to those who work with youth through policy and advocacy, and by providing professional development workshops and technical assistance to service providers and educators.
For more information on getting involved with YPI as a volunteer or if you or someone you know is in need of our services, contact info@youthprideri.org
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If you have a story you feel should be included in an upcoming newsletter, email Info@youthprideri.org
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