Build Connections

The Queer Youth Advocacy is about bringing people together and finding strength in community. This is an opportunity for youth to connect with other youth who share their experience and their passion for LGBTQIA+ justice. We are endlessly amazed by the deep and enduring friendships that emerge every time we gather for this retreat, and what a rich and empowering community we are able to build during our short time together. This weekend is, at its heart, about celebrating each other. It’s about celebrating the beauty and diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community in a space that centers inclusivity, belonging, and pure, unfiltered joy. 

Learn New Things

We recognize that, historically and currently in the United States, most outdoor recreational spaces and communities have centered the voices and experiences of a privileged few. We want to acknowledge the ways in which LGBTQIA+ people, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), people with disabilities, people with access to fewer financial resources, and other marginalized groups have been systematically excluded from these spaces, and thereby excluded from learning certain skills in spaces that feel welcoming and inclusive. Our goal is to provide a space where all LGBTQIA+ youth can feel welcome outside, and can try new things with other people who share their identity and experience. 

It can feel great to try something new that scares us - jump in a kayak, read our poetry in front of a crowd, or learn how to DJ - but it can be especially nerve wracking when we don’t feel welcomed by those around us. We are proud to offer a space where LGBTQIA+ youth can experience stepping outside of their comfort zones and learning new things surrounded by other Queer youth and taught by Queer mentors. You’ll be amazed by what a difference that makes. 

Make a Difference

The Queer Youth Advocacy Retreat offers in-depth, interactive workshops and presentations with experienced facilitators from a variety of backgrounds. Youth will choose from a range of program offerings, and engage with the topics that interest them most. Together we learn about the past, present, and future of LGBTQIA+ communities, the social and political struggles we face, and the way that Queerness intersects with other dimensions of identity such as race, class, colonialism, disability and more. Youth will come away with valuable new tools, skills, knowledge, language and ideas that they can use to address injustice in their communities.

It is our hope that every youth who returns home from the Queer Youth Advocacy Retreat will feel inspired and hopeful about the future. Our goal is to provide meaningful mentorship and guidance while empowering these incredible young leaders to be themselves in the best way possible. We can’t wait for you to join us!