Don’t forget, tomorrow is SMYRC’s annual Halloween dance! Nightmare Before Christmas themed (costumes, themed or otherwise, encouraged, but not required.) Come for food, dancing, a free raffle (including a bike giveaway) and more!
Saturday, October 30th
7-11pm
As always, SMYRC is a hate-free, sober space!
3024 NE MLK Blvd.
Open to folks ages 12-23.
Bring your friends!
Want to continue the conversation started at the community forum last Tuesday?
SMYRC and Q CENTER COMMUNITY MEETING: “WE ARE HERE” PART TWO!
Tuesday night’s “We Are Here” community forum was a great first step to making change happen for LGBTQ Youth. The Q Center was packed to capacity. Way to come out and show you care, community! We have a lot of work to do and really need your help to do it.
Part 1 we listened. Please join us Tuesday, October 26th again for part 2 where we take action based on what we have heard! We have been going through all the hundreds of ideas we gathered and will be putting them into motion at this week’s community meeting.
Here’s the scoop:
When: Tuesday, October 26th: 5pm-8pm
Where: Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi Ave, Portland
For more information, please email WeAreHere@pdxQcenter.org
SEE YOU THERE!!!
Check out some photos from the first forum on the Q Center website
Come to Backspace Cafe Saturday, October 23rd for “A Frank Conversation: Kids and Teens Speak Out About Bullying.”
115 NW 5th Ave.
3:30-7pm
Local Actress/ Producer Katie works with teens and kids as an acting coach in Portland; after reading a barrage of news stories on kids killing themselves, because they were bullied, she decided to give those who have survived the experience a way to speak up. On October 23rd Katie will host a FRANK CONVERSATION with local NW kids and teens about their experience with bullying.
Film Director James Westby will capture the collective voice on film. The footage gathered may be used in a dramatic short film Katie is producing on teen bullying. Their hope is to have teens/kids speak up about what they have seen or experienced.
BACKSPACE has offered their coffee shop for the event where everyone is welcome to stop in, grab a cookie and coffee, and hang…even if they don’t wish to speak personally about their experience. This is a chance to honor those that have struggled to survive a day in school.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
COMING UP NEXT WEEK: “Nightmare Before Christmas” themed Halloween dance!
October 30th, 7-11pm at SMYRC.
Free food, dancing and raffle prizes (including a bike giveaway!)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
What groups do you want to see happen at SMYRC? Art group? A coming out group? Relationship support groups? A GSA outreach group? Let us know what ideas you have and keep an eye out for an upcoming survey about what sorts of programs YOU want to have at SMYRC.
Come to Backspace Cafe Saturday, October 23rd for “A Frank Conversation: Kids and Teens Speak Out About Bullying.”
115 NW 5th Ave.
3:30-7pm
Local Actress/ Producer Katie works with teens and kids as an acting coach in Portland; after reading a barrage of news stories on kids killing themselves, because they were bullied, she decided to give those who have survived the experience a way to speak up. On October 23rd Katie will host a FRANK CONVERSATION with local NW kids and teens about their experience with bullying.
Film Director James Westby will capture the collective voice on film. The footage gathered may be used in a dramatic short film Katie is producing on teen bullying. Their hope is to have teens/kids speak up about what they have seen or experienced.
BACKSPACE has offered their coffee shop for the event where everyone is welcome to stop in, grab a cookie and coffee, and hang…even if they don’t wish to speak personally about their experience. This is a chance to honor those that have struggled to survive a day in school.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
COMING UP NEXT WEEK: “Nightmare Before Christmas” themed Halloween dance!
October 30th, 7-11pm at SMYRC.
Free food, dancing and raffle prizes (including a bike giveaway!)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
What groups do you want to see happen at SMYRC? Art group? A coming out group? Relationship support groups? A GSA outreach group? Let us know what ideas you have and keep an eye out for an upcoming survey about what sorts of programs YOU want to have at SMYRC.
Do you want to talk with your communities about homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools, on the streets, at home? Come tell other folks in Portland’s LGBTQ communities what YOU need to feel safe, supported and part of strong, queer communities! Come to a community forum co-sponsored by SMYRC and the Q Center!
“We Are Here”
October 19th, 7:30 pm to 9pm
at the Q Center (4115 N. Mississippi St)
SMYRC folks will be meeting at SMYRC at 6:45pm and leaving to walk over to the Q Center together at 7pm. Come join us!
Here’s some more info on this forum, from the Q Center website:
“This past month, the LGBTQ Community has been shaken to its core with news that 5 young people have committed suicide, suicides that were direct results of sustained, unwarranted bullying and harassment because of their sexual orientation. The public outcry has been great–and admirable–and Q Center and SMYRC (Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center) will sustain this momentum, seizing the opportunity to take tangible action in the wake of these horrific, needless tragedies. As has been said, one suicide is a tragedy. Several is a crisis. The LGBTQ Community must work together–and quickly–to stem the tide.
Last spring, Q Center hosted a community forum that came on the heels of a spate of gay bashings in the Portland area. The community spoke, city officials and community activists listened, and Q Patrol emerged, an organization dedicated to not only patrolling our streets, making them safer, but to pooling the resources available to our community.
While Q Center proudly embraces the “It Gets Better” video series led by Dan Savage and we advocate for inspirational and supportive messages to young people by LGBTQ adults (and we applaud those in our community, like Mayor Sam Adams, among many others, who have already recorded their own videos), we fervently believe that as Oregon’s LGBTQ Community Center, we need to take this inspiration a step further. We want to come together as a community and listen to the stories and experiences of LGBTQ youth in our communities.
In addition to offering the vital encouragement (which is also key to stemming the tide) LGBTQ youth need, showing them many have “made it to the other side,” we feel it’s imperative for LGBTQ adults to pay close attention to our youth, listening and responding to their current, pressing, actual needs right now–while they’re in the thick of adolescence and, quite possibly, bullying, harassment, and utter hopelessness.
We want our young people to know we can provide them with the support services and opportunities they need to successfully navigate and transition from challenging adolescence to fulfilling adulthood. And they can do it with our help.
Q Center, in proud partnership with SYMRC, will host a community forum on Tuesday, October 19th, 2010, from 7:30-9:00pm called “We Are Here.” This forum will be an opportunity for our young people to talk about: what it’s like for them to be out in school and in our communities; what their experiences are, both positive and challenging; what ways they need to be heard and supported by their families or their adult LGBTQ counterparts; and, finally, what action steps our community can take to turn the tide of these horrible tragedies. LGBTQ youth need to know and understand suicide isn’t the answer.
Our goal will be to listen, to document, to pool our resources. Our goal is to put together a tangible action plan that makes a difference here and now. All members of the LGBTQ community and our straight allies are encouraged to attend, listen, and, most of all, help. Please join us and help us help our LGBTQ youth before we lose even one more life to bigotry and hatred.”
See ya Tuesday!
Two great events to participate in this weekend!
Friday, October 15, 6pm to 10pm
Cascade AIDS Project will be hosting “¡Concientízate! Arte. Cultura. Musica.” to commemorate National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) and draw attention to the impact HIV/AIDS has on Portland’s Chican@/Latin@ community. “¡Concientízate!” will be a celebration of culture. Beginning with a ceremonial blessing of the event by Danza Azteca Mexica Tiahui, the night will include performances by Ballet Folklorico Lo Nuestro, Latin Folk songwriter Edna Vasquez, Salvadoran-American hip hop by March 4th, and will feature the art of five young, local Latino artists. This event will be free and will take place at Pivot (209 SW 4th Ave) They will also be offering free confidential or anonymous rapid HIV testing to anyone interested.
Sunday, October 17th
Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk. 1pm-5:30pm
Portland Mariott Downtown Waterfront (1401 SW Naito Parkway)
Click here to go directly to the page where you can sign up to join the SMYRC team!
Join the SMYRC team in honoring those of our SMYRC community whose lives have been lost as well as in honoring the memories of LGBTQ youth around the world who have taken their own lives. From the Out of the Darkness website: “In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 16 minutes, claiming more than 33,000 lives each year. It is estimated that an attempt is made every minute; with close to one million people attempting suicide annually. With your participation, you will not just be walking, and your donors will not just be writing a check – you will be helping to save lives. By walking in the Out of the Darkness Community Walks to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), you will be walking with thousands of people nationwide to raise money for AFSP’s vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide, advocate for mental health issues, and assist survivors of suicide loss.”
Monday, October 11th 7pm
Pioneer Courthouse Square
(downtown Portland at 701 SW 6th Avenue bordered by SW Yamhill, SW Morrison and SW Broadway.)
Celebrate National Coming Out Day and honor the memory of queer youth who have lost their lives or taken their own lives. Speak out if you’d like about your own experiences and celebrations about coming out.
Text or call 503.969.2266 if you’d like to meet up with SMYRC. Or just keep an eye out for familiar faces!
Hello wonderful SMYRCers!
The past few weeks have gone by in a blur! We had a great time walking with thousands of other Portlanders in the AIDS Walk, had a really fantastic September Open Mic with a number of community members visiting to support SMYRC and have been having some really incredible conversations in Steering Committee about what youth/adult partnerships can look like at SMYRC and how we can hold each other accountable as a community.
As some of you may have seen on the news, Facebook or in a variety of other media, September also came with a large number of reported youth suicides, directly relating to bullying of LGBTQ (and perceived LGBTQ) youth. There have been a huge number of responses to these reports, ranging from community vigils, an astonishing number of YouTube responses (check out these amazing projects: It Gets Better and Make It Better), a growing discussion on the number of queer youth suicides NOT reported in the media and communities around the country working to find new ways to address homophobic and transphobic bullying and youth suicides. In the past two weeks community members have been reaching out to SMYRC as well. Here are some of the ways YOU can get involved:
*Come to drop in this Saturday, October 9th and make your own video! We’ll be watching some of the videos that other folks have put up as well.
*Share your own story on Monday, October 11th at the National Coming Out Day Remembrance Vigil at Pioneer Courthouse Square. 7pm. Anyone is encouraged to go and share their stories but they are particularly looking for youth to speak. Feel free to contact Cory at staff@pridenw.org for more details, questions, or confirmation that you’d like to speak.
*Stop by Fantasma, located at 2314 B NE Alberta Street (just a short walk from SMYRC!) a store that carries tools used to honor rituals from a variety of different communities and cultures. They are currently having an ongoing alter set up to honor the youth (both reported and unreported) whose lives have been lost recently due to suicide. Folks are invited to bring their own offerings and candles, though the store will also have candles available. They are also collected donations for SMYRC as part of this alter. Stop by, light a candle and thank them!
*Wednesday, October 13th, from 6-9pm, a woman named Traci Taylor will be conducting interviews with interested youth about their experiences with coming out for a book she is writing called “Momma, I am Gay.” Here’s what Traci has to say about her project: “Your story deserves to be told and it may touch someone’s life. Most important is you will feel like you are not alone and that someone is listening to your heart.” Please email jess@smyrc.org if you’d like to sign up to do an interview. Depending on how many folks are interested in being interviewed, Traci may come back after Wednesday to do more interviews.
*Sunday, October 17th is the Portland Out of the Darkness Community Walk. Similar to the AIDS Walk, this annual walk raises money for research, education and advocacy around suicide prevention. Some SMYRCers are organizing folks to walk as a group… more details on the way!
And don’t forget about these incredibly important resources for folks who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, bullying, depression or other challenges to their daily lives:
The Trevor Project, a 24 hour suicide and crisis hotline for LGBTQ youth.
The Oregon Youthline, a 24 hour peer to peer crisis and support hotline for youth in the Portland Metro area.
The Oregon Safe Schools and Communities Coalition, an organization focused on creating safe schools and communities for youth all around Oregon (they’re a great contact if you are experiencing bullying or want to start a queer youth organization at your school!)
These are just a few of the amazing number of resources available for LGBTQ youth right now. Try searching “queer youth resources,” “queer youth of color resources,” or even just “queer youth” on your favorite search engine and check out some of the rad organizations that exist right now!
